Rent Matador (1986)
3.4 of 5 from 109 ratings
1h 43min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- At his school in Madrid, ex-bullfighter Diego Montes (Nacho Martínez) teaches his students the Corridor - 'the art of the kill'. Trainee bullfighter Angelo (Antonio Banderas), sexually repressed and mother fixated, is taunted about his suspected homosexuality by Diego. To prove his masculinity Angel attempts to assault Diego's girlfriend. Failing in his attempt and consumed by guilt he confesses to murders he did not commit - the victims are killed with bullfighting instruments at the moment of sexual climax. Angel is defended by lawyer Maria Cardenal (Assumpta Serna), the real killer, who is obsessed with Diego and uses Angel to draw the maestro Matador into one last confrontation.
- Actors:
- Assumpta Serna, Antonio Banderas, Nacho Martínez, Eva Cobo, Julieta Serrano, Chus Lampreave, Carmen Maura, Eusebio Poncela, Bibiana Fernández, Luis Ciges, Eva Siva, Verónica Forqué, Pepa Merino, Lola Peno, Marisa Tejada, Mercedes Jiménez, Francesca Prandi, Jesús Ruyman, Milton Díaz, Angie Gray
- Directors:
- Pedro Almodóvar
- Producers:
- Andrés Vicente Gómez
- Writers:
- Pedro Almodóvar, Jesús Ferrero
- Aka:
- 鬥牛士
- Studio:
- Tartan
- Genres:
- Comedy, Drama, Thrillers
- Collections:
- The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide to Pedro Almodóvar
- Countries:
- Spain
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Reviews (1) of Matador
Blood, Guilt and Bullfights - Matador review by griggs
Watching Matador you can feel Almodóvar revving up, even if the engine coughs a bit. Death, sex and Catholic guilt are already in a tangle: a retired bullfighter turned instructor, a nervy law student and a lawyer who treats killing as foreplay all orbit each other in this little thriller. From the VHS horror-wank opening to the blood-red final embrace, it’s messy, but never dull.
A young Antonio Banderas is already very good as the jittery Ángel, all repression and nosebleeds, and you can see why Almodóvar kept going back to him. The bold colours, morbid gags and blunt link between desire and violence are pure early Almodóvar, and there are images here most directors would build a whole film around.
I just never quite connected with it. The characters feel more like ideas than people, the story lurches rather than flows, and some of the sexual politics now land with a wince. An intriguing early sketch: gap filled, not one I’m desperate to revisit.
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