| La
Piel Que Habito,
2011
(The Skin I
Live In)
Director:
Pedro Almodovar
Written by:
Pedro Almodovar (Screenplay)
Based on a novel by Thierry Jonquet (“Tarantula”)
Co-Stars:
Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, Roberto Alamo
Released:
Cannes Film Festival (France) May 19, 2011
US – Limited Release – October 14, 2011
Filming
Location: Spain
More than
30 years after their last collaboration, Antonio and Pedro
finally reunited to film this movie which has been discussed
and postponed many times over the past several years.
In
this movie, Pedro has brought us into a new genre of a horror/thriller.
Dr. Robert Ledgard (Antonio) is a brilliant plastic surgeon
who is haunted by the many tragedies in his past including
the deaths of his wife and daughter. In the years since their
deaths, Ledgard has succeeded in cultivating a skin that cannot
burn. At his estate he is holding a young woman named Vera
(Anaya) captive with the help of his servant Marilia (Paredes).
Using Vera as his test subject, Legard’s experiments
have transformed her until she bears a striking resemblance
to his dead wife.
The
use of flashbacks bring to light the complex connections between
Robert, Vera and Vincente (Cornet) and Marilia. A surprise
visitor to the estate, Zeca (Alamo) who has ties to Robert
and Marilia, discovers the beautiful woman being kept hostage.
We don’t want to give away too many plot details here
because everything weaves together to bring a surprise ending
that no one sees coming.
On
working with Pedro again, Antonio commented: “I
didn't take this character because I wanted to develop my
psychopathic side! Did I need to work with Almodovar again,
to go back to my roots, to my language, to my country? Yes.
It's been like fresh air, it's been like a big glass of fresh
water.”
The
film opened at Cannes Film Festival as well as several other
film festivals around the world. Overall reviews of the film
were very positive, especially for Pedro’s directing
of the movie and Antonio’s portrayal of Legard as the
complex, psychopathic Legard.
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