Desire Unlimited: The Cinema of Pedro Almodovar

Simply the greatest Spanish film director since Luis Bunuel, Pedro Almodovar reigns as one of the best filmmakers in the world. Somewhat a cross between John Waters and Gus Van Sant, Pedro's films have won acclaim throughout the world, especially at major film festivals such as Cannes and Venice. "Desire Unlimited" by Paul Julian Smith covers all of Almodovar's films from his first major film "Pepi, Luci, Bom, y Otras Chicas del Monton" to his Academy-Award winning film, "Todo Sobre Mi Madre." Summarizing each film in its' own chapter, Smith gives the reader a summary of the plot and commentary on the film's characters, storyline, and locations to further educate readers more about Almodovar's methods. Smith does a great job in discussing each film, especially due to his citations of commentary and critiques from various periodicals throughout the world. Beautifully designed, this book is not only a treat to Almodovar fans worldwide, but also it is a must have for any serious film student/buff who wants to know the forces of creativity from a non-American director. While American directors are often subjected to edits and story rewrites due to big studio contracts and concerns, Almodovar and his film company, El Deseo, do not have to answer to anyone, giving him total control over his films. Truly a genius, Almodovar gets the respect he deserves in this book. I highly recommend this book to all who love Almodovar's unique, campy style. It makes great reading any day of the year.

There are lots of books on Almodovar and most of them are either very superficial or too darned academic. This one hits the spot very nicely. It's a chatty, engaged and thoroughly researched book, packed with information and challenging analysis. Sometimes it's a bit obscure but mostly it's the book Almodovar's films deserve. Highly recommended.