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Abre los ojos (1997)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
19 December 1997 (Spain) morePlot:
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. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
5 wins & 11 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(19 articles)
November 6: DVD alternatives to this weekend’s multiplex offerings (From FlickFilosopher. 7 November 2009, 12:48 PM, PST)
James Mangold’s Witchita Starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz Turns to Knight And Day
(From Collider.com. 13 October 2009, 10:24 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Abre Los Ojos is much better than Vanilla Sky more (186 total)Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| 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 |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Open Your Eyes (UK) (USA)Apri gli occhi (Italy)
El contrato (Spain) (working title)
Ouvre les yeux (France)
Permanent Midnight (USA)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for some strong sexuality, language and some violence.Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
117 minLanguage:
SpanishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby DigitalCertification:
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-15Filming Locations:
Madrid, SpainFun Stuff
Trivia:
When César (Eduardo Noriega) goes to Sofia (Penélope Cruz)'s apartment and starts to rip down her photos on the wall, there is a picture of "The Sandman," a popular comic book that deals with the world of dreams, created by Neil Gaiman. moreGoofs:
Crew or equipment visible: A crew member is reflected in the car window when César picks up Pelayo for tennis. moreSoundtrack:
Flying Away moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (186 total)
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I recently watched Abre Los Ojos. That prompted me to then rent Vanilla Sky. I relate that only because the order in which you see these movies is important. Specifically, by the time I saw VS, I knew everything about the story, and there was no longer any sense of unraveling a mystery that is an important part of these movies. But that is not all. On almost every score, Abre Los Ojos is the better movie. First the acting. In ALO, Penelope Cruz is sweet, loving and heartbreakingly beautiful. Reprising the same role in VS, she struggles with her Spanish accent, and there is absolutely no chemistry between her and Tom Cruise. Also, her character in VS repeatedly engages in a strange kind of smart-alecky banter that is not funny and is just plain misplaced in this movie. And yes, I hate to say it, but Ms. Cruz is nowhere near as attractive in VS as she was in ALO. Watch the movies back-to-back and the difference is startling. As for the other characters, I thought the spurned female role was better done in ALO. The actress who played Nuria in ALO conveyed a palpable sense of desperation and sadness, but also vulnerability. When she kills herself, and tries to take Cesar with her, it's believable. Not so with Cameron Diaz's portrayal of that same character in VS, who comes off as a spoiled tramp whose decision to kill herself seems like a hissy fit. That may not be all her fault. For instance, during the critical scene where she kills herself and tries to kill Cruise, Diaz is forced to utter dialog that is dopey and distractingly vulgar. Nuria has more grace, and more depth. Tom Cruise is not a terrible male lead, but the Spanish actor who played Cesar in ALO is much better suited for the role. He is younger, and portrays youthful arrogance and insouciance perfectly. There is also an innocence about him that Cruise can no longer do. Especially physically. At times in VS, I was thinking more about Tom Cruise's weightlifting regimen more than the mental anguish of his character. Unlike the crippling sadness of Cesar, Cruise's character is a turbo-charged superstar. In fact, it's not until the final scene, when the truth unravels itself, that Cruise finally brings his performance down to a human level. Last, the music. ALO has an unobtrusive, Hitchcockian score (see Vertigo to get my drift) that is haunting, and is very effective in creating a brooding, dreamlike atmosphere. Cameron Crowe's blaring soundtrack in VS, conversely, is a slick pop cliché that detracts, instead of enhances, the experience. The musical differences really do speak volumes here. ALO is dark, ethereal, and moving. VS is loud, brash, and coarse.