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Matador [DVD] [1986]
 
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Matador [DVD] [1986]

DVD ~ Assumpta Serna
3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Actors: Assumpta Serna, Antonio Banderas, Nacho Martínez, Eva Cobo, Julieta Serrano
  • Directors: Pedro Almodóvar
  • Writers: Pedro Almodóvar, Jesús Ferrero
  • Producers: Andrés Vicente Gómez
  • Format: Full Screen, PAL
  • Language Spanish
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: All Regions
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 18
  • Studio: Tartan Video
  • DVD Release Date: 9 Oct 2000
  • Run Time: 92 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004Y3OT
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 72,003 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Special Features
4:3 Full Frame
DVD 5
Spanish
Region 0
Dolby Digital Spanish
Dolby Digital
Interview
Scene selection
Stills Gallery
Star And Director Filmographies
English


Synopsis
This twisted, brave, funny film from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar takes an unflinching look at the link between sex, death, and religion. Antonio Banderas stars as Angel, a sensitive student of matador Diego (Nacho Martinez), whose goring at the horns of a bull has left him obsessed with killing. In order to prove his manhood to Diego, the misguided Angel tries to rape his model girlfriend (Eva Cobo), and when that fails, he confesses to a string of murders he didn't commit. Maria (Assumpta Serna), a mysterious, attractive lawyer, takes his case but winds up falling for Diego, revealing some dark secrets of her own. The pair begin a beautifully doomed romance as a police inspector (Eusebio Poncela) begins to fathom who the real killer, or killers, may be. This was the fifth film from the talented Almodovar, and it reveals a true genius at work in his use of symbolic color, structure, metaphor, and homage to Hitchcock and Welles. MATADOR is fast-moving, disturbing, erotic, and undeniably brilliant in a way most American audiences may not be prepared for but should certainly seek out. Almodovar regulars Carmen Maura, Julietta Serano, Chus Lampreave, and Veronica Forque costar.

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An Almodovar XO - My FAVORITE, 16 Oct 2000
By Vladimir Sergachev (Murmansk, Russie) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Matador [VHS] [1986] (VHS Tape)
My opinion is that Matador is the best film by one of my favorite directors Pedro Almodovar. To tell more this was the fist of his movies I saw and that was the start of my loving for Spanish cinema in general. If you have never bothered to watch a Spanish movie - start with this one. Then you will buy Spanish films just because they are Spanish. This movie is exceptional because you can watch it many times (I did about ten and my wife about fifty) and every time the mood of the movie seems or is different, it varies from almost Greek tragedy to the funniest comedy with numerous in-betweens. It reflects your own mood like a mirror and you see different things from different angles every time you watch Matador. So if one of your friends says that he laughed all the movie through and your mom says she cried - trust them both, they don't lie. And of course the score is beautiful which is Almodovar's seal of quality. For those who know Antonio Banderas only by his Hollywood work it would be very interesting to see that he used to be a much better actor and a less macho-man. And right after that film I would advise La Ley del Deseo, they mix into a very funny cocktail. So I rate Matador 10 points out of 5! It's A MUST SEE!
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17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An art film to be sure, 26 Dec 2001
By D. M. York (Manchester, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Matador [VHS] [1986] (VHS Tape)
This film can certainly be elusive and it seems to be a shame that when the word "spanish film" is spoken usually people will shift in their seats and imediately expect some form of sex scene at some point throughout the film. Unfortunately this seems to be slightly true with this wonderful example of Spanish spirit.

The film is elusive and with a reasonably provokative sex scene early on (probably within the first five minutes) it is quite possible to get the wrong end of the stick with the storyline.

The film deals very much with the Spanish Matador culture and bullfighting, but also it deals with an absolutely massive cult subject of death as it deals with two characters that are fascinated by it. The first; a retired/crippled Matador who was once a legend in his time who is literally aroused by death, and the other a high-class female solicitor who has a similar impression of death although she takes a more hands-on approach. Antonio Bandaras does stumble his way through the film playing a contemporary perspective of a man, though he really is uneccessary to the plot.

This is a great work of Spanish art and the passion that they have towards film. Do not be inhibited by the 18 certificate.

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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars flawed brilliance, 2 Sep 2003
By F. Mckay "fungus2443" (Stirling, Scotland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Matador [VHS] [1986] (VHS Tape)
Having recently seen the sumptuous and flawless "Hable Con Ella" I immediately tracked down this film wishing to see more of Almodovars brilliance. However, whilst acknowledging that this is a much earlier work and taking that into account I was maybe still expecting too much if I hoped it would be in the same league as the later film.

Antonio Banderas plays a confused young man, filled with self doubt and insecurity unable to see blood without fainting, still a virgin and tormented by his devout, overbearing and sanctimonious mother. The doubt expressed about his heterosexuality by his morbidly obsessed bullfighting teacher leads to a string of unfortunate events. Banderas's character tries and fails to rape the girlfriend of his tutor resulting in further humiliation and self doubt which leads to his confessing to numerous murders he didn't commit.

With the introduction of a sexy defence attourney, who is equally morbidly obsessed as the matador the plot becomes burdened with trying to unravel itself to a resonably predictable ending, and despite some moments of brilliance both with the script and the film making, it fails to shock in the way it was intended.

Sex and violence are the central tenets here and the relationship between bullfighting and both is explored, bringing the conclusion that both matador and afficionado, having made it such a part of their lives, are unable to live with or without death.

There's a simplicity to the story that belies Almodovars brilliance and I'd certainly say that after making this he went on to greater things. However, while it's not for the faint hearted or squeamish, and there are many flaws in the story
as a whole, it still knocks seven bells out of most of Hollywoods output.

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 		 Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Unannounced hard subs
The film is fantastic and the presentation is quite good (much better than the editions we have in Spain). Read more
Published 1 month ago by Alberto Gonzalez Garcia

3.0 out of 5 stars flawed brilliance
Having recently seen the sumptuous and flawless "Hable Con Ella" I immediately tracked down this film wishing to see more of Almodovars brilliance. Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2003 by F. Mckay

4.0 out of 5 stars Love and Death in Madrid
Long after mortal combat between man and beast disappeared from the rest of europe, Spain, uniquely, is still gripped by this primitive and complex ritual. Read more
Published on 19 Jun 2003 by C. Nation

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