Monica Randal Movies

Blood is the Red Gold of this film's title. When a sailor arrives on an island dictatorship and is a little too flashy with his money, he is soon robbed of it. He finds himself among the down-and-outers, who sell blood for enough money to survive on. Unable to avoid trouble, the sailor is quickly rounded up and sentenced to work in a salt mine, but he later makes an attempt to escape. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Few sacred cows go un-gored in this satirical Spanish movie. In Spain, as in England, instead of getting together over a round of golf, it is customary for the power elite to gather at a country estate for a long weekend of "hunting," which basically consists of standing in one spot shooting at game which is being driven toward the hunters. Between shots, the elite converse. In the story, a Catalan businessman pays an impoverished nobleman for the use of his country estate and its game. He is hosting this party to win the goodwill of a group of investors whom he hopes will back one of his schemes. Sprinkled among the businessmen are some more twisted types, every one of them a genuine aristocrat or the member of some government or other -- even a dictator in exile from his Latin American country. A powerful but disapproving priest surveys the scene with outspoken scorn. When the businessman learns that he has backed the wrong horse, and that a new government is being formed, he scrambles to curry favor with those few of his guests who are part of the next group to come to power. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

This sex comedy seeks to poke fun at all the Spanish sacred cows, from the church to soccer, the police, high society and customary sexual standards. In the story, a nymphomaniac cripple couples with everyone possible, everywhere possible. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Carlos Saura wrote and directed this powerful psychological drama in which family crises which reflect the embattled soul of a nation are seen through the eyes of an unusually perceptive child. Ana (Ana Torrent) is an eight-year-old girl growing up in a troubled household -- her father Anselmo (Hector Alterio) is a general in the Spanish military during the waning days of Franco's repressive regime, and her mother (Geraldine Chaplin) is dead, Ana having witnessed her agonizing final moments. Anna, her older sister Irene (Conchita Perez) and younger sister Juana (Maite Sanchez) are looked after by their emotionally chilly Aunt Paulina (Monica Randall), while housekeeper Rosa (Florinda Chico) provides what little warmth there is to be found in the household. While Ana's mother is gone, the girl frequently sees and hears her mother's spirit, and is convinced Anselmo's emotional neglect and infidelity is responsible for her death, leading the youngster to take her own form of revenge against her father. The title Cria Cuervos is taken from a Spanish proverb -- "Raise ravens and they'll pluck out your eyes." The film was originally released in the United States under title Cria!, and has been screened in English-speaking territories as Raise Ravens and The Secret of Ana. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This biopic chronicles the exciting and colorful life of Mexico's most illustrious revolutionary/bandit. A thrilling train crash provides the story's best moment. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This strange film takes the story of a Spanish country matron into new ground. Adela (Jose Luis Lopes Vasquez) lives a conservative life in her village with her maid. When she scolds her maid for having an affair, the indignant maid runs off to Madrid. Adela receives the courtship of a local businessman, but, after accepting his engagement ring, she is disgusted by his further advances. Disturbed by this, she follows her priest's advice to seek psychiatric help. The psychiatrist, a doctor, tells her that she is, in fact, a man. Adela, horrified, cannot bear to return to her village and takes up life in Madrid as Juan. Her identification papers list her as a woman, and she must improvise in order to survive. There is a lot more to this odd story, made odder still because it is not a comedy, but a romantic drama. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this high-seas adventure, framed by the Napoleonic War, a pirate is sponsored by the government to save those living on the captured islands. In his spare time, he has a romantic fling, and tries to save his fiancee from villains. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This Italian-Spanish space-age comedy is a tad less subtle than Jerry Lewis, a soupcon less sophisticated than the Three Stooges. Two Soviet cosmonauts become lost in space, apparently permanently. The rascally Russians try to pass off two other space travellers as the missing cosmonauts so as to avoid worldwide embarrassment. The second pair locates the first pair, and then the fun begins. Dos Cosmonautas was directed by Lucio Fulci, exhibiting a commendable willingness to tackle any sort of movie material--even if he isn't quite up to making the most of that material. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ken Wood portrays Italian comic strip wrestler Superargo in this lively sci-fier. The gargantuan grappler is forced into combat with mad scientist Gerard Tichy, who plans to rule the world, or at least Italy. Tichy hopes to go the "Goldfinger" route by crippling the world's economy; his plan involves the manufacture of artificial gold. But with Superargo on the case, Tichy's plans blow up in his face (literally, as it turns out). Nobody is expected to take this imbroglio seriously, so if you go with the flow, you'll have a good time with this Italian live-action cartoon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide