Alejandro Urdapilleta Movies
- 2007
Writer/director Esteban Sapir offers a cautionary tale of media control in this highly stylized thriller that draws on film noir and German Expressionism to tell the tale of a society that has literally lost its ability to speak after bowing to the constant barrage of broadcasts and products of the omnipresent Mr. TV (Alejandro Urdapilleta). It is year X in the City Without a Voice, and the only individual who retains the ability to convey her thoughts through speech is the mysterious Voice (Florencia Raggi). A faceless singer whose soothing songs are heard on one of Mr. TV's most popular programs, The Voice comes under threat when Mr. TV teams with Dr. Y (Carlos Pineiro) to take total control of the thrush and use her vocal chords to pursue their own nefarious plan. Their devious scheme soon hits an unexpected hitch, however, when it is revealed that The Voice's son Tomas (Jonathan Sandor), who was born without eyes, also possesses the power of speech. Soon after The Voice is kidnapped by Mr. TV and Dr. Y, The Inventor (Rafael Ferro) races to Tomas' rescue and sets into motion a plan designed to end the dubious reign of the media-savvy Mr. TV. With the help of The Inventor's devoted daughter Ana (Sol Moreno) and faithful wife The Nurse (Julieta Cardinali), The Inventor sets into motion a plan to rescue The Voice before Mr. TV achieves complete mind control over the population. Little does The Inventor realize, however, that Mr. TV's evil henchman Mouseman (Raul Hochman) is hot on his trail and determined to see his boss' plan succeed at any cost. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Valeria Bertuccelli, Alejandro Urdapilleta, (more)
Lucrecia Martel directed this potent drama of love, sex, misunderstanding, and coming-of-age. Amalia (María Alche) is a girl edging into her early teens who has begun to ripen into adulthood. Amalia lives in a big hotel owned and operated by her divorced mother, Helena (Mercedes Morán), and her uncle Freddy (Alejandro Urdapilleta). Amalia and her best friend, Josefina (Julieta Zylberberg), are becoming increasingly aware of their own desires and are curious about sex, but between their Catholic education and Helena's unwillingness to discuss such matters with her daughter, their speculation outstrips their actual knowledge. A convention for medical workers brings Dr. Jano (Carlos Belloso) and a number of his colleagues to the hotel. Emboldened by the festive atmosphere, the timid doctor presses his body up against Amalia's, unaware of her age. The married Dr. Jano is embarrassed by his actions and troubled by his strong attraction to Helena; Amalia, meanwhile, is convinced the doctor has become overcome with unholy lust, and she and Josefina take it upon themselves to save him from himself before it is too late. La Niña Santa (aka The Holy Child) was produced in part by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mercedes Morán, Carlos Belloso, (more)
- 1998
It took Spanish director Fernando Spiner four years to make this breathtakingly rendered account of a near future (the year 2010) in which the Argentine government freely uses citizens for experiments in mind control. In keeping with the notion of an authoritarian society wherein sameness is a virtue, Spiner filmed most of the story in black and white. Occasional glimpses of color provide hints that the gray world the protagonists experience may not be real. Along with 3,000 other citizens, Eva (Sofia Viruboff) is one day arrested and sent to the Center for Psychobiological Research where she is exposed to an amnesia-producing gas. She reawakens to discover herself given a new identity. At night, Eva dreams vividly in color, oblivious to the fact that the lunatic Dr. Gazzar (Lorenzo Quintero) is taping and watching her every internal scene. Her dreams lead Gazzar to deduce that Eva was once married to one of the government's most wanted terrorists, Gauna. Eva escapes, and Santos, the security chief for the Social Control Department, assigns Ariel Kluge (Eusebio Ponce) to follow her to Gauna's hideout and to kill the terrorist. A double-agent wanting to escape, Kluge teams up with Eva, who still isn't sure of her identity, and hits the road with Santos and Gazzaro following closely behind them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eusebio Ponce, Sofia Viruboff, (more)
- 1990
Arturo's (Arturo Puig) world is peopled by the living and the dead, as well as other figures who can only derive from his overheated imagination. Meanwhile, he is attempting to revive his flagging marriage to Graciela (Graciela Borges) while coping with the demands of his mistress who persistently applies weird colored dyes to her pubic hair. Throughout the movie, no matter what the scene, the action is interrupted by the mugging of a popcorn salesman (Alejandro Urdapilleta) who appears for no discernible reason. This movie was banned by Argentine authorities for its (relatively brief) nudity and depiction of sexual encounters. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Graciela Borges, Arturo Puig, (more)
