Live Flesh
by Pedro Almodóvar
Our Price: $44.00
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $14.19 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Ángela Molina, Francesca Neri, Javier Bardem, José Sancho, Liberto RabalDirector: Pedro Almodóvar
Cinematographer: Affonso Beato
Writer: Pedro Almodóvar
Editor: José Salcedo
Producer: Agustín Almodóvar
Writer: Jorge Guerricaechevarría
Writer: Ray Loriga
Writer: Ruth Rendell
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Original Language)
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 103 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-04-10
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Movie Reviews of Live Flesh
Movie Review: Only in the Gifted Hands of Pedro Almodovar!
Summary: 5 Stars
By now all movie buffs have been exposed to the singular genius of Spanish director Pedro Almodovar and the numerous solid films he has placed before his admiring public. Though generally recognized as the maestro of zany, over the edge, ludicrous comedies, his later works have included such tender and truly gripping films as 'Talk to Her' and 'All About My Mother' and it is into this vein that LIVE FLESH falls.
The story is just as surreal as any he has filmed and certainly the quality of the filming, direction and acting is on a par with the best of his work, but LIVE FLESH deals with some fairly grim issues that in the hands of other directors might have become either ruinous parodies of the old films from the 1940s or as bloody boring and tired retreads. Herein lies Almodovar's magic.
Beginning in 1970 Franco's Madrid, a prostitute (Penelope Cruz) goes into labor and with the aid of what appears to be a transvestite fellow hooker gives birth to a son Victor (later played by Liberto Rabal) - on a bus! Flash forward to the 1990s and Victor is caught in a drug deal by two policemen David (Javier Bardem) and Sancho (Jose Sancho). In the ruckus David is shot in the spine resulting in paraplegia. Victor is imprisoned, David becomes a national hero as a paraplegic basketball player married to Clara who runs an orphanage and though she loves David, her sexual needs are only minimally met by David. Sancho has become an alcoholic macho cop.
When Victor is released form prison he pledges revenge on David and Sancho, falls under the influence of Clara from whom he learns his role as a sexual male and begins an affair with her, and when eventually David discovers Clara's 'betrayal' he is able to forgive for the sake of his love for his wife's plight at living with a paraplegic. Victor progresses toward being the decent human being capable of reform and the film closes in the circular manner of most of Almodovar's films: Clara is giving birth to Victor's son 'in transit' in 1996!
The actual story is, of course, much more convoluted and tightly profound than this too brief summary, but you must see the process by watching the film to garner all the beauty that is Almodovar's gift for story telling. Every member of the cast is superb and the action moves at such a fast pace, with just the right amount of sensual sexual encounters to keep in line with Almodovar's style, that this film seems very short. The vivid color palette and the completely appropriate musical score are also trademarks of this gifted director. Highly recommended! Grady Harp, March 05
Similar DVD Movies
Law of DesireSony; Release date: 2009-11-03; DVD
Best price: $12.66
Price in other shops:
Broken EmbracesSony; Release date: 2010-03-16; DVD
Best price: $5.59
Price in other shops:
![Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! [Region 2] Image](/images/Tie-Me-Up-Tie-Me-Down-Region-2-B0002TTTA6-X.jpg)
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! [Region 2]DVD
Best price: $12.26
Bad Education (Original Uncut NC-17 Edition)DVD; Release date: 2005-04-12; Published: 2005-04-01; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
The Flower of My SecretSony; Release date: 2005-04-12; DVD
Best price: $12.47
Price in other shops:
VolverSony; Release date: 2007-04-03; Published: 2007-04-01; DVD
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
All About My MotherSony; Release date: 2009-11-03; DVD
Best price: $13.64
Price in other shops:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous BreakdownSony; Release date: 2009-11-03; DVD
Best price: $8.28
Price in other shops:
Talk to Her (Hable con Ella)Sony; Release date: 2003-05-27; DVD
Best price: $4.53
Price in other shops:
Matador (1986)Sony; Release date: 2009-11-03; DVD
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops: