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Posts Tagged ‘almodovar

Pedro Almodovar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is considered a comedic masterpiece and is a personal favorite of mine. One might think I’d be excited about the premise of bringing it to television, but more than enthusiastic, I am feeling a bit tortured. This will be either the best or worst show ever:

Oscar-winning Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar is venturing into television with a series adaptation of his first international hit, the Oscar-nominated 1988 feature “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.”

Fox TV Studios is developing the English-language hourlong project and has tapped Mimi Schmir to pen the pilot script. Almodovar and Schmir are exec producing [...]

The “Women” series “will be a suburban drama about a group of women who have known each other for a long time, perhaps from college, who are in the middle of their lives and looking at the second half of their lives,” Schmir said.

Like the movie, the series will feature a fair amount of humor. Schmir also is planning to pay homage to the movie by keeping some elements, like the film’s ongoing gag of unsuspecting visitors to the actress’ apartment being knocked out by sleeping pill-laden gazpacho she had intended for her philandering lover.

That sounds…boring. I am not going to judge too much before seeing it, but I think a lot about what makes Mujeres al borde special has to do with the when, where and who of the film. When? The 80s. Where? Downtown Madrid. Who? Some of the best comedic actors Spanish-speaking film as ever seen — and at their prime at that. How do you pull this off in a U.S. suburb? And furthermore, how do you make the premise worthy of an on-going series? I’m just not seeing it.

Have a look at the clip from the original classic and let us know if you think this show has any chance in hell of being good.

Via / The Hollywood Reporter

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Almodovar banks on Penelope once again

2:46 pm By Maegan La Mala · Celebrities|Entertainment|Movies|Spain · Comments Off

4 Sep 2007

_42559831_416_almodovar.jpgBack in the 80s, it was Carmen Maura. In the 90s, Victoria Abril. Now Pedro Almodovar‘s “Chica Almodovar” is Penelope Cruz. As “Pe” enjoys fame on her own both in U.S. productions (and most recently as a star in Woody Allen‘s upcoming film) and Spanish flicks, Almodovar isn’t about to give up the lady that made his latest film, Volver, such a commercial success. Pedro’s signed up Penelope for his new film project, which he remains tight-lipped about, as does she:

“Pedro has told me a little about the story and the character, but for the moment I can’t say anything else,” said the actress…

Pedro and Penelope talked very little about the new film at a press conference in London, where they were publicizing the premiere of Almodovar’s “All About my Mother” in its English-language stage encarnation.

Via / 20 Minutos

Image via BBC.co.uk/Getty

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Almodovar takes to the streets to protest war

1:45 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|Spain · Comments Off

20 Mar 2007

210706-contralaguerra.jpgHe didn’t make it to the Oscars, the Golden Globes or the Goyas, but Spanish superstar director Pedro Almodovar did attend an event of a different kind this past Saturday in Madrid. Almovodar led a group of around half a million of his fellow Spaniards in saying no to the war in Iraq:

Almodovar told the private Europa Press news agency he was protesting “the barbarities they have been committing in Iraq for the past four years.”

“We’re here for peace and for the closure of Guantanamo because it is a disgrace for civilization,” he added.

Spain currently has no troops in Iraq, as President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero pulled all of his men from the region back in 2005, which makes the protest and the fact that Spaniards — famous or not — continue to pressure world governments to pull out of Iraq all the more admirable.

Today, 300 senators and officials from all Spanish political parties except the right-leaning PP (ousted from government after the March 11th, 2004 terrorist attacks) came together on the steps of the Congreso de los Diputados in Madrid to protest the war as well.

Via / Yahoo! Entertainment

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Viggo Mortensen blasts Almodovar

1:40 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|Chismes|Movies · 4 Comments

7 Feb 2007

top.jpgActor Viggo Mortensen has issued, via a publisher’s web site, a scathing criticism to Spanish director Pedro Almodovar for “disrespecting the Spanish people” by not attending the Goya Awards ceremony, Spain’s equivalent of the Oscar:

The notable and possibly calculated absence of the multi-nominated Pedro Almodóvar, who waited until after the voting to say that he wasn’t attending, didn’t mar the event. Quite the contrary, as it seemed to call attention to the courage and humility of Agustín Díaz Yanes and the other directors who did attend. It’s really hard for me to understand how a director with such talent and who has won more awards than Buñuel can consistently disrespect the Academy and the Spanish people, who have given him so much affection and recognition over the years.

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Penelope will be Woody Allen’s new “it” girl

1:27 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|Entertainment|Movies · Comments Off

2 Feb 2007

penelope_cruz_150.jpgDirector Woody Allen is responsible for launching the careers of many an admired actress, and for using some of the most alluring women of the moment as protagonists for his films. Now he’s drawing from Almodovar‘s crop of discoveries and has announced that his next film will star Penelope Cruz.

Allen, in his frequent trips to Barcelona playing with his New Orleans Jazz Band had hinted that he wanted to make his next film in that city. Now it’s official: the film will be in English and Spanish, set in Barcelona, and starring Penelope.

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Penelope nominated, Almodovar out, Mexico in

12:47 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · dance|Movies|Spain · Comments Off

23 Jan 2007

159926-penelope-cruz-screen-saver.jpgHollywood has been buzzing about an Oscar nod for Pedro Almodóvar’s Volver since Cannes. Most of thought it was a given, but we were wrong. Almodóvar (who missed the Golden Globes this year) has been passed over and his film has garnered only one nomination, that of Penelope Cruz:

With the nomination of Penelope Cruz to the Best Actress category, the protagonist of Volver becomes the first Spanish actress to be nominated for this award. The precedent was set by Javier Bardem, who, in 2001, was nominated in the Best Actor category.

In happier news, Mexico can celebrate the multiple nominations of its paisanos. Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s Babel and Guillermo Del Toro‘s Pan’s Labyrinth have been nominated for numerous awards, and once again Argentino Gustavo Santolalla is in the running for his amazing score.

See the full list of Latinos published by The Gossiper earlier today.

Via / 20 Minutos

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Latino Golden Globe Wins, Losses

11:35 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Events|Movies|TV · 1 Comment

16 Jan 2007

2007_01_15t233843_291x450_us_globes_picture.jpgLatinos were in the house at this year’s Golden Globes. With the sweep of two important categories by ABC’s Ugly Betty, we had something to celebrate, but the tail end of the show brought triumphs and losses.

The big win: the last award of the night, Best Film Drama, went to Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for Babel:

“I swear I have my papers in order, governor, I swear,” “Babel” director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu of Mexico joked after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger presented the best drama prize for the sweeping ensemble drama that takes place on three continents.

And while here at VL we frequently entertain the debate of whether we should consider people, things, issues, animals, etc. from Spain applicable to this site (yes, we know Spaniards are not Latinos), Mala and I are huge Almodóvar fans so we were rooting for Volver. Unfortunately, our movie lost. Boo-hoo. I wonder if Pedro knew and that’s why he said he had cold and skipped the awards all together?

Also, our beloved Penelope lost the Best Actress award, also for Volver. Hopefully Salma stuck around to keep her company without rubbing her nose in it.

Still, some Hollywood experts still have Pe pegged for a Best Actress nod at the Oscars.

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01_main.jpgPedro Almodovar‘s new film Volver, which has received rave reviews all over the world, has been chosen to represent Spain in the Oscar running for Best Foreign Language film by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The film, which earned special recognition for its female cast members at the Cannes film festival (yet fell short of taking home the Palm D’Or) has also been named “Best Film of the Year” by the International Federation of Film Critics. Now, speculation is mounting as to whether — in addition to representing Spain in the foreign language category — Volver will also be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

Sony Picture Classics (who recently released a fabulous Almodovar retrospective) plans to release Volver theatrically in December. I can’t wait.

Via / 20 Minutos

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Viva Pedro!

12:24 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|Movies|Spain · 1 Comment

11 Aug 2006

pedro.jpgI remember seeing my first Pedro Almodóvar film and being transformed. Not by dramatism or genius photography, but by the keen insight he had into his culture and the wit and care with which he presented the characters — mostly women — in his works.

Pedro’s urban stories of impossible coincidences, shattered relationships and absurd predicaments made me fall in love not only with him but with the films’ backdrop: Spain. How many Americans’ first look into Spain was through the eyes of Almodóvar? For many, he was the first modern director of international acclaim to present Spain in a light we as Americans had never seen it before: modern, avant-garde, intellectual, urban, liberated.

Some people I knew had never seen a foreign film before seeing an Almodóvar movie. Others began to travel to Spain compelled in part by their love for the Madrid (real or imagined) that Almodóvar created in his films. I’m not sure what he’s done concretely for American tourism to Spain, but I can say that he’s a lot done as an ambassador (and critic) of his country abroad.

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437327.jpgSpanish director Pedro Almódovar has often been applauded for raising the profile of women in Spanish film. Indeed, most of his films’ protagonists are strong women who know how to survive. His latest cast of actresses has been awarded a very special award at Cannes for their performance in his latest film, Volver.

The honour, given out in a glittering ceremony in this French Riviera resort, reflected the flawless performances and on-screen intimacy of Cruz and actresses Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo and Chus Lampreave in the Spanish film.

“It’s such an honour to share this award with these amazing women who have been so inspiring,” said Cruz as she accepted the award with some of the other actresses next to her.

Many of these actresses have worked with Almódovar on past projects. This is the first time in the history of the festival that Cannes has awarded a collective best actress award.

Via / Entertainment.iafrica.com

Photo via 20 Minutos


See more photos on 20Minutos’ Cannes slideshow

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