The Strange Case of Angelica (2010) O Estranho Caso de Angélica (original title)

Director:

Manoel de Oliveira

Writer:

Manoel de Oliveira (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 March 2011 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A photographer is asked by hotel owners to take portraits of their recently deceased daughter. |

Cast

Pilar López de Ayala	...	Angélica
Filipe Vargas	...	Marido
Leonor Silveira	...	Mãe
Ricardo Trêpa	...	Isaac
Ana Maria Magalhães	...	Clementina
Isabel Ruth	...	Criada
Luís Miguel Cintra	...	Engenheiro
José Manuel Mendes	...	Dr. Matias
Carmen Santos	...	Mulher do Fotógrafo
Sofia de Portugal	...	Enfermeira
Ricardo Aibéo	...	Mendigo
Paulo Matos	...	Homem da Gabardine
Adelaide Teixeira	...	Justina
António Reis	...	António
Sara Carinhas	...	Freira
Susana Sá	...	D. Rosa
Daniela Costa	...	Amiga Angélica 1
José Carlos Coutinho	...	Padre
Sónia Botelho	...	Amiga Angélica 4 (as Sónia Botelho da Silva)
Luís Machado	...	Médico
Susana Figueiredo	...	Amiga Angélica 3
Afonso Bonito	...	Feitor
Maria Luísa Maia Pinto	...	2ª Senhora
Maria Marques Gomes	...	1ª Senhora
Andreia Vasconcelos	...	Amiga Angélica 2

Directed by
Manoel de Oliveira

Writing credits
Manoel de Oliveira		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jacques Arhex	....	co-executive producer
Leon Cakoff	....	co-producer
François d'Artemare	....	producer
Renata de Almeida	....	producer
Maria João Mayer	....	producer
Luis Miñarro	....	producer

Cinematography by
Sabine Lancelin

Film Editing by
Valérie Loiseleux

Production Design by
Christian Marti
José Pedro Penha

Costume Design by
Adelaide Maria Trêpa

Makeup Department
Helena Batista	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Mireia Ibars	....	post-production supervisor
Rocío Martagón	....	production manager: Spain
João Montalverne	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
João Salomão	....	second assistant director
Bruno Sequeira	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Ricardo Leal	....	boom operator
Henri Maïkoff	....	sound
Vladan Nedeljkov	....	foley artist
Joan Olivé	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jaume Puig	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Aleksandra Stojanovic	....	foley artist

Visual Effects by
Miguel Almeida	....	compositor
Christophe Croidieu	....	compositor
Venancio David	....	compositor
Christian Guillon	....	visual effects consultant
Celso Leite	....	compositor
Eugénio Marques	....	visual effects producer
Pedro Rolo	....	virtual set
Philippe Szabo	....	visual effects supervisor
Ricardo Nuno Leonardo Viana	....	animation

Stunts
João Gaspar	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Rodrigo Dray	....	electrician
David Leite	....	electrician
José Carlos Loureiro	....	grip
Sebastian Naar	....	first assistant camera
Inês Pestana	....	second assistant camera
Maria João Schreck	....	assistant camera
Jorge Trêpa	....	still photographer
Hugo Vieira	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sara Cerejeira	....	additional wardrobe
Yara Jerónimo	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Victor Martos	....	color timer
Laura Sanchez	....	digital intermediate coordinator
Enric Sebastià	....	digital intermediate colorist

Other crew
Jorge Caixinha	....	production assistant
Sandra Canais	....	accountant
Sandra Fanha	....	location manager: pre-production
Pedro Gonçalves	....	production assistant
Carlos Jordao	....	production assistant
Jorge Llama	....	promotion manager
Vanessa Oliveira	....	production assistant
Rita Simão	....	production coordinator
Paula Vaz	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Les Films de l'Après-Midi
• Eddie Saeta S.A.
• Filmes do Tejo
• Lusomundo
• Ministério da Cultura
• Radiotelevisão Portuguesa (RTP)

Distributors

• Cinema Guild, The (2010) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Energía Entusiasta (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Epicentre Films (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Filmes da Mostra (2010) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Videorama (2012) (Greece) (DVD)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2011) (Portugal) (all media)

Also Known As:

"O Estranho Caso de Angélica" - Portugal (original title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Portugal | Spain | France | Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | USA:Unrated | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG

Company:

Les Films de l'Après-Midi

Trivia:

The role of the engineer was originally created as a female character and Fernanda Montenegro was supposed to play the part.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Isaac does photographic darkroom work in an undarkened room.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Estrenos Críticos: (Piloto) Bestezuelas, Piratas del Caribe 4... (#1.0)" (2011)

A ghost story - sort of

I was informed before the showing that Director Manoel de Oliviera was over 100 years old when he directed this film. So I took that into consideration. That may be one of the reasons I did not walk out half way through the screening.

However, in retrospect, this is not a bad film, but one that is very personal (for the director) to the extent it may not connect with everyone. Many inserts to the film (e.g. the labourers in the field) may have no bearing to the story but they were there. And an average Joe like me couldn't understand the reason why they were there. Metaphor, poetry, or scenery diversion may be the reasons but I could not tell.

In a sense it is a story about a young photographer losing his mind, and eventually his health, as a result of the escalating obsession following an encounter with a beautiful, dead woman. That I can relate to. But the story could definitely be told in a more lively, and less arty fashion to appeal to a larger audience.