Customer Reviews

Siesta [VHS]

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

For those who have not seen Siesta it contains an almost similar plot twist much like Jacob's Ladder with actor Tim Robbins;the premise is pretty much the same. However, where the images in Ladder were macabre and sinister, Siesta's borders more on scenic and melancholy imagery;Much of the story takes place in Spain under sunny skies.Ellen Barkin's character Claire wakes up in the middle of a strip field/airport in Spain with a bout of amnesia to find she is soaked in blood.In a sense, she is relieved to discover that it's not her own blood. Terrified, she begins to suspect she has killed somebody;but who, why or what is what propels the story. As it unfolds, Claire encounters both eccentric and unsavory characters throughout her mysterious journey ( special cameos and roles by Jodie Foster, Grace Jones, Julian Sands). Do these characters help or hinder her investigation ?

While Siesta was a limited release back in'87 it is very well written and directed for a cult status film or an art house movie (it almost takes on a foreign feel at times). This sleeper should not be missed by those seeking to see movies which are "experimental" or different. This film certainly did not follow the typical big action, big bucks formula as many other Hollywood films often do...

Another honorable mention is the hauntingly meleancholy yet beautiful soundtrack by the late Miles Davis and Marcus Miller;a highly recommended soundtrack !

Without giving too much of the plot away or the ending, let's just say that this movie comes remotely close to a female film version of Jacob's Ladder with Tim Robbins. Siesta, like Ladder, is also filled with flashbacks, bouts of amnesia, ghastly images of death, and a lot of creepy and haunting characters. The mood is equally somber and melancholy. However, Siesta was out before Jacob's Ladder and also shows the viewer some great summer vacation spots in Spain. Siesta is entertaining for those who like art house films and trendy or worldly settings with off-beat and bizarre characters for an overall unique and strange atmosphere. The action can be stagnating at times. However, the soundtrack by Marcus Miller and the late Miles Davis is a must have for any avid collector of c.d. soundtracks. The album also has a moody, jazzy, Spanish flamenco feel to it...

Of all the films that I anxiously expect to receive DVD treatment, this film is at the top of my list, personally. I own the video tape edition.

Waking up covered in somone's blood, pining for a lover named augustine, denial of death, narrowly avoiding an incestuous threesome with julian sands, being raped by an obese cabdriver with gold-capped teeth, and a plethera of other odd circumstances visit Ellen Barkin's character in the hyper-violent yet strangely poetic little tale.

I highly recommend this film. Hopefully the dvd will eventually arrive. . .

I've heard and read a lot of (...) about this film, but here's my two cents worth-- second only to Citizen Kane as the best American film ever made. With a cast that includes Ellen Barkin, Gabriel Byrne and Jodie Foster, with walk-ons by Martin Sheen, Grace Jones and Alexei Sayle to name a few, it's one of the most interesting films, visually and verbally, that's ever been made in English. Carnival of Souls to the 13th power, this is a real stunner, and definitely worth 90 minutes of your life. (Trivia: it was on the set of this lush thriller that Barkin and Byrne met and eventually married...) Can't recommend this one highly enough. The question now is-- where's the (...) DVD?!

It was around 5am when I saw this title on TV and started watching just to take a look. The first thing that startled me was the music which was truly amazing. And then a woman covered in blood lying near an airport! The events were all mysterious, and I couldn't go to sleep without seeing the end of the movie, which was early in the morning.

As I said before, the music in the movie is amazing. It's by Marcus Miller/Miles Davis, and it reminds me of the classic Miles Davis/Gil Evans arrangement "Sketches of Spain." If you are a Miles Davis fan, this movie is a must see. Otherwise, it gives a good reason to become a Miles Davis fan :)

This dark weaving movie with hints of David Lynch tension...will tell you a story...of the journey through a dreamlike Spain of the passionate... Claire. The puzzling task of Claire is to discover how she was left in a blood soaked red dress in an airfield in Spain. It becomes the viewers task too. Is Claire a murderor? The movie reveals flashes of the possibilties...Don't worry..the answer will come...but the world she travels through is beyond the looking glass...and very dark indeed.

I saw it in the theater when it was relased! I had to smoke a cigarette afterwards! I went right out and got a copy of the soundtrack on vinyl. I currently own the video and have been anxiously awaiting the DVD - I need to see it in widescreen!

This film has been so unfairly derided. Yes, it has a SIMILAR conceit to Jacob's Ladder and Carnival of Souls, duh, but it's treatment of 'death's door' is very different. I read the script, and some curious changes were made by final cut, as in the final words "How can this be true when I feel so much pain" has been altered to "How can this be true when I feel so much love." Hmmmm. Anyway, there are some remarkable moments in this tale of a 'lost soul,' many of which belong to Jodie Foster embodied as an angel wrapped in eurotrash drag, and Julian Sands, delightful as a satyric guide. There are some choppy sections, looked like budget probs to me, and Marcus Miller kind of overdoes the synth effects a coupla times, but it's still a cut above most sludge out there... and it has SOMETHING on its mind, thank God. A scene between Ellen barkin and Gabriel Byrne in the daylight outside of a school house has startling sexual power, and they have all their clothes on!
Enjoy. And get the soundtrack just for "Theme for Augustine."

Exotic, filmed in Spain; great soundtrack (Miles Davis); Definitely not for the kiddies, adult subject matter. Short "Fellini-esque". I liked the twist at the end.

I loved this movie in 1989 and cannot wait to own the dvd - it has a raw sexuality that most films cannot compare to... I have to say the direction has an almost mystical quality. Really this is must see for fans of Barkin! I also adored the rest of the cast... This is a sad, sexy wonderful film!