Amazon.com: Kiss of the Spider Woman starts out simply enough, hemmed in by the narrow walls of a Latin American prison cell. Molina (William Hurt) is telling his new cellmate, Valentin (Raul Julia), his favorite story. Molina is a delicate homosexual imprisoned for seducing a minor; Valentin is a bearded revolutionary still bleeding from his interrogation. If their film unfolded into the typical prison buddy plot, it'd still be a good movie. But this is a great movie. There are stories twisting within stories, each drawing a new, surprising level of difference between the two heroes: escapism versus realism, romance versus politics, gay versus straight, hero versus coward. As their unstable friendship grows more real, their stories become more vivid--whether Molina's fondly remembered Nazi propaganda noir, Valentin's tortured romantic history, or a tropical island fable told merely to pass the time. (Each substory stars Sonia Braga, a neat bit of casting that further blurs the line between fantasy and reality.) By the end, each man has changed just enough to taste the other's tragedy--a transformation that gives each the strength to define freedom on his own terms, despite the brutality of the prison and the bleak world beyond its walls. --Grant Balfour
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Rating: - Wow! Not to be missed!
Superb script with faultless acting. Having seen this film before (on cable), I decided to see it again in the Blu-Ray, Hi-Def version. It really blew me away. It is impossible to decide whether Raul Julia (sorely missed)or William Hurt gave the best performance. They were both mesmerizing. Watching the subtle changes in character as the film progressed was such an acting "Tour De Force". Who needs blockbuster movies loaded with CGI special effects when you can be spellbound by two extremely gifted actors that grab your attention and don't let it go. Get this without delay. You will be treated to something very rare in today's films. Quality script, direction and acting.
Rating: - The most delicate of kisses...
There are few films that are able to hold your interest with a simple conversation. Most movies pack on the action and suspense and travel from scenic route to scenic route in an attempt to strap you to your seat in excitement. It is truly a rare gem, a special treat, when one is able to just sit back and watch life unfold in the simplest yet most heartfelt of manners.
That is just what happens in `Kiss of the Spider Woman'.
The film opens with imprisoned homosexual Luis Molina telling a vivid story to his cellmate, Valentin Arregui. Molina acts out each scene in detail, and he croons over each and every word; his eyes lighting up as he reenacts the heroine's gown. Valentin is less than impressed, at least it would seem. Luis has been imprisoned for seducing a minor; Valentin is a political prisoner. The two couldn't be more different, yet the two of them form a bond behind these ... Read More
Rating: - Kiss of the Spider Woman Review from The Massie Twins
To each his own form of escape. For political prisoner Valentin it is a dream of freedom with the woman he loves; for cellmate Luis it is to gain a sense of higher purpose by becoming involved with a selfless cause for a love he can never have. In Kiss of the Spider Woman film is an escape on two levels - a momentary reverie from inhuman conditions in a nondescript bastille and as pure cinematic escapism for the viewer who can become lost in a movie of thought-provoking fantasy and film-within-a-film parallels.
Luis Molina (William Hurt) is a [....] window dresser, now a convict in an undefined Latin American prison (marked simply with the name Pavilhao IV), locked away for corrupting a minor. His cellmate is Valentin Arregui (Raul Julia), a journalist revolutionary detained and tortured for his political ties. At first Valentin is annoyed by Molina's fanciful attitude as the two men clearly have opposite ... Read More
Rating: - Classic beauty
I still wonder what took so long for the studios to release such a great piece of art. I am so happy to have this film in my collection. The documentary is very good and it took me back to the eighties when it was actually made. I remember purchasing the book by Manuel Puig long before the rights were sold to the studios and when it actually happened I could not believe I would be able to see Molina in flesh and blood. William Hurt was a promising actor and we now still enjoy his presence in many movies. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Raul Julia who died some time ago. So lovely and powerful and I must say, a great loss. I miss him a lot. Sonia Braga looks fabulous and she still is: a Brazilian Muse for all to see. "Kiss of the Spider Woman" is and stays a classic beauty. A story about love and conviction that will never loose its charm, poetry and most of all, a sense of being human.
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- Wow! Not to be missed!
- Kiss of the Spider Woman Review from The Massie Twins
