Entre tinieblas (1983)

Director:

Pedro Almodóvar

Writer:

Pedro Almodóvar (story)

Release Date:

22 March 1984 (Argentina)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A nightclub singer seeks refuge with gay nuns on dope in a Madrid convent.

Plot Keywords:

Convent | Nun | Abbess | Priest | Singer

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Cristina Sánchez Pascual	...	Yolanda Bel
Will More	...	Jorge (as Willmore)
Laura Cepeda	...	Lina
Miguel Zúñiga	...	Madero
Julieta Serrano	...	Abadesa Julia
Marisa Paredes	...	Sor Estiércol
Mary Carrillo	...	Marquesa
Carmen Maura	...	Sor Perdida
Lina Canalejas	...	Sor Víbora
Manuel Zarzo	...	Cura
Chus Lampreave	...	Sor Rata de Callejón
Marisa Tejada	...	Lola
Eva Siva	...	Antonia
Cecilia Roth	...	Merche
Rubén Tobías	...	Policía

Also Known As:

Dark Habits
Dark Hideout

Runtime:

114 min | Finland:96 min (25 fps) (DVD)

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:MA (TV rating) | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Spain:18 | Sweden:11 | Hong Kong:IIB | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

Tesauro S.A.

Trivia:

Pedro Almodóvar's first film to have a proper producer and be made for a proper film company, rather than be made on the hoof like his previous projects. Almodóvar has since distanced himself from the film as he felt that he had to bow to commercial considerations.

Quotes:

Sor Estiércol: [as she is eating a piece of cake] Eating this is like taking communion. Jesus appeared to me while I was making it; He offered me his wounds to suck, like a swallow.
Sor Rata de Callejón: That's called a hallucination!

Movie Connections:

References My Fair Lady (1964)

Soundtrack:

Suck It to Me

It's not every day you see a nun on smack…

It's not very often that you can go back this far in a director's career and find a film this good.

It's sure as hell not sentimental; it's a black comedy - you've got parody, satire and a dark-humour rolled into one.

There already signs of Almodóvar's skill at film-making, already touches of Almodóvar's trademark whit and humour. It starts out with a girl at a crossroads in her life: on the one hand, a drug fuelled crazy future… the other, the stability of a convent. Or is that the other way round? For those familiar with Almodóvar's films, there are some of the reoccurring themes you'd expect to find, amongst others: prostitution, nuns, drugs, and dealers. More specifically, Dark Habits seems to deal with (to me anyway) a novelist (Almodóvar's film's often touch on creativity/ those involved), the idea of what is good, and along a similar vain, our abilities to turn a new leaf.

Obviously being in subtitles is going to exclude this for some, but others are whole-heartedly recommended; even if it isn't the best Almodóvar film, I've found it the most enjoyable so far. (I haven't heard a quote better than "I'm Sister Rat of the Sewers. I was keen to meet you" recently.)

Oh, and look out for the tiger ;-)