Abre los ojos (1997)

Director:

Alejandro Amenábar

Writers:

Alejandro Amenábar (writer)
Mateo Gil (writer)

Release Date:

19 December 1997 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A very handsome man finds the love of his life, but he suffers an accident and needs to have his face rebuilt by surgery after it is severely disfigured.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Beautiful Woman | Psychiatrist | Nightmare | Suicide

Awards:

5 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Eduardo Noriega	...	César
Penélope Cruz	...	Sofía
Chete Lera	...	Antonio
Fele Martínez	...	Pelayo
Najwa Nimri	...	Nuria
Gérard Barray	...	Duvernois
Jorge de Juan	...	Encargado L.E.
Miguel Palenzuela	...	Commisario
Pedro Miguel Martínez	...	Médico Jefe
Ion Gabella	...	Recluso paranoico
Joserra Cadiñanos	...	Guardia
Tristán Ulloa	...	Camarero
Pepe Navarro	...	Presentador T.V.
Jaro	...	Médico 1
Walter Prieto	...	Médico 2

Also Known As:

Open Your Eyes (UK) (USA)
Apri gli occhi (Italy)
El contrato (Spain) (working title)
Ouvre les yeux (France)
Permanent Midnight (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for some strong sexuality, language and some violence.

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

Spain | France | Italy

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | France:U | Germany:16 (video premiere) | Hong Kong:IIB | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 (video premiere) | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

Canal+ España

Trivia:

The song playing at the nightclub when César first arrives is "Rising Son" by Massive Attack, in which the phrase "dream on" is frequently repeated.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: A crew member is reflected in the car window when César picks up Pelayo for tennis.

Quotes:

Pelayo: Did you screw her?
César: Screw who?

Movie Connections:

References The Wicker Man (1973)

Soundtrack:

Tremble Goes the Night

Mind-bending.

"Abre Los Ojos" is one of the most astonishing movies I have ever seen. It's so full of astounding twists that it constantly makes you sit up and wonder what the next shot will bring you. At the same time, you keep wondering if a movie with so many twists will be able to tie everything up at the end, but Amenabar and his co-writer manage to do just that, in a reasonably (if not perfectly) satisfying manner. Eduardo Noriega's acting is so good it's beyond belief, and so is the "disfiguring" makeup. Pair this off with "The Game" for a truly mind-bending double feature and see what cinema should be like more often. (***1/2)