Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Description

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Criterion Collection) - 1988 - BLU-RAYPedro Almodóvar makes telephones, a mambo taxi, and a burning mattress into delirious plot points and indelible images in his international breakthrough, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Melding melodrama with screwball farce, this Academy Award–nominated black comedy secured the auteur’s place at the vanguard of modern Spanish cinema. Continuing Almodóvar’s exploration of the female psyche, the film tells the story of Pepa, an actor—played by the director’s frequent collaborator Carmen Maura (Volver)—who resolves to kill herself with a batch of sleeping-pill-laced gazpacho after her lover leaves her. Fortunately, she is interrupted by a string of visitors, setting in motion a deliciously chaotic series of events. The filmmaker channeled inspiration by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Douglas Sirk into his own unique vision, arriving at the irreverent sense of humor and vibrant visual sense that define his work today. With a sensational ensemble cast of early Almodóvar regulars that also includes Antonio Banderas (Evita) and Rossy de Palma (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!), this film shows an artist in total control of his craft.DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURESNew high-definition digital restoration, supervised by director Pedro Almodóvar and producer Agustín Almodóvar, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrackAlternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrackNew interviews with director Pedro Almodóvar, actor Carmen Maura, and producer Agustín AlmodóvarNew discussion by film scholar Richard Peña of the film’s impact in Spain and abroadTrailerNew English subtitle translationPLUS: An essay by critic Elvira LindoPLUS:DIRECTOR: Pedro AlmodóvarFEATURES:COMEDYWIDESCREENCOLORASPECT RATIO: 1.85:12.0 SURROUND DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO89 MinutesLANGUAGES: SPANISHENGLISH SUBTITLESRATED: NR