October 12, 2011 – “The closest Almodovar has gotten to a horror movie,” says actor Antonio Banderas of the Spanish cinematographer’s newest film The Skin I Live In, opening this Friday in Los Angeles and New York.
Based on French writer Thierry Jonquet’s book Mygale, the film tells the story of a punished woman whose sentence is handed out in revenge by a jury made up of just one person, her worst enemy.
In the course of six years Vera acquired a new skin and new sexual organs, but she didn’t lose her identity. An important theme in this movie is identity and how a person’s appearance is not necessarily a reflection of who he or she really is. Vera is a gorgeous woman to the eye, but someone completely different inside. And like Vera, her captor “melts perfectly within society, although he has huge demons within him,” adds Banderas.
After 30 years of working with Pedro Almodovar, Banderas is still in awe of the director’s creative prowess. For this film, Banderas was instructed to “contain his demeanor, so that the audience can write their own feelings onto his character – Dr. Ledgar.” And so the viewer must deal with a “brilliant, arrogant, egomaniac” character that seldom shows any facial expression and with the difficulty of judging him whether evil or crazy.
Beautiful Spanish actress Elena Anaya is Vera. Having worked in movies since her 18th birthday, Anaya is nonetheless grateful for the opportunity to work with the respected Almodovar, with her “idol” Banderas, and to have a chance to show her work to Hollywood. To her, her character resembles “a wild animal patiently waiting until the opportunity of escape presents itself,” one that shows the strength of our instinct of survival.
A boy who once desired to see a girl in a Dolce & Gabbana dress ends up wearing it himself on a body forced upon him. It is a fantastic story that will make you think of Frankenstein and that “will travel with you for days,” says Banderas, until you come to terms with its message.
The Skin I Live In is rated R, 117 minutes long, released in Los Angeles this Friday at The Landmark, 10850 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
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