Reviews
Bitter Christmas
Reviewed by Stephen Pye
Last Sunday we had 'Bitter Christmas', the latest from the great Pedro Almodovar - now 77 and 'Bitter Christmas' is his 23rd film; a remarkable career which will surely in time see him numbered among the all-time greats. Indeed 'Bitter Christmas' is in part concerned with posterity and how he will be remembered : ' I have yet to make a film as great as those of Bergman and Rossellini the ' fictional' Director says towards the end of this intensely introspective, and at times excoriatingly honest late work.
The film has several identifiable features which have become Almodovar hallmarks: ravishing cinematography with vivid primary colours, an outstanding score including a beautiful song, and a strong cast, especially the women actors.
The film is a film by the Director (Almodovar) making a film about a Director making a film; which is in turn is about a Director making a film she is having trouble finishing ! If that sounds convoluted and recondite, well yes! The contentious moments surround the interplay between what we understand by reality and fiction. The fictional Directors are using events from the real lives of their characters, events which the characters do not wish to have used in a film. The question is then, to what extent are our own lives vampiric upon the lives of others?
Some of us maybe found the film over-contrived, while others were mesmerised by the interplay of the plots and their relationship to reality . It was also very funny at times.
That being said, 'Bitter Christmas' is wonderfully and beautifully realised by a Director whose own insecurities are explored in the most intimate way with his audience.
As Almodovar said recently: 'My most difficult film to direct'.
The film has several identifiable features which have become Almodovar hallmarks: ravishing cinematography with vivid primary colours, an outstanding score including a beautiful song, and a strong cast, especially the women actors.
The film is a film by the Director (Almodovar) making a film about a Director making a film; which is in turn is about a Director making a film she is having trouble finishing ! If that sounds convoluted and recondite, well yes! The contentious moments surround the interplay between what we understand by reality and fiction. The fictional Directors are using events from the real lives of their characters, events which the characters do not wish to have used in a film. The question is then, to what extent are our own lives vampiric upon the lives of others?
Some of us maybe found the film over-contrived, while others were mesmerised by the interplay of the plots and their relationship to reality . It was also very funny at times.
That being said, 'Bitter Christmas' is wonderfully and beautifully realised by a Director whose own insecurities are explored in the most intimate way with his audience.
As Almodovar said recently: 'My most difficult film to direct'.