Christopher Culver
Bigas Luna's 2001 film SON DE MAR is a tragic tale of sex and death on the southeast coast of Spain. The dashing Ulises (Jordi Mollà) moves to a seaside village to teach literature, and soon begins a relationship with the alluring Martina (Leonor Watling), the daughter of his landlord. After marriage and children, Ulises wants his freedom back, so he takes off into the unknown, and Martina remarries with Sierra (Eduard Fernández), the wealthy property investor who has pursued her the whole time. Ulises's return after several years creates a love triangle with sordid consequences.This is essentially a soap opera, and one that relies on sex scenes far too much in order to pass the time. How much sex is here? Well, by the end of the film (or even at the midpoint), a nude Leonor Watling will no longer seem especially enticing. That must be the very definition of overdoing it. Still, it has a few elements that elevate it above total vacuity. For one, Ulises seduces Martina by quoting from the Aeneid, and though his repeated use of the same quotation to do so becomes tiresome, it's rather novel that Virgil's dusty old text is exploited for erotic potential. Also, Bigas Luna has a knack for writing tragedy in the conventional sense (protagonists with a fatal flaw), and the ending is quite memorable.
ma-cortes
Solid and tragic drama from acclaimed director Bigas Luna who brought Jamon , Jamon and The chambermaid on the Titanic , including an excellent trio , being completely filmed in Denia (Alicante) , surrounds and Comunidad Valenciana . The film contains human drama , passion , emotion , tragical events , character description in deep and complemented with a loving triangle . These elements provide the setting for this piece of dramatic deeds , giving it its own special quality and ambient . It deals with a new literature teacher called Ulises (Jordi Molla) arrives in a little town located on the Mediterranean coast , he comes to teach at a high school near the sea and falls in love with a gorgeous young woman named Martina (Leonor Watling) . This attractive girl is also loved by a wealthy businessman named Alberto (Eduard Fernández) but she chooses the poet Ulises . There Ulises discovers sensuality through beauty Martina , her chips and tasty food and splendorous Mediterranean sea . Soon after their marriage and the birth of their son , Ulises vanishes while fishing at sea . In the meanwhile Martina marries Alberto, but all is not what it seems and the events go wrong until a surprising ending . Many years later Ulises returns and recites : ¨I have crossed the seven seas to understand that I can't live without you¨. This stirring as well as intimate story is a passionate retelling and a touching triangular drama , full of visual poetry and Greek tragedy , but including strong sex scenes with loads of nudism as female as male . This Spanish picture is an enjoyable tale with a thought-provoking characterizing about a few characters , tragic drama and colorful outdoors . Based on a novel by Manuel Vicent who used his native Comunidad Valencia background to write an overblown tragic drama novel , being screen-written by the same novelist and by prestigious Rafael Azcona . Director Bigas Luna also writes the script along with Azcona and being filmed in his usual formal and stylistic scholarship , without leaving a trace the brooding issues , in terms of dramatic and narrative excitement . The storyline relies heavily on the continued relationship among them , including a lot of sexual scenes, almost softcore , but it doesn't make boring , however the film is slow moving . In spite of , the movie results to be better than average , being surprisingly good and compellingly realized . Bigas carries out a perfect imaginary , a willingness almost perfect of the elements of each shot , every sequence, every space . Good acting by trio protagonist , all of them give fine performance , such as Jordi Mollà as Ulises , a sensitive teacher who recites poetry and reappears back from Sumatra , now as a beggar and unfortunate man ; a beautiful Leonor Watling as Martina , she overcome with sentimentality and takes Ulises under her protection , Leonor is marvelous and charming with her sweet and enjoyable countenance,; latterly Eduard Fernández as Sierra an ambitious as well as revengeful rich owner . Sensitive as well as evocative musical score by Piano Magic composed by means of synthesizer and piano . Furthermore , a colorful and evocative cinematography by Jose Luis Alcaine who was first cinematographer to use fluorescent tube as "key" lightning and deemed to be one of the best Spanish cameraman . Alcaine frequently works with Pedro Almodóvar , Bigas Luna and Vicente Aranda , as he has photographed ¨The skin I live in¨ , The bad education¨ , ¨Volver¨ , ¨Women in the verge of a nervous breakdown¨, among others . Here he shows splendidly the impressive landscapes from Denia & surroundings, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain . The motion picture was professionally directed by Bigas Luna . Bigas Luna was born on March 19, 1946 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain as Josep Joan Bigas Luna . He was a Bon Vivant who along with his wife, produced wine, ham, and organic products ; they are well shown in his films . He was a writer and director, known for ¨Jamón, Jamón¨ (1992), ¨Huevos de Oro¨ or ¨Golden eggs¨ (1993) "The Chambermaid on the Titanic" , ¨Angustia¨ or ¨Anguish¨ (1987) , ¨The tit and the moon¨ , ¨Volaverunt¨ , ¨Yo soy La Juani¨, ¨Di , Di Hollywwod¨ among others . He's also an expert on murky atmosphere such as proved in ¨Caniche¨ , ¨Tatuaje¨, ¨Bilbao¨ , ¨Anguish¨ and ¨Reborn¨. Luna discovered actors Ariadna Gil, Leonor Watling , Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz . He sadly died recently on April 6, 2013 in Tarragona, Catalonia . His film ¨Sound of the sea¨ is stylishly photographed and smartly designed and here Bigas Luna delivers the sensitive and erotic goods with nice sense of style . The picture will appeal to Leonor Watling , Jordi Molla fans and Bigas Luna buffs.
B24
My nose is bent slightly out of shape as I write this. I had sent a previous comment on this film some weeks ago that has not yet appeared, so I assume it was rejected, even though it met all the usual guidelines.I found this film interesting for the first thirty minutes, particularly the performance of Jordi Mollà, a veteran actor who has appeared in such major productions as "Blow" and "The Alamo." Leonor Watling is also quite good. Unfortunately, everything sinks eventually under the weight of a truly awful, melodramatic script. There is also an abundance of gratuitous nudity that does nothing to advance the narrative or lend even an impressionistic nuance to what is otherwise a beautifully filmed piece of art.An actual day trip to the beach at Valencia would be much less arduous than having to encounter these fictional characters again anywhere, anytime.
