¡Átame! (1990)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Pedro Almodóvar

Writers:

Pedro Almodóvar (screenplay)
Pedro Almodóvar (story)

Release Date:

12 April 1990 (Argentina)

Genre:

Drama | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

A love story...with strings attached!

Plot:

Ricky is released from a mental hospital, and knows exactly what he wants to do. He hunts down Marina...

Plot Keywords:

Kidnapping | Sister Sister Relationship | Exclamation Point In Title | Gagged And Bound | Punctuation In Title

Awards:

6 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

Victoria Abril	...	Marina Osorio
Antonio Banderas	...	Ricky
Loles León	...	Lola
Julieta Serrano	...	Alma
María Barranco	...	Médica
Rossy de Palma	...	Camello en Vespa
Francisco Rabal	...	Máximo Espejo
Lola Cardona	...	Directora psiquiátrico
Montse G. Romeu	...	Periodista
Emiliano Redondo	...	Decorador
Oswaldo Delgado	...	Fantasma
Concha Rabal	...	Farmacéutica
Alberto Fernández	...	Productor
José María Tasso	...	Anciano psiquiátrico
Angelina Llongueras	...	Montadora

Also Known As:

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (USA)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for scene of strong adult sensuality with nudity.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:R21 | Italy:VM18 | Italy:VM14 (re-rating) | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (rating surrendered) | USA:X (original rating) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Barajas, Madrid, Spain

Company:

El Deseo S.A.

Trivia:

The sex scene between 'Antonio Banderas' and Victoria Abril took nine takes to get right, and about nine hours to film. Pedro Almodóvar chose to use the last take as, by that time, the two actors had worked themselves up into a sweat which made the scene appear to be more authentic. Elia Kazan later remarked that he thought it was one of the best sex scenes he had ever witnessed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in En la cama (2005)

Soundtrack:

Satanasa

One of Almodovar's Best

Atame! is my favorite Almodovar film. A lot of people don't think it is incredibly great, but I have to disagree.

Although Talk to Her is probably his most accomplished & strongest film to date, Atame has a light comedic air without the tragic overtones of his latest films. The movie provides some insight into the film-making process a la Fellini. It also deals with psychological imprisonment, release, and how some forms of entrapment are preferable to others.

Both leads are great, and it's easy to see how Banderas' charisma led him to be such a well known actor in later years.

Highly recommended.