Except for its length, this film is a rather standard western where two of the characters are gay. The script is straightforward with no subtleties and includes such accustomed western devices as a character whose shooting prowess borders on the supernatural. Some scenes (such as the wineskin incident) are clumsily shot. All in all, the movie suggests a term project for a Westerns 101 course made by a good (but not outstanding) student.
The title is taken from a 1959 fado song, Estranha Forma de Vida by Amália Rodrigues. It is performed on the sound track by Caetano Veloso and briefly lip-synched (Veloso had already played the song in the 2007 movie Fados by Carlos Saura). The point of this film is perhaps the dire consequences of trying to suppress one's natural inclinations, a subject that Almodóvar had taken up in other movies like Pain and Glory (2019). This may be also have been the purpose of the original song or, given the year of its creation, perhaps it was the attitude of society towards homosexuality. In conclusion: an unengaging film, perhaps worth a watch.
The title is taken from a 1959 fado song, Estranha Forma de Vida by Amália Rodrigues. It is performed on the sound track by Caetano Veloso and briefly lip-synched (Veloso had already played the song in the 2007 movie Fados by Carlos Saura). The point of this film is perhaps the dire consequences of trying to suppress one's natural inclinations, a subject that Almodóvar had taken up in other movies like Pain and Glory (2019). This may be also have been the purpose of the original song or, given the year of its creation, perhaps it was the attitude of society towards homosexuality. In conclusion: an unengaging film, perhaps worth a watch.