Two women, both married, are gaga over a young ne’er-do-well—and commit adultery with him. But, well, nobody’s all bad: so does Pedro Almodovar’s Live Flesh (1997)—it should have been translated “Trembling Flesh”—remind us.
The mode is that of a serious but crazy thriller, with no shortage of intriguing or droll details (e.g., TV will frequently grab a character’s attention, even in the course of a physical fight). Almodovar will do anything to keep our eyes glued to his footage, which is why he is a sensationalist. Naked body time: The big intimacy scene may well have been the most vividly sexy segment in ’97 cinema. Some of this stark stuff doesn’t work (Angela Molina shooting Jose Sancho), but on the whole Carne Tremula is a carefree, pleasurable oddity.
(In Spanish with English subtitles)
Live Flesh (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
