Displaying items by tag: Bill Condon

KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN

US, 2025, 129 minutes, Colour.

Jennifer Lopez, Tonatiuh, Diego Luna, Bruno Bischir?

Directed by Bill Condon.

The popular and award-winning film of 1985, meant popularity of the title, Kiss of the Spiderwoman. It was based on a 1976 novel by Manuel Puig, two prisoners during the rule of the Generals in Argentina. In the early 1990s, poses and lyricists, John Kander and Fred Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago, New York, New York) wrote the songs for a musical version, with the book by prolific, award-winning librettist, Terence McNally. It has taken over 30 years for a film version, directed by Bill Condon.

The setting here is 1983, Valentin a political prisoner involved in revolutionary activity, now shares a cell with the gay Luis Molina, accused of indecent behaviour (though placed in the cell to get information from Valentin and receive a parole to see his mother, the promise of the warden). The two seem to be incompatible, Valentin with a touch of homophobia, but Molina’s chatter, camp style, at first getting under the skin of Valentin but, gradually a friendship developing, sharing and support, some intimacy, the mellowing of Valentin, a greater humanising of Molina.

Originally, the two had conversations about movies. In the musical, the musical numbers provide the impetus for a change of consciousness in Valentin. The point is very quickly made that the movies are escapism, that musicals are escapism that take us well beyond the ordinary, especially Hollywood musicals with the bright saturated colours, sets and decor, lavish and stylish costumes, and the vitality of the choreography.

This is the theme of the role of escapism in life, its necessity, the effect on consequences, its healing power.

The musical sequences (Bill Condon did direct Dreamgirls) excitingly staged, especially the dancing. The narrative is basically a blend of romance and self-sacrifice, Aurora, an editor, her assistant devoted to her, a charming gentleman arriving, complex of emotion, but then a situation, Latin American style, a mysterious figure in the jungle, the Spiderwoman and her web, the tangling of the characters, an issue of self-sacrifice.

Diego Luna plays Valentin, serious, calm, tortured, food poisoned, tended carefully by Molina. Film, television and stage actor, Tonatiuh, may not have been noticed so much before this but, his performance as Molina is continually attention grabbing, creating a significant character. And, each of them has a role in the musical, a display for singing and dancing as well.

And the other surprise of the film is the performance by Jennifer Lopez as the editor as well as the Spiderwoman, singing, performance, and, especially her dancing, physical, rhythmic, full of energy (and the surprising reminder that she is in her mid-50s).

The response to the film has been very mixed. There is praise for the performances. Those who enjoy musical versions of what have been previously serious dramas may be satisfied as to how the themes of the drama have been enhanced by the film within the film. Those who valued the original novel and the 1980s film version may feel that it should have been left alone.

But, here it is, reminder of the oppression/repression in Argentina, the torture, the disappearances. And, it is a well-told tale of an unlikely friendship. And the question of the place of escapism and happiness in situations of suffering.

1. Argentina 1983, the role of the generals, oppression, mass imprisonment, torture and executions? The end of 1983 and the end of the generals?
2. The original novel and its popularity, the film version in 1985 and its effect, awards? Kander and Ebb in the 1990s, the Broadway musical? 30 years later a film version? The background of the film, Terrence McNally writing the book, Kander and Ebb and the score, Bill Condon and his musicals?
3. The situation, the prison, exterior walls, the cells, the corridors, the office of the warden? Scenes outside in the streets, ordinary life, life under oppression?
4. The framework of the prison story, the Valentin, his background, revolutionary, hard life in the past, the rally, the death of his sister, his motivations, his encounter with Marta, wealthy, in love with her, his revolutionary work, arrest? Age, appearance, the torture, the effect of prison, the reaction of the guards?
5. Luis Molina, age, background, arrested for indecency, his gay style and camp, personality, wanting to be like Joan Crawford, the attraction of women and their style, acknowledging his orientation? The reaction of the guards? The interviews with the warden, spying on Valentin, to get information, the promise of parole, wanting to be with his mother, his mother supplying food?
6. The interactions between the two men, Valentin’s reaction to Molina, as a person, as gay, his style, prejudices, the touches of homophobia? Conversations between the two, the importance of movies musicals, movies and escapism, escapism during prison experience, the telling of the stories, the effect on each of them, Molina and his exhilaration, Valentin and listening to the stories, the effect?
7. The background of spying, the poisoning of food, Valentin sick, his stomach, faeces, Molina and his response, washing the clothes? Valentin and his growing appreciation? The time passing, the conversations, dependency, friendship, the emotional and physical effect on Molina, Valentin, the experiences of desperation, the experience of support, the move towards intimacy, friendship, sexual, the effect on each man? And the taunts of the guards?
8. The musical version, Hollywood, the films of the 40s and 50s, full and saturated colour, the characters, costumes and decor, melodramatic plots, the singing, the choreography and the dancing? The plot themes, the world of fashion, editing, affluence, jealousy and rivalries? And the pathology of the Spiderwoman, visualised, her net, her effect on each of the characters, demanding a sacrifice?
9. Jennifer Lopez as the actress, as the character within the film, as the Spiderwoman? Singing, her energy and the complexity of the dancing and performance? The two men and their contributions, singing and dancing?
10. The basics of the plot, Aurora as the editor, her assistant, Mo as her lina moving into the action of the film, assistant, protective, in love, jealous? Valentin as Armando, his style, his presence, his girlfriend, the reality of the love, jealousies, betrayal, into the jungle, the confrontation with the Spiderwoman, and the self-sacrifice?
11. The warden, the interrogations, information? The other authorities? The issue of the food, Molina making his demands, their shopping, the happy meal and Valentin enjoying the food?
12. The signing of the parole, Molina packing up, the posters, the bags, the farewell to Valentin, emotional, Valentin watching him go?
13. The aftermath, Molina, walking the streets, accommodation, going to the cinema, the blending of reality and fantasy?
14. His decision, making the contacts, the meetings, his past lover, the clash, the connection with the revolutionaries, in the cinema, fleeing, the monster film playing behind the chase, the final confrontation, escape in the taxi, his fall, his being shot? Some kind of fulfilment in his life, self-sacrifice?
15. In the final end of the role of the generals, the emptying of the prison, Valentin and his walking the city, and raising the red scarf from Melina?