Customer Reviews

Viva Pedro: The Almodovar Collection (Talk to Her/ Bad Education/ All about My Mother/ Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown/ Live Flesh/ Flower of My Secret / Matador / Law of Desire)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Certainly one of the most lauded of international filmmakers, Pedro Almodovar's films can be notoriously hard to come by on the US market. Generally after an initial release, they have gone out of print and have disappeared from mainstream buying outlets. It seems strange, Almodovar is easily one of the best known and most acclaimed Spanish filmmakers in history. Having been recognized worldwide, been honored by the Oscars, and having worked with stars that have crossed into the English language film world such as Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz--you would think that his films would be more readily available. So, it is with delight that I welcome "Viva Pedro"--a collection of 8 films that show the colorful and dynamic world that is Pedro Almodovar. And while not a complete showcase of his larger work--I lament the exclusion of "Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down"--there is much to rejoice. This set is great for lovers of Almodovar, and priced right for new viewers who wish to get some very significant films at a reasonable cost.

Starting with films from the late 80s, Almodovar uses colorful imagery and melodramatic acting to create some very personal films about love, desire and sex. Often done in an over-the-top, almost soap opera style, these films are instantly recognizable due to Almodovar's distinctive visual flair. All three films from the 80s showcase a young Banderas. "Matador" is a sly black comedy featuring an ex-bullfighter who ties death and killing with sexual excitement. "Law of Desire" is a seriocomic look at sexual desire and obsession that crosses various gender lines. And "Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown" was Almodovar's international breakthrough (and Oscar nominee for Foreign Film) that manages to be a madcap and outrageous comedy and an insightful character study.

The middle films include "The Flower of my Secret"--perhaps my least favorite in the set--about a novelist who wishes to change her life at any cost. "Live Flesh" features Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz in a complex story of how violence and sacrifice can link people together. Both films are interesting, if not altogether successful.

And the last three films of the set showcase a more mature side of Almodovar. The Oscar winning "All About My Mother" starts with a son's tragic death, and takes the wonderful Cecilia Roth on a spiritual journey that redefines life and her place in it. "Talk To Her" tells the story of two men who bond while their girlfriends lie in comas--this won Almodovar an Academy Award for Screenwriting and a Directing nod, as well. And "Bad Education," with Gael Garcia Bernal, is an homage to Hitchcock examining the results of religious upbringing and sexual abuse.

Of course, anyone who knows Almodovar knows that these brief descriptions do nothing to highlight the complexity of these films. All of the films develop interesting characterizations and the way the various characters interact, combat, and collide is a showcase for the genius that is Almodovar's writing. Wildly funny, wickedly tragic, confrontationally sexual--Almodovar is an adult filmmaker working at the top of his game. Please treat yourself. Not every film is perfect, but this set in an excellent primer to the important work of a major writer and director. It's not to be missed. KGHarris, 01/07.

Obviously anyone with more than a passing interest in Almodovar will want this set, which averages out to a pretty decent price considering what you get. Good news first: Matador and Law of Desire, the two new-to-DVD titles, look excellent (especially the latter), and are practically worth picking up the set for by themselves. (Too bad Sony couldn't have released 'em separately; oh well.) Bad Education, Flower of My Secret, Live Flesh and Talk to Her are identical to the previous releases. The back of the box touts new digital remastering for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and All About My Mother, but both of those are botched pretty badly. Women frankly looks terrible, especially compared to the previous MGM release; it's severely overcropped on all four sides (good luck trying to read the credits) and way too bright, with artificial sharpness and serious desaturation on the colors. All About My Mother does look a bit cleaner and crisper than the previous release, but it's bare bones; hold on to the older Sony release for all the extra goodies. The box is very attractive and comes with postcard replicas of the theatrical posters -- a nice touch. The bonus disc features some decent featurettes with various actors talking about working with Pedro; unfortunately, only the trailer for Volver is included as an additional bonus.

This box-set has been too long in coming.
I'm most excited about this set due to the inclusion of 'Law of Desire', which I have never seen and have not been able to find a copy of locally.
Pedro's films are beautiful, messy, sad, hilarious and just about any other adjective you can think of.
Those who have seen his films will no doubt add this to their collection and understand my love of anything Pedro.
Those movie lovers who have not seen some or all of his work, will most definately want to add this set to their collection and I hope that they will introduce new fans to Pedro Almodovar's brilliant work!
peace :o)

After having waited a long time to get "Law of Desire" and "Matador" on DVD, I was delighted to find them included here. They're two of Almodovar's best films. And they look great. However, the others, with the exception of "Live Flesh" and "Bad Education", don't look as good. Particularly "Women on the Verge". As one reviewer said, it's botched pretty badly. The packaging is beautiful with nice xtras, but you have to be careful as the discs are stacked and could scratch easily. I wish they had been packaged separately. Also, "Kika" should have been included in this set (as it's out of release) to really round out the Almodovar experience. Well, just having "Matador" and "Law of Desire" makes it worth it for me. But Almodovar fans may be disappointed at the imperfections here. I was.

This is a fine set, with handsome but awkward packaging (watch the spindles) and decent extras. These are the same films that made the art-house circuit before the release of "Volver." Almodovar's earlier films aren't easily found in the U.S. -- at least at your local Blockbuster -- and so we welcome "Live Flesh," "Matador" and "Law of Desire." The thriller "Matador" was last seen on laser and VHS two decades ago. It's terrific here, awash in color and black comedy, although the shock value has lost some of its power over the unruly decades.

The remastered version of "Women on the Verge" doesn't feel like a big upgrade. "All My Mother's" makeover is more elegant, with fine flesh tones. "Talk to Her," "Bad Education," and "Flower" appear to be straight port-overs from the single discs already available here. In general, audio is uneven but good. Subtitles take some liberties. Unfortunately, the early '90s films "Tie Me Up!" and "Kika" aren't part of the deal. Antonio Banderas shows up in three films; Penelope Cruz is in two, but only at length in "All About My Mother." Watching these films more or less back to back is quite the rewarding experience -- you'll laugh, cry and spend a lot of time trying to figure out if you're watching a man or woman. Viva Pedro! indeed.

Your mileage may vary, but I rank these films like this:

1. All About My Mother
2. Women on the Verge
3. Matador
4. Talk to Her
5. Law of Desire
6. Bad Education
7. Flower of My Secret
8. Live Flesh

I can't say it any other way. As one critic once said, Almodovar doesn't just make movies. he is THE MOVIES! In light of that, he deserves his own box set.

While not a complete box set of his works inclusive, this does feature a pretty good cross section of early works & recent works which confirm that Almodovar is indeed a film-making genius in every sense of the word. Let me also mention Law of Desire & Datador have never been available in dvd format here in north america prior to the release of this box.

It may be a shame, however, for some customers to buy this box set if they already own all the other films in the package aside from those two. On the other hand, this is a great find for many as virtually all of the films here are now very difficult to find & some are currently out of print.
Fortunately, I only owned Bad Education & Talk to Her on dvd before this was released so I didn't lose much by purchasing the entire box.

As far as the plots or storylines go, I think it's fair to say the critics have already done a fantastic job so I'll skip the film introductions here. I can also safely assume all of us who are shopping for Almodovar know pretty much what to expect whether it be controversy, heartfelt stories, or madcap humor. If the gods of celluloid cinema would find it in their hearts to release another box set, I would surely appreciate it as there are four more films that are either out of print or never released in the states on dvd which would make nice gifts or great collector's items as well.In the meantime, I'm quite sure we are all atleast marginally pleased with the box we've received.

The box itself is quite attractive featuring nice artwork all-around, lobby cards including orignal artwork for every film included here, & a bonus disc with special features sure to please every die-hard fan. There are no individual cases for the films here but they are fastened relatively tight by spindles which tend to overlap a bit. I'd initally feared that the individual discs could become dislodged in transit causing damage or scratches but everything was in it's proper place.

Most of the discs don't offer much in the line of extras so they are basically standard issues with the usual subtitles, menu, & chapters. Overall,the quality of each movie is QUITE good but not great. In fact, some of the discs are only a tad better quality than the old vhs tapes which are hard to find these days as well. Yet again, I'm just greatful that these films are readily available so the overall picture quality may be mere small potatoes as far as I'm concerned.

Nearly all the films here are deserving of the five star rating I've supplied even though I can't say that Bad Education was my all-time favorite. for some reason or another, I thought this was a bit too dark & had been hoping for a bit more madcap humor or warmth which Almodovar is generally known for. Nevertheless, Almodovar did an excellent job & Gael Garcia Bernal was phenomenal making Bad Education a worthy film to view. Unfortunately, this one is as unsentimental as it gets. I can hardly wait for the release of his latest film volver on 04/03/07. Isn't life grand?

I was familiar with the movies. They were part of a Retrospective about 6 yrs. ago at the Museum of the Moving Image. The box set is great!! The layout is fabulous. I had all the other movies except Matador. This is a must have for any Pedro fan. It is only missing High Heels, one of Pedro's best.

Easily one of the best collections offered of one of the best contemporary directors. I was happy to see 'Matador' and 'Carne Tremula' (Live Flesh) included. They are two of my favorite movies and were a long time coming to DVD. I would have loved Tie Me Up Tie Me Down included, but I suppose you can't have it all. If you have never seen any of Almodovar's films, it might be wise to make a trip to the rental store before purchasing a comprehensive set like this. Although, I suppose that's a non-issue. 'Talk to Her' and 'All About My Mother' are two excellent additions as well. Almodovar showcases the strong and vulnerable female protagonist with a warmth and humanity difficult to find in other films. Es para verlas una y otra vez, que disfruten.

I am a big fan of director Pedro Almodovar's films and this collection of 8 of his best movies is a must-have. These timeless movies are presented in a nice, space-saving box. I recommend it wholeheartedly to any fan of Almodovar.

Brilliant fimmaking, enormous vairety, lovely transfers. The material is difficult ot see. If you didn't catch these things when they were first released, you are up the creek. The theatrical reissue that was meant to promote the video release didn't last long enough for me to see but one of them. The dvds of most are out print, but I had LIVE FLESH, TALK TO HER and BAD EDUCATION on dvd and WOMEN ON THE VERGE on laser disc. But still, I had to have the set. Really terrific. got a good price at amazon Marketplace and i'm totlaly satisfied.