La Criatura

Posted on , under Rape Revenge and Criminal cinema

La Criatura movie

Year: 1977

Duration: 1:36:31

Directed by: Eloy de la Iglesia

Actors: Ana Belén, Juan Diego, Claudia Gravy

Language: Spanish (English subs)

Country: Spain

Also known as: La criatura (original title), The Creature

Description: The film La criatura tells the story of a couple who lost their baby because of a nervious attack provocated by a dog. The wife undergoes a great depression but finds solace in the form of a black dog (ironically). She tries to replace her son with the dog, naming the dog Bruno, as it was supposed to be called her son. Her husband thinks she’s gone nuts and starts despising the dog. Their relationship doesn’t look well.

Well, that was a pretty boring synopsis wasn’t it? Just your generic drama film. I didn’t want to give things away, because this film has a lot of erotic elements that are basic to the plot of the film. The subtle (sexual) connection between the wife and the dog are evident but it never reaches a sub-porn genre, it’s only suggestive in that matter. I wouldn’t say this is a boring film, as a matter of fact, I think it’s one of the best written de la Iglesia films, but maybe my translation subtracts some of it’s power.

Also, the political undertones are quite something. A post-Franco commentary on Spanish society that it’s directly mixed in the life of this married couple since the husband (a tv host) soon developes a relationship with a far-right political party.

Review: In the seventies, Eloy de la Iglesia was shooting a movie is very non-conformist, managing even in quite like the thriller genre, like “Murder in the blue world” or the “glass ceiling”, hyperbole and allegories expand the plot 180 degrees and through a story tell a very different. But that was at a time when the Franco regime, though staggered, but still functioning. In the second half of the 70 senor Iglesia already being provoked public opinion: nothing other paintings like “Priest» («El Sacerdote») and “The Creature» («La Criatura»), not name.

And let the love triangles history of world cinema has more than one thousand, such as the one on which he spoke malicious Spaniard can meet infrequently. A chance for a short time and he stumbled to a psychiatrist … or get to the police station – a complaint against another destruction of moral values and the promotion of which is unknown.

After all, what else should I do if the very corners of the equilateral triangle are the man, a woman and a huge, handsome dog? And it all seriously, without ironic mockery in Nagisa Oshima’s “Max, my love” and without overt provocation tranquilizer Borovchika in the “Beast”. Spaniard plays among his characters classic melodrama with love and jealousy, throwing, tears, rivals, Rival, poisoning, tantrums and high-great feeling. And does it pointed theatrically, with all the attributes of good performance, the actress star in the title role, precise staging, intense action, thoughtful dialogue … a pleasure to watch, if not for the inconvenience of being one of the main characters utters his lines exclusively basovitym barking. However, diction Mickey Third, the role of the musician Bruno shaggy, set well, he barks extremely expressive, and generally with the role of the hero-lover handles superbly. As Ana Belen, for which the role of Christine was probably the most unusual of her glorious career. Why not tell about who played the cuckolded husband Juan Diego, who looks somewhat confused in the film. However, perhaps this is also part of the way: whoever confused to find that his place was taken by a competitor?

And, from a psychological point of view, the story told in La Criatura, looks very authentic and quickly becomes shocking. The woman, barely managed to get pregnant after a long and unsuccessful attempts to lose a child, frightened by a huge dog. Being in a deep depression, it faces exactly the same dog, only betraying a much more friendly feeling. Prompted by an instantaneous impulse, Christina takes the dog into the house and called the name of the unborn son, carrying him with all my unspent motherly love. But the huge disappointment from the inability to have children and apathy leads to the fact that the vector of this love fades, so much so that it becomes obvious to others. Ana Belen so convincing as a woman, which brings back to life a new love (albeit very unusual) and so confidently puts all the points on the «i», that the feelings of her character is easy to begin to empathize (ouch!). In the end, the comparison between Bruno and her legal spouse is not in favor of the latter. Her husband, of course, is trying to somehow cope with the strange situation in which was. For example, results in a beautiful house bitch for Bruno. But Christina insidious poison nor the innocent dog, Bruno, and immediately forgets about his short friend. Her husband tries to comfort in the arms of a work colleague, but what is really there consolation when man’s pride suffered a blow!

In the narrative enough unexpected twists and melodramatic conflicts: Eloy de la Iglesia strictly observes all the conventions of the genre. Relations within the love triangle develops intense and dramatic, as well as they could develop in any story with a similar plot, down to a fight between the two contenders for the heart of the beautiful. The fact that by itself the situation is surreal, quietly but surely fades into the background. After all, love is evil – fall in love with a goat, and a dash of bald, and a handsome dog. Another thing is that it is easy to imagine the authors of the film, gleefully rubbing their hands in anticipation of the coming scandal and heated discussions. But do not give credit to the skill of the lord de la Iglesia, the dog ate the (I hope, however, that this is not the most Mickey Third) on kinoprovokatsiyah and Ana Belen, elegant yet another provocation it is feasible, it is simply impossible. It is a pity, however, that her character sings the course of action only in the bathroom (Belen – one of the brightest stars of the Spanish pop 70’s – 80’s), but there’s nothing you can do about it.

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