MATADOR (1986)

4 stars

Radiance Films. Limited edition UHD and Blu ray. 20th April

MATADOR is a movie about sex, death, obsession and bullfighting. It grabs your attention from the start with the main protagonist Diego masturbating to horror movies (including Bava’s BLOOD AND BLACK LACE and Franco’s BLOODY MOON). He is now a teacher of bullfighting after a run-in with a bull ended his career Later he is teaching his student Angel (a very young looking Antonio Banderas) about how to kill a bull – but his student is distracted as he has the ability to ‘see’ things psychically. In a vision he witnesses a woman having passionate sex with a man she has picked up – and then her killing him with a distinctive silver hairpin.

Diego asks Angel if he is gay, which he denies — his mentor tells him he should treat women like the bull. Subsequently, to prove he isn’t homosexual, the young man attacks and attempts to rape his sexy neighbour Eva – who is also Diego’s girlfriend. Racked with guilt he tells his domineering and highly religious mother – and then turns himself in to the police. However, Eva doesn’t press charges and humiliates him. Alone with lead detective, Angel sees photos of some murdered men and two missing girls, that were in Diego’s matador classes. Bizarrely he confesses to the crimes and they have no choice but lock him up. The cop is not convinced… but who is really responsible?

An erotic thriller, this is one of director Pedro Almodóvar’s lesser known works and he apparently thinks it is one of his weakest. That being said, this has, as you would expect, oodles of style, great acting and looks fantastic – with a predominance of the colour red throughout – even if the script (by Almodóvar and Jesús Ferrero) takes some unusual turns. The director turns up in a cameo appearance at a fashion show.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

Interview with Almodóvar expert José Arroyo

‘Jonathan Ross Presents For One Week Only’ episode on Almodóvar’s cinema.

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow plus Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by critic Guy Lodge and an archival interview with Almodóvar

Limited edition of 3000 copies.