Los Santos Inocentes (Mario Camus, 1984) I'm pretty sick of people just having Amenábar, Almodóvar and Buńuel as the "masters of spanish cinema". That is just so darned wrong. Not only all these are overrated (Amenábar is not that bad, though), they eclipse many other brilliant directors: Berlanga, Bardem, Saura,
Fesser, Ferreri, Fernan Gómez, Aranda, Erice... and Camus. This film here is quite possibly his finest achievement, and it is not for the weak hearted. This is one of the most brutal films I've experienced. At times it is even painful to watch. Based on a novel by Miguel Delibes, this is the simple story of a family of peasants and their struggles to survive while being dominated and maltreated by their owner, a ruthless landlord. The movie really captures the feeling of that time (early 80s) and draws your attention in an unbelievable way. It clearly remarks the horrifying social differences in a so explicit way that it's almost unebearable. You see, the only problem I found with this film is that it is a bit excessive. It's a rough portrait of the time, and it sure can be qualified as a cathartic experience: if you do really connect with the characters (as I did), prepare to suffer. All this convincing drama is effective thanks to the sharp script, which as I commented is a bit too explicit at times, and to the acting. Francisco Rabal shines in his role of Azarías, a mentally limited man. He's charming an likeable at times, scary at others; but he's truly unforgettable, thanks to Rabal's performance. Alfredo Landa is memorable too as the head of the family. And of course there's Juan Diego, whose character is so hateful he could be considered a "villian". But this isn't by any means a story of heros and baddies. It's a gripping tale, effectively photographed and filmed. This, folks, is true good spanish cinema. I did see this on the big screen for the first time and was quite blown away. However, I'm afraid I watched the short version, since it only ran like 85 minutes. No music whatsoever. I think it's the only time I've experienced a totally silent movie in the cinema. Anyway, the film's truly amazing. I wouldn't consider it to be amongst the best ever made but it sure didn't disappoint. I guess I'll see either Gertrud or Ordet next week, and I'll seek for Le Procčs de Jeanne d'Arc by Bresson as well.
October 2, 2004
