She has a pact with
the Devil. She is a seductress, a witch, a thief, a liar, a
prostitute, a gold-digger, a gypsy, a fortune teller and a resplendent
Andalusian woman... And everything he couldn't resist.
She asks that question after she has already tempted him with a rose,
after she gets him demoted from the rank of lieutenant and after she
gets him thrown in jail for dereliction of army duty. She asks that
question with both of them knowing full well that she is already doing
exactly that.
He would give up his rank, his dignity, his country, his religion and
his life for just one moment of her attention. That's a good thing,
because it may just take every one of them.
Paz Vega Teases & Tempts as "Carmen".
The couple in question is Carmen & Jose, played by the wonderful
Spanish starlet, Paz Vega, and Argentinean heartthrob, Leonardo
Sbaraglia. Vicente Aranda (Mad Love) directs the two of them in this
epic production that garnered 7 Goya nominations (Spanish equivalent
of the Oscars). It is a lavish and sweeping story, famously told many
times before: novels; plays; operas; musicals; films. It is an
endlessly fascinating journey, and this is one of the best adaptations
yet.
Jose pleads, "Where is Carmen?"
A friend replies, "Look for her in hell."
What do you do if that is your only choice? What do you do if it is
worth the trip? That is Jose's dilemma. He has to enter the gates of
hell to be with her, if only for a few moments at a time, and he can't
say no. He'd sell his soul just to have her spit in his direction.
The torment of a desire that strong is the focus of this wonderful
film. That torment is the focus of the blood red cinematography, the
desperation of Sbaraglia's performance, the aura of Vega's Carmen.
This 2003 effort, which has never seen the light of day in the US
market, is a superb example of Spanish filmmaking.
Paz Vega as the Cunning Seductress,
"Carmen".
I was enthralled throughout. I was sympathetic to Jose's torment.
Who could have resisted Carmen if she looked anything like Paz Vega? I
was awed by the gorgeous visuals... The candlelit bedrooms, the
spectacular landscapes, the vivid costumes and the passionate people.
"Carmen" is a very emotional film, beautifully written. It is an
unavoidable romantic tragedy. It is a cautionary tale of the
consequences of obsession.
***
Jose - "If I killed you now, I'd save myself a
lot of tears."
Carmen - "I'm sure. But it's not time."
***
Jose - "Every step I took brought me closer to
the abyss."
***
Narrator - "Would you, were it possible,
renounce what you have lived? Would you erase Carmen from your being?"
Jose - "No. Of course not." |
