Carne Tremula (1997)
Carne Tremula (1997) 8/10
As one of the most talented directors around, Pedro Almodovar represents a creative force in a world full of mediocrity. Carne Tremula, titled Live Flesh in English, is a little known film in Almodovar’s oeuvre but it definitely ranks among his best. Starring the always dependable Javier Bardem, Almodovar weaves a tautly crafted film about how the lives of several people intersect over one night, and then audaciously fast forwards the film several years. From the comical, non sequitur opening featuring a cameo performance by Penelope Curz to its rich tale and nuanced performance by the cast, Carne Tremula is a striking success.
“With solid success, Pedro Almodovar leaves his taste for camp behind to direct a richly detailed tale of passion, perfidy and revenge adapted from a typically tricky Ruth Rendell novel. “Live Flesh” (or in Spanish, even better, “Carne Tremula”) is Almodovar’s stylish, sexy film noir, although in his case film rouge is more like it. Bold, sunny colors saturate this sleek and vibrant-looking film, even in settings like a graveyard and a child care center.”- New York Times
