- 1991movierewind
Episode #117: High Heels
Listen to Episode 117 of the Podcast here while you enjoy the show notes.
SUMMARY - In High Heels, famous singer Becky del Páramo (played by Marisa Paredes) returns to Spain and reconciles with her daughter Rebeca (played by Victoria Abril). Shortly thereafter, their reunion takes a dark turn as Rebeca’s husband, who is also Becky’s former lover, is murdered and they are both suspected of the crime.
Screenplay by Pedro Almodóvar; Directed by Pedro Almodóvar; and premiered in Spain on October 23, 1991.
FILM DISCUSSION
Of course we're immediately seeing masterful filmmaking with vibrant colors, deep reds and amazing imagery. That's almost standard for Almodóvar.
We also quickly start to notice that just about every character in this movie is horrible in some way.
But they also are not super perceptive. Drag performer Letal appears later and we thought it was a weird joke that no one noticed the incredibly fake beard.
Especially when there is this awkward moment of "intimacy" that is basically forced.
We also got confused and thought more was happening due to no fault of the movie. We knew Javier Bardem was in this (for just a few shots)
But the quick glimpses of flashbacks for the daughter's husband with a wig makes him look like Bardem does now.
Anyway, here's the fake beard. There are a lot of relationships to explore in this movie and the acting is phenomenal but we didn't think there was enough time really devoted to some of the interpersonal stuff.
We do get a dance sequence in the prison however.
There's a lot of time devoted to this murder mystery type story as well, but that also isn't resolved in a satisfactory way compared to the build-up.
The movie has a lot going for it, but some of the pieces of the puzzle didn't fit exactly right.
Awards Talk: Cesar Award winner for Best Foreign Film. Golden Globe nominated for Best Foreign Film. At the Goya Awards it was nominated for Best Costume Design, Makeup & Hair, Editing, Sound, and somewhat strangely, Best Supporting Actress for Cristina Marcos' limited role.
TRUE CRIME & POP CULTURE
This week we don't have any true crime to talk about so we jump right into music.
Miguel Bosé (who plays the judge, etc) is a very popular musician and has been releasing albums since the 1980s.
Not only was he featured on MTV Unplugged during it's recent revival attempt, but he also has a fictionalized show about his life on Paramount+.
When this movie was released in Spain, US audiences may have watched Danielle Steele's Daddy on TV
RANKINGS & RATINGS
Nikki 1-5 star scale - 4 out of 5
Jon 0-4 star scale - 3 out of 4
Would you watch it again? - We would have liked it if the movie either leaned further into the murder mystery aspect or leaned more into the relationships because the balance doesn't completely work in this beautiful movie. So, while we would watch it again, it wouldn't happen until we can see some of Almodóvar's earlier movies first.
If you want to watch High Heels, as of this recording in June 2023, it’s available on Digital Rental, VHS, Imported DVD. Check your local listings.
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