Rafael Diaz-Salgado Movies
- 1999
Veteran Spanish director Luis Garcia Berlanga created this anarchic black comedy about sexual impotence and millennial anxiety. Though a Paris-based plastic surgeon spends much of his time and wealth on prostitutes, he is plagued by impotence. Despondent, he plans to commit suicide. After happening upon a bike with "Paris-Timbuktu" painted on it, he decides to bike from France to Africa and kill himself there on New Year's Eve. But when his plans are thwarted in Spain by a painful boil on his bottom, he is forced to room with a pair of sisters in a remote village. Through them, he finds himself increasingly immersed in the local community, populated by the likes of a clergyman suspected of murder, a nudist garage mechanic, and a bizarre champion cyclist. Paris-Timbuktu was screened at the 1999 Montreal Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Piccoli, Concha Velasco, (more)
In 1970, a dysfunctional family spends the summer in Ibiza on the southern coast of Spain. Julia (Veronica Forque) is married to adulterous Fernando (Antonio Resines), who departs when he's caught in the act by Julia. Julia's two daughters Elena (Maria Adamez) and Veronica (Silvia Abascal) are both attracted to hippie Ezequiel (Fele Martinez). Meanwhile, Julia's eldest son Cucho (Pepon Nieto) falls for free-spirited Susi (Clara Sanchis). Julia attempts to keep her family together amid the hedonistic lifestyles of the '70s. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Verónica Forqué, Antonio Resines, (more)
- 1996
Love leads to vengeance in this thriller that is based on a novel by Joaquin Leguina. Inspector Paco attends a funeral where he encounters his former police partner Angel. This inspires a flashback. The year was 1942, the Spanish Civil War raged, and Paco and Angel were investigating a triple homicide that occurred in the home of the deceased. Back at the funeral, the two meet Julia, the daughter of the dead man whom they knew back during the war. She tells Angel all the details of her life since then and in so doing gives him the clues he needs to finally solve the case. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
This lively western from Spain centers on the exploits of a wealthy young troublemaker who escapes from a Franciscan monastery and teams up with a handsome country boy who has run away from the Army. Together the two try to become outlaws and pose as gang members under the notorious El Argentino, an outlaw who plies his trade upon the border of Portugal and Galicia in northern Spain. The two "bandidos" steal horses and rob a taxman as they flee for the border. Along the way another fellow joins them. Much to their surprise, the fellow turns out to be a female reporter for the New York Times, hoping to interview El Argentino. Unfortunately, the outlaws have never met him. They meet him soon enough when he captures them. Proving to be a vain but basically good-hearted outlaw, he spares them and together they all take off with the Civil Guard hot on their trail. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
This Portuguese language comedy is about a very contemporary love triangle. Caterina (Maria de Medeiros) is a beautiful, opportunistic and charming woman, a TV journalist. She pretends to be smitten by a handsome political do-gooder in order to gain an exclusive interview with him. She also uses him to father her baby. However, she is definitely not in love with him. Her true love is her lesbian girlfriend Te (Ana Bustorff). Caterina's pregnancy makes Te feel extremely insecure about their relationship. Caterina has been forced to co-host a program with career rival Francisco (Joaquim de Almeida), which neither she nor Francisco wanted. As their rivalry develops into friendship, Francisco begins to try to woo Caterina and he is not summarily rebuffed by her. This friendship only adds to Te's concerns as the movie goes on to its humorous (but very contemporary) happy ending. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Carmen (Mercedes Sampietro) is a puzzle to all the people who surround her: her parents, her grown son, and a charming literature professor. They cannot understand how she can prefer solitude to being in their company. Her work certainly thrives in solitude, as she is a restorer of old paintings. She is content to care for one of her infant grandchildren and a new puppy in splendid isolation. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mercedes Sampietro, José M. Sacristán, (more)
- 1988
When the forces of Gen. Francisco Franco overthrow the duly elected (but leftist) Republican government, soldiers loyal to the government head for the hills in northern Spain. The soldiers survive by making raids for food and by committing robbery and the kidnapping of a wealthy local. They spend years after the conflict in hiding, but their number soon dwindles to one when the rest are captured or shot. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Santiago Ramos, Antonio Resines, (more)
- 1987
In this unlikely children's feature, the students must cope with an extraordinary chaos of violence and bullying not only from their fellow students, who at ages six through twelve are adept in the savage use of guns and knives, but from their principal, whose thuggish ways no doubt indicate the probable result of such an upbringing. Amid these scenes of horror, Cain, one of the younger students, is bright-eyed, optimistic and is forever emulating his "betters." Only the kids' schoolteacher fails to get embroiled in the ever-pervasive violence around him, but only because he is too clueless and inept to do so. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jose-Antonio Romero, Carlos Velat, (more)
