Pantaleón y las visitadoras (2000)

Director:

Francisco J. Lombardi

Writers:

Enrique Moncloa (writer)
Giovanna Pollarolo (writer)

Release Date:

27 September 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

The Peruvian army captain Pantaleon Pantoja, a very serious and efficient officer, is chosen by his...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Awards:

10 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Salvador del Solar	...	Pantaleón Pantoja
Angie Cepeda	...	Colombiana
Mónica Sánchez	...	Pochita
Pilar Bardem	...	Chuchupe
Gianfranco Brero	...	General Collazos
Gustavo Bueno	...	Coronel López
Carlos Kaniowsky	...	Padre Beltrán
Sergio Galliani	...	Teniente Bacacorzo
Tatiana Astengo	...	Pechuga
Pold Gastello	...	Chupito
Carlos Tuccio	...	General Scavino
Aristóteles Picho	...	El Sinchi
César Bravo	...	Palomino Ríoalto
Basilio Soraluz	...	Sinforoso Caihuas
Norka Ramírez	...	Vanessa

Also Known As:

Captain Pantoja and the Special Services (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, nudity and language.

Runtime:

137 min | Brazil:114 min | Spain:142 min

Country:

Peru | Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Brazil:16 | Chile:18 | Peru:18 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Iquitos, Peru

Company:

América Producciones

Quotes:

Padre Beltrán: Who the hell told you that virile plenitude is obtained by fornication?
Pantaleón Pantoja: The most prominent psychologists and sexologists, father.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Pantaleón y las visitadoras (1975)

Soundtrack:

Euforia

A jewel of Latinamerican cinema

It's not easy to take a successful novel and make a movie based upon it. No discussion about this. The aim of such adaptations should not be to repeat the book on the screen, but take the essence and identify the best suited passages to develop a script. It's a work of artistic translation at many levels.

This movie is excellent. As a comedy it warranties smiles and laughs, as a drama it may reserve some tears over the end, as a documentary it lets you discover many aspects of the complexity of a country like Peru, and visually it will give you a pleasant experience immersing you in the charming Peruvian Amazonia locations.

I don't know how much is lost if you are not able to understand Spanish. As always happens it is possible that part of the value of this film may be lost if you have to spend time off the main action reading subtitles.

To round up the special beauty of the Amazonia, Angie Cepeda provides the perfect match, bringing to the screen all her exuberant sensuality and femininity as "la Colombiana" ("the Colombian"). I can't imagine a better actress for this character. Angie Cepeda by herself is reason enough for any person who admire female beauty to see this movie, not once but many times. You will fall in love with "la Colombiana" as Captain Pantaleon Pantoja does, and you will also understand why Chuchupe (an experienced brothel manager) refers to her as an inconvenience after his notoriety for driving men to suicide. Angie (born Angelica), an actual Colombian from Cartagena De Indias, is with no doubt one of the prettiest and most sensual current actresses. Today, the Colombian Angelica head to head with the American Angelina (turn in this unattractive hybrid of "Brangelina") wins the race for more than a body (and more than just the body).

But look also for Aristóteles Picho as the hilarious "El Sinchi" the radial journalist that is always around troubling Captain Pantoja's mission.

Also pay attention to Peruvian comedian and also pretty actress Tatiana Astengo as the "visitadora" (female escort, an euphemism for prostitute) known as "Pechuga", character honored with this nickname to celebrate, well, her breast (that's one of the meaning of the Spanish word).

You will laugh a lot, cry a little, learn something about Peru, and re-joy your eyes and soul with one of the most beautiful creatures on Earth. What else?!

Besides, you will be able to fake you read Vargas Llosa's bestseller.