Pepi, Luci, Bom [Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón] ** (1980, Carmen Maura, Eva Siva, Alaska, Félix Rotaeta) – Classic Movie Review 3571

Spanish enfant terrible cult director Pedro Almodóvar‘s 1980 first feature film, arriving belatedly in Britain in 1992 on the back of his later hits, looks at life in Madrid during the punk era. It centres on a woman called Pepi (Carmen Maura)’s revenge after she has been raped by the policeman (Félix Rotaeta) who catches her growing marijuana in her apartment. Her revenge is to get his masochist wife to leave him.

Carmen Maura, Eva Siva and Alaska star as Pepi, Luci, Bom. Also in the cast are Concha Grégori, Kiti Mánver, Cecilia Roth, Julieta Serrano, Cristina Sánchez Pascual and Olvida Gara.

Naturally, with this plot, the movie is intended to be shocking, of course, and it is certainly not one for the squeamish. This film still feels fresh and interesting but it is disorganised and chaotic, showing this director’s preoccupations in apprentice form with only a few hints and signs of the great things to come. Some of the style is there, yes, but not all of the expertise.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3571

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/