Der Kuss der Spinnenfrau

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
Director: Hector Babenco
Actors:
Luis Molina
Valentin Arregui
Leni Lamaison
Genre: Drama
Writers:
based on the novel by
written by
Plots: A gay man and a political prisoner are together in a prison. The gay man narrates the stories of two fake movies and his own life. Luis Molina and Valentin Arregui are cellmates in a South American prison. Luis, a trans individual, is found guilty of immoral behavior and Valentin is a political prisoner. To escape reality, Luis invents romantic movies, while Valentin tries to keep his mind on his situation. During the time they spend together, the two men come to understand and respect each other. Valentin Arregui and Luis Molina are unlikely cellmates in a Latin American prison. Valentin, a journalist, is a political prisoner who was working for a leftist anti-government revolutionary group. While in prison, he is frequently tortured in order to cough up information on those with whom he is working. That includes the new prisoner in the cell across the block from his. Valentin has yet to provide the authorities with any useful information. Molina, a stereotypically gay window dresser, is imprisoned on morals charges: having homosexual sex with a minor. He states that he has no political affiliations. To pass the time, Molina recounts aloud story-lines from his favorite movies, usually those of a romantic nature. The current movie of which he is telling is a wartime romantic thriller, which in reality is a World War II Nazi propaganda film, about which he doesn’t care as he focuses on the romance part of the story. Because of the reason for his imprisonment, Valentin doesn’t much like that Molina is telling a story produced by a repressive regime, but gets caught up in Molina’s story-telling regardless. The unlikely cell mates form an equally unlikely friendship based on their mutual support for each other. Molina later admits that he has fallen in love with Valentin. What Valentin does not know is that Molina has been co-opted by the prison warden and the secret police to befriend Valentin so that he can get information on and report back to them about the leftist group with which Valentin is working. Molina’s reward is early parole. Which side is Molina really supporting?
Related movies: Featured in: The 58th Annual Academy Awards , Stairs (Clip shown.) , São Paulo – Cinemacidade (A clip is presented)

Le Havre

Le Havre (2011)
Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Actors:
Marcel Marx
Arletty
Claire
Laïka – Dog
Little Bob
Genres: Comedy, Drama
Writer:
written by
Plots: When an African boy arrives by cargo ship in the port city of Le Havre, an aging shoe shiner takes pity on the child and welcomes him into his home. A dock worker in Le Havre hears a human sound inside one of the containers in port, that container which left Gabon three weeks ago and which was supposed to arrive in London five days after its departure from Gabon, which didn’t happen. The Le Havre police and French border guards find a still alive group of undocumented African immigrants inside. On the sign from one of his elders, a young teen boy among the undocumented immigrants manages to escape, news of which hits the local media. The first friendly face that boy, Idrissa, encounters is that of former artist now aged shoeshine Marcel Marx. Marcel decides to help Idrissa by hiding him in his house, news which slowly trickles through his community of friends – most of whom he associates with at his local bar – and neighbors, most who assist Marcel in this task. Marcel goes to great lengths to find out Idrissa’s story, which leads to Marcel’s further task of trying to get Idrissa to London, his original end destination. The one neighbor who wants to turn Idrissa in and the authorities seem to be on to Marcel’s activities, most specifically hard nosed police Inspector Monet, who may have his own private agenda. Through it all, Marcel has on his mind the health of his terminally ill and hospitalized wife Arletty, the terminal aspect being something of which he is unaware and which may in turn eventually kill him as Arletty is his life.
Related movies: Featured in: Cannes Film Festival 2011 (Clips shown in a segment on movies in competition.) , Episode #2.14 (clips are shown as Roger Ebert reviews the film) , Sparkle (Movie reviewed in this episode.)

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