Sierra maldita (1954) Poster

User Reviews

Review this title
2 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
8/10
Above average melodrama with intense emotion, tragedy , rural habits and an enjoyable love story
ma-cortes5 June 2018
Andalucia 1923 , this emotive drama deals with a young: Ruben Rojo living in Puebla Valle that falls for a girl: Lina Rosales living in Puebla Arriba wrongly known for their sterile women . The highter village has a lot of rubble as well as ruined and old building . While the lower part has better houses , orchards and nice constructions . A foreman : Jose Sepulveda organizes a work expedition to get his incomes from trees cutting and burning wood to make charcoal , similarly to many years later film : "Taxio" by Montxo Armendariz . As the owner hires a group of workers : Rojo , Guardiola and Manuel Zarzo , among others . But things go wrong when emerges rivalty between Ruben Rojo and Jose Guardiola.

A strong and neo-realist drama set in the rural Andalucia plenty of extreme passion, tension , thrills , violence , supernatural curse and a twisted romance . The first part of the movie is more a rural drama , while the second part is developed in a Western style movie , full of movement , pursuit and fights . Great nature backgrounds and intense passion make it an agreeable and charming experience . It shows several facets of the idiosyncracy of the Spanish people such as the particular social habits and rural customs with supertition, dark curses about barren fates and isolation .Highlights of the movie are the charming dances carried out by protagonists and villagers surrounding a decorated pole at the village square . And impressive final , including chases and breathtaking scenes when two men fight for the woman with the only arms to hand : axes .

It contains an evocative cinematography by Eloy Mella and Sebastian Perera . Set in Andalucia and shot in Nijar, Almeria , Mojacar and San Lorenzo del Escorial, with adequate setting by prestigious and prolific designer Eduardo Torre Fuente . Dramatic and sensitive musical score by Jesus Romo . It won award Cinema Writers Circle , CEC , to best film , best supporting actor:Jose Guardiola, and best original story . It was also winner best film in San Sebastian Film Festival 1954 and nominee Golden Liom in Venice Film Festival .The motion picture written by the notorious Alfonso Paso and Jose Luis Dibildos , was well directed by Antonio Del Amo at his best and being really influenced by the Mexican Indio Fernandez .By the time Antonio directed a trilogy of realist films as Dia Tras Dia , El Sol Sale Todos Los Dias and this one . Del Amo is specially known for shooting " Joselito" films as Saeta del Ruiseñor, El Ruiseñor de las cumbres, Escucha mi cancion, El Pequeño Coronel , Los dos golfillos and Aventuras de Joselito en America ; though he also directed Spaghetti Western as El hijo de Jesse James and Eurospy as 001 Operacion Caribe
5 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
mr. cano (el japone)
guillvi14 December 2006
Mr. Cano's performance was brilliant !! I've never seen anything like that in thousands of films !! Definitively , movies world is in debt with such a superb actor born in Mojacar City. Another Mr. Cano' s movie was EL BESO DE JUDAS (Judas Kiss) , his first and impressive appearance. Young Mr. Cano studied at Almeria's Actor's Studio with several very well known stars who played a lot of spaghetti westerns with Sergio Leone. Once he finished his absolutely amazing career in Spanish pictures , he ran a luxurious restaurant in Martorell Town , very famous for its desserts , as for instance the fruits salad called "BACILONIA" .
3 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed