USA: SPANISH DIRECTOR PEDRO ALMODOVAR'S NEW FILM "LIVE FLESH" HAS ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT THE NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

Record ID: 387271

  • Title: USA: SPANISH DIRECTOR PEDRO ALMODOVAR'S NEW FILM "LIVE FLESH" HAS ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT THE NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL
  • Date: 9th October 1997
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 12, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) EXTERIOR LINCOLN CENTRE, SITE OF NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL BEING HELD BANNER FOR NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL PEOPLE ARRIVING FOR CLOSING OF FILM FESTIVAL, PREMIERE OF PEDRO ALMODOVAR'S "LIVE FLESH" (CARNE TREMULA) DIRECTOR PEDRO ALMODOVAR ARRIVES WITH LAUREN BACALL ALMODOVAR (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) SAYING
  • Embargoed: 24th October 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAAIL4F4MHGYXN933CR47NTIVU1
  • Story Text: The 35th annual New York Film Festival has closed with the world premiere of renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's new film "Live Flesh." Almodovar arrived at the gala premiere of his 13th film on Sunday (October 12) with American actress Lauren Bacall and two of the stars of the film, Italian actress Francesca Neri and Spanish actress Angela Molina.

    Eroticism, guilt, fluorescent green platform shoes and drug abuse -- the latest film from Spain's king of kitsch has all the ingredients his faithful fans have come to love.

    After two years in hiding, the 48-year-old film maker has come out with a thriller based on a Ruth Rendell novel which explores a triangle of passion between a paraplegic policeman, his wife and a former prisoner.

    It is the first film the director has made that has been based on someone else's idea.

    Almodovar explained he had put his own imprint on the story by changing the wheelchair-bound policeman, played by Javier Bardem, into a Special Olympics basketball star and setting the film in Madrid instead of London.

    "I didn't want to shoot in England. London is a very dark town and I don't want to live in places so dark, so I said no, I prefer Spain," he said. "With these two elements I was getting far from the novel so I can say I was inspired in a very free way by Ruth Rendell." Almodovar's latest film is a departure from some of his earlier signature comedies, like "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" and "What have I done to Deserve This." "Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" shot Almodovar to fame abroad and was the most successful foreign film of 1989, winning an Oscar nomination. Hollywood bought the rights and Jane Fonda, Whoopie Goldberg and Sally Field fought for the lead role.

    The director says his change of direction may be a result of his "maturing".

    "My last movies are movies in which I am more interested in emotions than in humour. They are still baroque films, but more dramatic. I don't know, since I am alive I keep changing but I don't know where I am going to," he said.

    Almodovar describes "Live Flesh" as a baroque and sensual film with qualities of a thriller and a classic tragedy.

    The film traces the fortunes of Victor, the son of a prostitute who was born on a Madrid bus in 1970. After his wrongful imprisonment 26 years later for supposedly shooting a policeman, he sets out to take revenge.

    Almodovar pays homage to two icons of Spanish society in the production: film maker Luis Bunuel and democracy.

    The film plays on Bunuel's fascination with women's feet and includes clips from one of his films.

    Now the director says he is dreaming of making a Western.

    "This is not part of my future, but if someone sends me a good script, like 'Unforgiven,' I'll shoot it," he said.

    Former rapper and Clavin Klein model Mark Wahlberg's latest film "Boogie Nights" also was screened at the film festival.

    Although he new prefers to be known by the name his parents gave him, the then "Marky Mark" shot to fame as a well-proportioned model in a Calvin Klein underwear advertisement.

    The old Marky was never much of a rapper, his work described as bland hip-hop, but in Hollywood these days, he is giving off heat.

    Wahlberg's performance in the controversial porn comedy/drama "Boogie Nights" is getting star reviews.

    In the film, Wahlberg masturbates for money, has on-camera sex, snorts cocaine, robs houses and delivers a monologue with a 13-inch prosthetic penis.

    He plays Eddie Adams, an aimless waiter who makes money on the side by displaying his penis to anyone who'll pay.

    Eddie, who takes the stage name Dirk Diggler, is discovered by Jack Horner, played by Burt Reynolds, a pornographer who introduces him into the world of hardcore porn.

    The film was written and directed by second-time director Paul Thomas Anderson.

    It also stars Julianna Moore, William Macy ("Fargo"), Ricky Jay and Joanna Gleason.
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