Friday 29 May 2015

La Cabina (The Phone Box)

Dir: Antonio Mercero
Starring: Jose Luiz Lopez Vazquez Gonzalez Garcia del Bosque

A first for a Narry Borman review, I'm actually going to show you where you can watch this online... A little known website called "Your Tube," or something. Here's the link.

Contrary to what NB first thought, Spanish TV shorts are not a pair of bermudas with LCD screens showing 24-hour bullfighting. Rather, it is a style of filmage popular in the 60s in the 70s wherein the filmmakers were limited to 40 minute time restrictions.

If La Cabina by Antonio Mercero is anything to go by, it's a fascinating genre. Within an approx. 35 minute time span, he works in comedy, social commentary, horror and scifi. Incredible!

This heady mix of styles is reminiscent of The Prisoner and the psychological films of Frankenheimer, etc., but with a very strong and delectable Spanish flavor (think jamon + chorizo + paella and you're on the right track).

In terms of allegory, La Cabina works on multiple levels, and with the modern-day reliance on smart phones and other communications technology, the meaning of this film is not hard to miss.

I've given you the link, I've told you it's 'muy bueno'... what are you still here for?

Rating: Genial!

No comments:

Post a Comment