La comunidad (2000)

Director:

Álex de la Iglesia

Writers:

Jorge Guerricaechevarría
Álex de la Iglesia

Release Date:

29 September 2000 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Una agente inmobiliaria con suerte... Un cadáver descompuesto... Una comunidad de vecinos codiciosos... 300 millones escondidos debajo de una baldosa... Algo huele a podrido en esta casa.

Plot:

Julia finds 300 million pesetas hidden in a dead man's house while selling an apartment. She's a 40-ish...

Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Neighbor | Real Estate Agent | Voyeur | Black Comedy

Awards:

20 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Carmen Maura	...	Julia
Eduardo Antuña	...	Charly
María Asquerino	...	Encarna (as Maria Asquerino)
Jesús Bonilla	...	Ricardo (as Jesus Bonilla)
Marta Fernández Muro	...	Paquita (as Marta Fernandez Muro)
Paca Gabaldón	...	Hortensia (as Paca Gabaldon)
Ane Gabarain	...	Karina
Sancho Gracia	...	Castro
Emilio Gutiérrez Caba	...	Emilio (as Emilio Gutierrez Caba)
Kiti Manver	...	Dolores
Terele Pávez	...	Ramona (as Terele Pavez)
Roberto Perdomo	...	Oswaldo
Manuel Tejada	...	Chueca
Enrique Villén	...	Domínguez (as Enrique Villen)
Gorka Aguinagalde	...	Camillero 1
Ramón Barea	...	Pradillo (as Ramon Barea)
Mariví Bilbao	...	Señora Enjoyada 1 (as Marivi Bilbao)
Silvia Casanova	...	Señora Enjoyada 2
Andrés de la Cruz	...	Armandito (as Andres de la Cruz)
Antonio de la Torre	...	Quique
Borja Elgea	...	Luis
Ion Gabella	...	Camillero 2
Eduardo Gómez	...	García (as Eduardo Gomez)
Lander Iglesias	...	José Bombero
Ione Irazábal	...	Ana (as Ione Irazabal)
Javier Jurdao	...	Traseúnte
Otilia Laiz	...	Miriam
Carlos Lucas	...	Cliente Bar 1
Aitor Mazo	...	Paco Bombero
José María Sacristán	...	Cliente Bar 2 (as Jose Sacristan)
Rodolfo Sancho	...	Pacheco
Manuel Tallafé	...	Ricky (as Manuel Tallafe)
Luis Tosar	...	Gómez
Juan Viadas	...	Carlos
Eguzki Zubia	...	Marta

Directed by
Álex de la Iglesia

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jorge Guerricaechevarría		(as Jorge Guerricaecheverria)
Álex de la Iglesia

Produced by
Andrés Vicente Gómez	....	producer
Marco Gómez	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Roque Baños

Cinematography by
Kiko de la Rica

Film Editing by
Alejandro Lázaro

Art Direction by
José Luis Arrizabalaga
Biaffra

Costume Design by
Paco Delgado

Makeup Department
María Amaro	....	second assistant makeup artist
María Domec	....	assistant hair stylist
Mercedes Guillot	....	hair stylist
Carlos Montosa	....	hair piece
José Quetglás	....	makeup artist
Patricia Rodríguez	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Juanma Pagazaurtundua	....	line production manager
Ander Sistiaga	....	first assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nekane Elizondo	....	second second assistant director
Telmo Esnal	....	assistant director
Karmele Jauregui	....	trainee assistant director
Sara Mazkiarán	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Javier Bustamante	....	props
Imanol Echeverría	....	property master (as Imanol Etxeberría)
Lierni Izaguirre	....	assistant property master
Javier Martín	....	props
Peio Villalba	....	assistant property master
Ricardo G. Villalpando	....	props (as Ricardo Villalpando)

Sound Department
Manuel Corrales	....	sound effects (as Manolo Corrales)
Enrique Domínguez	....	assistant sound mixer
Jaime Fernández	....	sound mixing technician
Fabio Huete	....	boom operator
Mario López	....	sound effects recordist
James Muñoz	....	sound editor
Alfonso Raposo	....	sound mixing technician
Antonio Rodríguez 'Mármol'	....	direct sound (as Antonio Rodríguez)
Ricardo Viñas	....	sound stereo consultant: Dolby
José Luis Vázquez	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Óscar Aparicio	....	special effects technician
Arturo Balceiro	....	special effects makeup (as Arturo Balseiro)
David Campos	....	special effects technician
Pau Costa	....	special effects manager
Joaquín Dorado	....	special effects technician
Javier Jal	....	special effects technician
David Martí	....	special effects makeup
José M. Meneses	....	special effects technician: DDT (as José Manuel Meneses)
Julio Navarro	....	special effects manager
Montse Ribé	....	special effects makeup
Raúl Romanillos	....	special effects manager

Visual Effects by
Belén Arsuaga	....	digital effects: Daiquiri Digital Pictures
Félix Bergés	....	digital artist: Daiquiri Digital Pictures (as Félx Bergés Daiquiri)
Jorge Calvo	....	digital artist: title sequence
Juanjo Carretero	....	printing and scanning technician
Eduardo Díaz	....	digital effects: Daiquiri Digital Pictures
Daniel Fernández	....	digital effects: Daiquiri Digital Pictures
Úrsula García	....	digital effects: Daiquiri Digital Pictures
David L. Guaita	....	digital effects: Daiquiri Digital Pictures (as David Guaita)
Enrique Jiménez	....	printing and scanning technician
Isidro Jiménez	....	compositing intern: Telson
Antonio Lado	....	digital effects: Daiquiri Digital Pictures
Magoga Piñas	....	digital effects: Daiquiri Digital Pictures
Carlos J. Santos	....	opticals
Carlos Trijueque	....	compositing intern: Telson
Rosa Ángel	....	digital effects: Daiquiri Digital Pictures

Stunts
Álvaro Burgos	....	stunts
Miguel Ángel Cerrada	....	stunts
Marina de Mendialdúa	....	stunts
Susana Domínguez	....	stunts
Pablo Febrero	....	stunts
Diego García	....	stunts
Álvaro Hernández	....	stunts
Ángel Plana	....	stunt coordinator
José Antonio Rojo	....	stunts
Jessica Sjolander	....	stunts
Mariano Soriano	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Paola Ardizzoni	....	still photographer
Iñigo Bach	....	electrician
Mónica de Pascalis	....	still photographer
José Ramón Delgado	....	assistant camera
Gontzal Domingo	....	camera trainee (as Gontzal Domingo-Aldama)
Alfredo Díaz	....	key grip
Antonio Fernández Santamaría	....	grip (as Antonio Fernández)
Elías Fernández	....	electrician
Juan Antonio Fernández	....	additional electrician
Raúl García	....	second assistant camera
Yosu Inchaustegui	....	Steadicam operator (as Josu Intxaustegi)
Yosu Inchaustegui	....	camera operator (as Josu Intxaustegi)
Ral Manchado	....	assistant camera: second unit
Raúl Manchado	....	assistant camera: third unit
Juan Masides	....	assistant camera: second unit
Paco Mayo	....	gaffer
Félix Pascual	....	electrician
Usue Sanz	....	video assist operator
Arcadio Sequeira	....	gaffer
Federico Staffa	....	assistant camera: second unit
Federico Staffa	....	assistant camera: third unit
Clement Gharini	....	camera operator: flying camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Javier Aranda	....	costumer
Ana Cuerda	....	costumer
Carlos Díez	....	costumer
Sonia Isla	....	assistant costume designer
Diana Álvarez	....	trainee costumer

Editorial Department
Irene Blecua	....	assistant editor
Felisa Catalinas	....	negative cutter
Pepe Cruz	....	color timer (as José Cruz)
Igor Iglesias	....	second assistant editor
Cristina Pastor	....	editor: making-of

Music Department
Ginés Carrión	....	music copyist
Jan Holzner	....	assistant music mixer
Mario Klemens	....	conductor: Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de Praga
Pavel Pranil	....	musician: concertino, Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de Praga
José Vinader	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Javier Montero	....	driver: production car
Ramiro Prada	....	driver: production car

Other crew
Rubén Alarcón Molina	....	wrangler (as Rubén Molina)
Francisco Amaro	....	administrator
Juan Campos	....	production coordinator
Fabio Diéguez	....	wrangler
Elena Figaredo	....	production secretary
Purificación García	....	production assistant
Juan Gatti	....	title designer
Javier González de la Fuente	....	making-of
Domingo González	....	script supervisor
Rafael Hostelería	....	catering
Javier Leal	....	laboratory chief
Soledad Martínez	....	production assistant
Jesús Marugan	....	Darth Vader's suit owner
Pilar Morillo	....	press attache
Guillermo Peña	....	laboratory chief
Juana María Rios	....	production trainee
Jan Rubens	....	technician: flying camera
Pedro San Juan	....	location manager
Carlos J. Santos	....	title designer: end titles
José Luis Sanz	....	legal consultant
Bruno Zeigler	....	technician: flying camera (as Bruno Ziegler)
Nacho Álvarez	....	construction security

Thanks
José Carrión	....	thanks
Amaya Díez	....	thanks
Salvador García Atance	....	thanks
Carolo Ruiz Penella	....	thanks
Javier Ruiz San Miguel	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Antena 3 Televisión
• Lolafilms
• Vía Digital

Distributors

• Lolafilms Distribución (2000) (Spain) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (limited release)
• Lolistar (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Lumiére Films (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Maiden Voyage Pictures Ireland Ltd. (2003) (Ireland) (theatrical)
• Nexo (2001) (Italy) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (DVD) (VHS)
• Manga Films (2000) (Spain) (DVD)
• Ventura Entertainment LLC (200?) (USA) (DVD)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2002) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Efe-X

Other Companies

• Antena 3 Televisión  participation
• Vía Digital  participation

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:13 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | South Korea:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

Antena 3 Televisión

Trivia:

Towards the last third of the film, when Julia is searching a way to exit the building, she skips through the dead rich man's diaries and several maps of the house can be seen. But one of the last ones, on the left page, is a drawing of the comic book "13, Rue del Percebe" by Spanish artist Francisco Ibañez.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Así se hizo: La comunidad (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Why Wait

Great dark comedy thriller

Alex De La Iglesia is one of a triumvirate of Spanish directors whose deliciously black comedies have found a sizeable audience outside of Spain (the other two being Bigas Luna and the master Pedro Almodovar). Iglesia's debut ACCIONE MUTANTE was a wonderfully perverse low budget sci-fi parody, but it was his super-dark horror comedy THE DAY OF THE BEAST that first brought him international recognition, and a brief and unlikely stab at Hollywood with the entertaining PERDITA DURANGO.

LA COMMUNIDAD shows that Iglesia has matured a *lot* as a film maker, and feels much slicker and more accomplished than his earlier films. Carmen Maura (Spain's finest actress) plays an estate agent with a gift for telling lies, who discovers a stash of money in an appartment she has to show to some clients. She thinks this is what her life has been waiting for, but she doesn't count on THE COMMUNITY that inhabits the appartment building.

LA COMMUNIDAD is a wonderful thing - a horror movie about ordinary people. Forget mutants, satanists or the devil himself - none of these are as scary as the guy next door! Iglesia brings out the darkest side of our human nature, bringing out delicious black comedy, horror and thriller elements without the need to invoke anything supernatural or fantastical.

Iglesia's direction is assured - helped no doubt by having a veteren like Maura in the lead role. The pacing of the film is spot on, and the atmosphere and tension is built to great effect. The film is creepy, crazy and builds to real edge of the seat tension. The characters are all wonderful, and the cast give great performances. A great piece of work!

9/10