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Special Features
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Q&A with Director Pedro Almodovar
On the Red Carpet: New York Premiere
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Q&A with Director Pedro Almodovar
On the Red Carpet: New York Premiere
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
For his maiden voyage into horror, Spanish maestro Pedro Almodóvar leaves the gore behind for a plunge into truly disturbing territory. If he suggests more than he shows, the human body still takes center stage, starting with Toledo plastic surgeon Robert Ledgard (a chillingly understated Antonio Banderas), who did his best to restore his wife to her former glory after a fiery car crash, only to have his efforts be in vain. Since then, he's concentrated on a skin substitute that repels damage. Like Dr. Frankenstein, he's a single-minded obsessive, and even his housekeeper, Marilia (Marisa Paredes), describes him as "crazy," but that doesn't dim her devotion to him any less. After tragedy reenters Ledgard's life, he finds the perfect subject on which to test out his superhuman skin. Almodóvar begins in the present before backtracking six years to explain how Vera (Elena Anaya) came to Ledgard's attention. Now, he keeps her locked in a room through which he observes her every move via surveillance cameras and one-way glass. At all times, she wears a surprisingly flattering body stocking in order to heal properly, and spends her days reading Alice Munro novels and making Louise Bourgeois-inspired sculptures until Marilia's hotheaded son drops by, at which point the household dynamics spin out of control. In adapting Thierry Jonquet's Tarantula, Almodóvar has embarked on his most perfectly controlled project. Like the lovely Vera, the film offers cool, attractive surfaces, but the secret behind the woman and the world she inhabits will chill you to the bone. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Product Description
Dr. Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) is a driven plastic surgeon haunted by personal tragedies. After many years of trial and error, he finally perfects a new skin – a shield which could have prevented the death of his wife in an accident years earlier. His latest “guinea pig” is a mysterious captive whose true identity masks a shocking mystery. The Skin I Live In is a masterful tale of secrets, obsession and revenge from Oscar-winning (Best Writing, Original Screenplay, Talk to Her, 2002) writer/director Pedro Almodovar.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
74 of 79 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A no-spoilers review of an absorbing and disturbing near-masterpiece
December 19, 2011
Format:Blu-ray
The most important thing I can tell you about Pedro Almodóvar's film, The Skin I Live In (original Spanish title: La piel que habito) is that you should avoid as much as possible knowing anything about it beyond the most basic setup before seeing it. This is one of those cases where spoilers truly can rob you of the full experience of a film. I say this as someone who went into the movie knowing little about it beyond the fact that Pedro Almodóvar directed it and that it had to do with a plastic surgeon obsessed with a mysterious female patient. And that really is the best way to see it.
Adapted from Thierry Jonquet's novel Tarantula (original French title: Mygale) by Pedro Almodóvar and his brother Agustín Almodóvar, The Skin I Live In is a complex and, as the background layers are peeled away through revelation, deeply disturbing and chilling film.
It begins in the present day where we see Robert Legard (Antonio Banderas), a prominent plastic surgeon and medical researcher who, because of the tragic death of his wife in a fiery auto accident several years earlier, is obsessed with creating a new kind of skin superior to the skin we're born with, one that is not only both tougher and more resistant to burning and injury but also heals quicker and with little to no scarring. In his mansion, Dr. Legard has a special patient under his private, personal care, a young woman named Vera (Elena Anaya), on whom he is trying his new skin out. Our first impression is that Vera is a burn victim that Legrand is caring for, but it quickly becomes clear that Vera is more prisoner than patient. But just who is Vera? And how did she come into Legrand's rather questionable 'care'? And why does she so strongly resemble Legrand's dead wife?
As in so many his films, The Skin I Live In has many of Almodóvar's almost trademark themes running all through it: complex familial relationships; the intertwining of family and personal secrets; the nature of desire, brutality and obsession; the lengths to which individuals can and will go; how actions can have the most unexpected and sometimes devastating consequences, and how, ultimately, we can never escape our pasts.
The performances are pitch perfect, most particularly Antonio Banderas' controlled and controlling - and casually chilling - Legard, who has his mansion wired so that he can observe his 'patient' from almost any part of the house, and Elena Anaya's Vera with her perfect face and body and the haunted eyes that peer out from the skin she lives in, always aware that she is being observed. Added into the mix - and subtly working in other elements from classic standards of horror - are Marisa Paredes's Marilia, Legard's old housekeeper who serves as a kind of matronly Igor to Legard's Victor Frankenstein, fiercely loyal but openly disapproving; Roberto Álamo's Zeca, a brutal criminal on the run who serves as a kind of Hyde to Legard's Jekyll - lust, rage and animal cunning to Legard's cool controlled calculation. And last but not least, Jan Cornet's Vicente, a callow young fool whose impulsive self-indulgence triggers a chain of events with consequences more dire than he could imagine. All of whom are bound to each other in ways known and unknown.
The only reason I rate this four stars instead of five and call it a near-masterpiece instead of an all-out masterpiece is in how the final acts play out. After taking the viewer through a series of ever deeper and increasingly disturbing revelations, Almodóvar seems to settle for what I felt was a disappointingly conventional resolution. But that said, the film still stands out for all of the unexpected places it did take you before that slip back into the expected. There may be times when you'll think you've seen this movie before and you know what's going on, but I assure you, you haven't and you won't until the revelations have been made.
Highly recommended for any fan of Almodóvar's and for anyone else who likes well-crafted films that really push the boundaries.
Adapted from Thierry Jonquet's novel Tarantula (original French title: Mygale) by Pedro Almodóvar and his brother Agustín Almodóvar, The Skin I Live In is a complex and, as the background layers are peeled away through revelation, deeply disturbing and chilling film.
It begins in the present day where we see Robert Legard (Antonio Banderas), a prominent plastic surgeon and medical researcher who, because of the tragic death of his wife in a fiery auto accident several years earlier, is obsessed with creating a new kind of skin superior to the skin we're born with, one that is not only both tougher and more resistant to burning and injury but also heals quicker and with little to no scarring. In his mansion, Dr. Legard has a special patient under his private, personal care, a young woman named Vera (Elena Anaya), on whom he is trying his new skin out. Our first impression is that Vera is a burn victim that Legrand is caring for, but it quickly becomes clear that Vera is more prisoner than patient. But just who is Vera? And how did she come into Legrand's rather questionable 'care'? And why does she so strongly resemble Legrand's dead wife?
As in so many his films, The Skin I Live In has many of Almodóvar's almost trademark themes running all through it: complex familial relationships; the intertwining of family and personal secrets; the nature of desire, brutality and obsession; the lengths to which individuals can and will go; how actions can have the most unexpected and sometimes devastating consequences, and how, ultimately, we can never escape our pasts.
The performances are pitch perfect, most particularly Antonio Banderas' controlled and controlling - and casually chilling - Legard, who has his mansion wired so that he can observe his 'patient' from almost any part of the house, and Elena Anaya's Vera with her perfect face and body and the haunted eyes that peer out from the skin she lives in, always aware that she is being observed. Added into the mix - and subtly working in other elements from classic standards of horror - are Marisa Paredes's Marilia, Legard's old housekeeper who serves as a kind of matronly Igor to Legard's Victor Frankenstein, fiercely loyal but openly disapproving; Roberto Álamo's Zeca, a brutal criminal on the run who serves as a kind of Hyde to Legard's Jekyll - lust, rage and animal cunning to Legard's cool controlled calculation. And last but not least, Jan Cornet's Vicente, a callow young fool whose impulsive self-indulgence triggers a chain of events with consequences more dire than he could imagine. All of whom are bound to each other in ways known and unknown.
The only reason I rate this four stars instead of five and call it a near-masterpiece instead of an all-out masterpiece is in how the final acts play out. After taking the viewer through a series of ever deeper and increasingly disturbing revelations, Almodóvar seems to settle for what I felt was a disappointingly conventional resolution. But that said, the film still stands out for all of the unexpected places it did take you before that slip back into the expected. There may be times when you'll think you've seen this movie before and you know what's going on, but I assure you, you haven't and you won't until the revelations have been made.
Highly recommended for any fan of Almodóvar's and for anyone else who likes well-crafted films that really push the boundaries.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
A fascinating and powerful departure for Almodovar, or perhaps more
accurately more an terrific hybrid of the best of his old and new.
This has the darker, more actively perversely disturbing and violent themes
of some of his early work like 'Matador' but shot and directed with the
far smoother and more mature hand he has developed over the years. It
also uses the more complex and fractured time structure style of
Almodovar's more recent work, to great effect.
In the end it's a gorgeous looking, philosophically complex mystery and
horror film. Although not gory, this is a disturbing work, both on a
literal story level, and also for the questions it raises about sexual and personal
identity, love, sado-masochism, and passion run amok.
These themes are all Almodovar touchstones, but delivered here with a
visually stunning icy touch, and with much more complete logic than in
his early works, which often felt less fully thought through, and had
more frustrating plot holes and character leaps.
Not a 'scary' film, but a creepy, moody and highly effective one. A
dark fairy tale as told by, say Stanley Kubrick.
It's good to see Antonio Banderas reunited with Almodovar, and he
delivers a wonderfully complex and quirky modern day Dr. Frankenstein.
Less emotional than my two very favorite Almodovar films (Talk to Her,
All About My Mother), but its exciting to see this extremely talented
film maker continue to evolve and grow, and I think this represents
work that can stand among his best.
accurately more an terrific hybrid of the best of his old and new.
This has the darker, more actively perversely disturbing and violent themes
of some of his early work like 'Matador' but shot and directed with the
far smoother and more mature hand he has developed over the years. It
also uses the more complex and fractured time structure style of
Almodovar's more recent work, to great effect.
In the end it's a gorgeous looking, philosophically complex mystery and
horror film. Although not gory, this is a disturbing work, both on a
literal story level, and also for the questions it raises about sexual and personal
identity, love, sado-masochism, and passion run amok.
These themes are all Almodovar touchstones, but delivered here with a
visually stunning icy touch, and with much more complete logic than in
his early works, which often felt less fully thought through, and had
more frustrating plot holes and character leaps.
Not a 'scary' film, but a creepy, moody and highly effective one. A
dark fairy tale as told by, say Stanley Kubrick.
It's good to see Antonio Banderas reunited with Almodovar, and he
delivers a wonderfully complex and quirky modern day Dr. Frankenstein.
Less emotional than my two very favorite Almodovar films (Talk to Her,
All About My Mother), but its exciting to see this extremely talented
film maker continue to evolve and grow, and I think this represents
work that can stand among his best.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
I was telling a friend last night that there is no way you could adequately describe a plot of a Pedro Almodovar film. They are so over the top, so larger than life, so filled with twists and turns. There is always some sort of car chase or people escaping the scene of the crime on a moped. There is always a lot of drama. There are always many quirky characters - in this case a mad scientist and a man running around in a tiger costume and cowboy boots. You have to enter a very surreal, crazy world in order to enjoy a Pedro Almodovar film. All of that said, I love his films and they bring me great joy. I told that same friend that I love Pedro Almodovar films as much as I love the idea of him. He is truly an icon in the world of film. When I read the first review of this film by Roger Ebert, he was also reviewing the film Mission Impossible 4. In a film world where almost everything is a sequel or of a certain genre, the world of Pedro Almodovar is unique and refreshing. He is truly an original - someone who has a very unique identity and a strong sense of self. I don't want to get into any plot specifics because it would ruin the drama for you. However, if you "get" his film, if you are willing to open yourself up to his world, then The Skin I Live In is a treat indeed.
Update - May 7, 2012
I just got back from my second trip to Spain. Spain has changed a lot in the last few decades. A very conservative Catholic country that never went through the Protestant Reformation, Spain was under the control of the Church for decades, and then endured decades of rigidity and repression under the military regime of General Francisco Franco. To understand Pedro Almodovar and his world, you need to understand a little about the country of Spain from which he comes. Now, only about 20 percent of the people of Spain consider themselves practicing Catholics - this from the country that gave us the Spanish inquisition. Secularism is the reality of Spain right now, and The Skin I live In and the rest of Pedro Almodovar's films come from the creativity and breaking down of barriers and stereotypes that have burst on the scene in Spain in recent years.
Update - May 7, 2012
I just got back from my second trip to Spain. Spain has changed a lot in the last few decades. A very conservative Catholic country that never went through the Protestant Reformation, Spain was under the control of the Church for decades, and then endured decades of rigidity and repression under the military regime of General Francisco Franco. To understand Pedro Almodovar and his world, you need to understand a little about the country of Spain from which he comes. Now, only about 20 percent of the people of Spain consider themselves practicing Catholics - this from the country that gave us the Spanish inquisition. Secularism is the reality of Spain right now, and The Skin I live In and the rest of Pedro Almodovar's films come from the creativity and breaking down of barriers and stereotypes that have burst on the scene in Spain in recent years.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Typically Sick Almodovar Obsessions
If you are fascinated by Almodovar's obsessions with rape, kidnapping, mother-bondage, mutilation, torture and murder, this is the film for you. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Robert N. Farr
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome!
Great story. I love Almodovar! Twisted as ever!! I recommend and encourage anyone to purchase this item - worth every penny, for sure!
Published 1 month ago by Joseph Oliveira
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!!!!!!!!
Super great movie, it had to be from the privilege mind of Almodovar. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, the spectator cannot move until the end. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Chepo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exploring Antonio Banderas Work
I recently began exploring the films of Antonio Banderas and have seen the lighter, popular work and enjoy the intelligent humor in those characters very much (Zorro, Puss in... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Janice
5.0 out of 5 stars
TWIST AND TURNS
This movie is sooooo awesome. Almadovar keeps you guessing till the very end. One of my favorite of his movies.
Published 2 months ago by Marcelino Rosas
4.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant. 4.5
Hard to talk about this movie without spoiling the joy for someone who hasn't yet seen the movie. Read the basic plot line, but just know that there is much, much, more to this... Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Terry
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting twist from Almodovar
The Skin I Live In is a really interesting departure from Almodovar's usual emotional, human-interest story films, of which my favorite is Talk To Her. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Malfoyfan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Muy buena, no para una clase
Increíble, la verdad. A mí me encantó. Soy maestro de español en una escuela secundaria y esta película no es para estudiantes de ninguna... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michael P. Aldworth
5.0 out of 5 stars
Antonio at his best!
What a thrilling and suspenseful movie! It's worth buying it for my Amazon library and the fact that it's in Spanish doesn 't disturbe at all. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Clarence
5.0 out of 5 stars
unexpected twists
Maybe I missed the clues, but I loved the twists in this story. It's a bit of a sick story but absolutely fascinating. Would definitely a well-made movie that works your brain.
Published 4 months ago by E. Hu
