Tierra (1996) from Tuna

Tierra is written and directed by Julio Medem, who can be compared to David Lynch in that he tackles complex themes and feelings in his own, nearly surrealist fashion. He also directed La Ardilla Roja, but this is a far more interesting film.

NUDITY REPORT

The German/Spanish Silke is in two nude scenes, where she shows everything.
Carmelo Gómez plays Ángel Bengoelxeo, a man who was treated in a mental hospital for multiple personality disorder, but who thinks of himself as just a very complex person with lots of imagination. He speaks with his alter ego, and angel, frequently. He has been hired to rid a small farming community of a form of woodlice, which are giving the wine made there an earthy flavor. He finds himself drawn both to Angela (the counterpart of his alter ego), played by Emma Suárez, and to a young, wanton and rebellious Mari, played by Silke.

DVD info from Amazon.

  • Theatrical trailer(s)

  • Widescreen letterbox format, 2.35:1

Just for good measure, he deals with lightning strikes, a wild bore hunt, deaths and suicides. This is a film which speaks on several levels, and nearly defies description, Visually, it is stunning, with amazing scenics of the farm country and equally interesting interiors. It is beautifull, yet deep, and will bear many watchings.  

The Critics Vote

The People Vote ...

  • with their dollars: was not successful. 218,000 admissions in Spain.

 

IMDb guideline: 7.5 usually indicates a level of excellence, about like three and a half stars from the critics. 6.0 usually indicates lukewarm watchability, about like two and a half stars from the critics. The fives are generally not worthwhile unless they are really your kind of material, about like two stars from the critics. Films under five are generally awful even if you like that kind of film, equivalent to about one and a half stars from the critics or less, depending on just how far below five the rating is.

My own guideline: A means the movie is so good it will appeal to you even if you hate the genre. B means the movie is not good enough to win you over if you hate the genre, but is good enough to do so if you have an open mind about this type of film. C means it will only appeal to genre addicts, and has no crossover appeal. D means you'll hate it even if you like the genre. E means that you'll hate it even if you love the genre. F means that the film is not only unappealing across-the-board, but technically inept as well.

Based on this description, it is an art film, but, I think, has enough pure entertainment value to satisfy most people. B.

Return to the Movie House home page