Click to read the article
Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:23
Fresh:20
Rotten:3
Average Rating:7.5/10
Runtime: 3 hrs 48 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Hector Babenco's Oscar-nominated drama, adapted from Manuel Puig's novel and set in an unspecified Latin American country, takes a penetrating look at the role of entertainment in a politically... Hector Babenco's Oscar-nominated drama, adapted from Manuel Puig's novel and set in an unspecified Latin American country, takes a penetrating look at the role of entertainment in a politically oppressive regime. When activist Valentin (Raul Julia) is tossed in a cell, already beaten and tortured by prison guards anxious to get information out of him, he ends up sharing the space with Molina (William Hurt), a homosexual deeply engaged with popular culture--especially the movies. The two men have widely divergent views of life: while the leftist Valentin strives to bring forth a revolution, Molina buries himself in elaborate fantasies taken directly from the cinema. In particular, he relates two fanciful narratives--one a Nazi melodrama, the other an escapist fable about a glamorous "spider woman" (Sonia Braga), harkening back to the glory days of film noir and murderous femme fatales. The impatient and dedicated Valentin tries to raise his cellmate's conscience, and gradually the two men come together and, in a stunning and shocking conclusion, each one truly learns to put himself in the other's place. Hurt delivers an Oscar-winning performance in this captivating tribute to the power of film and fantasy as an escape from inhumane conditions. [More]
Starring: William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, José Lewgoy
Starring: William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, José Lewgoy
Director: Hector Babenco
Director: Hector Babenco
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Release:
Oct 21, 2008
Reviews for Kiss of the Spider Woman
Babenco's film blends ideology with drama and betrayal for a tale as intellectually rewarding as it is passionate.
Argentine writer Manuel Puig's book Kiss of the Spider Woman has a theme that endures throughout all its various incarnations: that of human dignity and compassion surviving within a society that denies it.
Explores the rapture and torture of desire, and the tension between harsh reality and escapist fantasy. [DVD]
Centering on the evolving camaraderie in prison between a gay window-dresser and a Marxist radical, the movie, like the book, is schematic, and the recreations of old movie scenes are uneven, perhaps a result of helmer Babenco's limited visual style
Latest News for Kiss of the Spider Woman
June 14, 2007:
William Hurt to Battle "The Incredible Hulk"
If it's not "Iron Man" adding some more casting muscle, it's "The Incredible Hulk." More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| 19% 19% | Transformers: Revenge … |
| 55% 55% | Orphan |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 88% 88% | Ballast |
| 66% 66% | The Merry Gentleman |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Kiss of the Spider Woman at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Moviefone looks back at 7 films that have paved the way for movies like 2012.

BuzzSugar rattles off their 10 favorite current actors with celebrity pedigree.

The AV Club looks back at a dance sequence from the only movie written by... Dr. Seuss?

The Men Who Stare at Goats star answers your questions on TIME.com.



Top Critic


