year 5 day 120

movie: Jamon Jamon
starring: Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem
genre:Comedy, Drama
year:1992
format: online

plot: after telling her boyfriend she's pregnant, a young girl ends up having an affair with another man, who she later finds out is having an affair with her boyfriend's mother.

I was about fifteen minutes into it when I realized, I'd seen it before. Like 20 years ago when I was in college, but still I'd seen it before.
It's main themes are obsession, betrayal, lust, and the lack of empowerment.
I have no idea what was up with the death of all the pets? And I have to say, I was struck speechless with the scene where the one character shoves a garlic clove up the butt of the pet pig.
The whole film seemed to have a Shakespeare tragedy vibe going on.

There is some full frontal male nudity happening, a male masturbation scene though inter cut with a weird dance with a parrot. This really has a art film flare to it, but given it was done in the early 1990's when strange and abstract was the thing, it sort of fits. At the same time, it gets bit bogged down with it's own style. There were moments when I felt like I was watching pea soup, everything just muddled together without any coherent plan.
And everyone is sleeping with someone they really shouldn't be. The Cruz character is torn between two men, the boyfriend who's having an affair with I think it's her aunt who is a hooker (I got confused on who was who) and the boyfriend's mother is having the affair with the other man that the lead character is also having the affair with. Meanwhile, the boyfriend's dad is becoming obsessed with her, and that's who she seeks comfort with in the end. Sort of as the final scene is heavy in religious themes.

This was originally the April selection for Food n'Flix, but this month's host after viewing it for the first time, decided it was too risque for the overly delicate minds of some of the other group members. I'd already watched it and done the homework, and had a menu picked out, so I'm little bitter we didn't go ahead with it. So here are my notes on the food - ham, salami sandwich,"sausage and mashed potatoes" (the opening underwear scene) "oxtail soup" (there is a big sign of a bull in cut out form) omlettes, pop, cake mix, eggs, pasta, gin, lemon, garlic, coffee, salt, paella, wine, banana, papaya, mango, bread, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, potatoes, onions, oil, escargot, juice, olives, angel food cake, roasted pig. -  I had planned on doing a pulled pork sandwich on garlic bagels inspired by the male masturbation scene and the fact the Bardem character has an obsession with garlic. 

what did I learn? Lust and desire for anything can make anyone loose their resolve.