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In Carlos Saura's first commercial success, PEPPERMINT FRAPPE,
he skirted the puritanical censors of Franco's Spain in this psychological
thriller filled with homage's to the Spanish master Buñuel
as well as Hitchcock and Charbol. The VERTIGO-inspired story follows
the obsessions of Julian (José Luis Lopez Vazquez), a middle
aged, conservative Doctor, who is aided in his practice by his plain,
shy nurse, Ana (Geraldine Chaplain).
When he was a young man he saw a woman beating a drum in the famous
Good Friday procession at Calanda. Years later he is still obsessed
with the memory of her flair and beauty. Now, when his childhood
friend, Pablo (Alfredo Mayo), comes to visit with his new, sexy
blonde wife, Elena (Geraldine Chaplin), Julian believes it is the
woman from the parade.
His obsession deepens as he watches Elena, in a scene reminiscent
of Bertolucci, perform an orgiastic dance to a pounding rock song
on an abandoned outdoor dance floor covered with fallen leaves.
Saura's unique ability to render dance on film, which would blossom
in CARMEN and TANGO, is evident even in this early work. Julian
then embarks on an attempt to transform the pliant Ana into the
image of Elena, all the while engaging his even darker motives.
Saura infuses this story of jealousy and erotic obsession with
a contemporary political feel as the men clash over what to do with
Julian's old family estate. Julian wants to preserve the past, Pablo
thinks he should sell to developers. Geraldine Chaplain gives two
strong, clear and distinct performances as the sensuous Elena and
the shy Ana in this modern version of the old story of two men in
love with the same woman.
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