Diario de una Ninfómana (Diary of a Nymphomaniac)

[pro-bassoonist]

Diario de una ninfómana Blu-ray




Catalog entry:

Christian Molina's Diario de una Ninfómana (2008) is out in Spain. English-friendly. Courtesy of FILMAX.

Jay Seaver:

"Diary of a Nymphomaniac" is a bit of an anti-romance. In most movies, the main character is led along the path which shows that sex without True Love is ultimately empty, whereas in this one, pretty much every bit of misery that comes the way of Belén Fabra's Valére comes from trying to make it into something more than something she enjoys on its own.

Valére is upfront about the fact that she enjoys sex more than anything else, and has since her first time at the age of fifteen. Twenty-eight now, she exhausts frequent partner Alex (David Vert), and eagerly anticipates the occasional visit to Barcelona from Hassan (Pedro Gutiérrez), who is on her wavelength about their trysts being about nothing but mutual pleasure. A search for a new job leads her to Jaime (Leonardo Sbaraglia), a handsome, somewhat older gentleman who inspires love as well as lust. Will this bring her a new level of satisfaction?

Well, no. Jaime eventually shows himself to be far from the ideal mate, and at times this seems to be a bit of a cheat; if the movie is supposed to be about Valére and her attitudes toward sex, should so much of it be driven by some supporting character's personality defect. In hindsight, yes, it should; Valére, for all her knowledge of physical intimacy, has no idea of how to deal with a broken heart, and her reaction to having her heart broken is a believable way to set up the movie's final third. It's still pretty ham-fisted; it requires the audience to accept very little explanation for why Jaime is now a jerk and Valére is looking for work again and like it. It feels awkward at the time and maybe even more so afterward.

Of course, complaining about a clunky plot is arguably missing the point, much the way it can be when watching an action movie or slapstick comedy. That bit of awkwardness gets Valére to a place where she can explore sex from another perspective, and the audience can watch. It's not entirely about advancing the story - although the way that director Christian Molina shoots the movie's various love scenes does impart some information about their emotional purposes - but just allowing the audience to enjoy the visual of the physical act. Most of the cast (especially including Fabra) is attractive and not particularly shy, and Molina shoots things in a way that doesn't stick organs in the audience's collective face while not calling attention to how much is actually being shown versus obscured. It's perhaps not as titillating as it could be, but it does do a fine job of being arousing while also placing us in Valére's head, showing just how sex is something a bit beyond pleasure with her.

He and screenwriter Cuca Canals navigate the challenge of getting us to just enjoy the onscreen sex for what it is along with Valére, while balancing a little character growth with the erotica. It does fit into certain stereotypes of the erotica genre, from the soft music underscoring the sex scenes to the occasional arty pretentiousness - Valére has a dreamlike conversation with a younger (?) self and tends to be eating apples at significant moments in her development, for instance, and there are scenes when the cinematography calls attention to itself, begging the audience to find significance in how Molina places characters at opposite ends of a long table and then cuts back and forth like a so-called fullscreen version of a widescreen movie.

The cast is mostly a notch above that sort of showiness, but not always. Belén Fabra has a knack for communicating many permutations of ecstacy and joy, but isn't quite so fine when called upon to cry. Similarly, Sbaraglia seems to give a much more nuanced performance when Jaime is charming than when he is beastly. There are plenty of good supporting characters, though - Pedro Gutiérrez has relatively little screen time as Hassan, for instance, but he's pretty darn magnetic during those scenes. Llum Barrera is reliable as Valére's best friend, while Geraldine Chaplin classes up the joint as Valére's aged French grandmother. It's a bummer to learn Xavi Corominas's character is gay, as he's got such nice chemistry with Fabra, and while Ángela Molina and Judith Diakhate play things somewhat broadly as a madam and prostitute Valére encounters later in the movie, it's an effective theatricality.

I must admit, I didn't think that much of "Diary" as I watched it. Erotica is not a genre I've had a lot of experience with outside of the occasional Ken Russell film, so I initially found myself applying the "sex bad/romance good!" standard and giggling as it intersected with art-porn stereotypes. And while I still think it hangs around those stereotypes enough to be somewhat hurt by them, I did find the film improving in my mind as I reflected on it.

Pro-B

[Kino-Chan fan]

¿De verdad esta buena esa película? ¿Se puede considerar de "sexploitation" o algo ligera?

[McCrutchy]

OK, so I just stepped in here to the Spanish forum, and, never having even heard of this film, looked it up and decided to get it (thanks for putting up that poster, pro-bassoonist ). This being my first Spanish disc (Blu-ray or otherwise), my wallet threatened suicide when it saw what DVDgo.com asked for shipping (almost as much as the Blu-ray itself) and so I found an eBay shop that is selling new copies and I snagged one for $53.11 total (DVDgo wanted ~$67 total and they were charging about $15 less for the disc than Fnac.es). So...

Has anyone seen this film? It seems to divide those who have reviewed it, with about half calling it a great romance and the other half saying it's shallow Spanish erotica.

Also, if anyone who owns this disc could tell me whether the deleted scenes and making of have English subtitles, I'd appreciate it.

I'm also curious to know if the film was cut in Spain. IMDb and some Spanish news articles claim it was theatrically released at "Over 13 Years" (and IMDb lists a 95 minute running time), but the Spanish Ministry of Culture listing shows a rating of "Not Recommended Under 18 Years" and lists a 116 minute running time. I also see on DVDgo and Fnac.es that the disc is listed as "Version sin cortes" which supposedly translates to "Uncut version", so does this mean that the film was edited for an over 13 audience in cinemas, but is uncut (over 18) on Blu-ray?

Thanks!
McCrutchy

[rich_adamson]

I've got the disc. I will check and get back to you on the subs for the extras... otherwise, the movie is only okay IMO. It is indeed the uncut version, and definitely rated 18+. It is a good looking disc though, and you will be happy to know that the coverart is that very same poster as pro-b posted above, lol.

[pro-bassoonist]

McCrutchy,

If you are looking for solid Spanish erotica, it is probably best to look into the films of the Spanish New Wave directors, and in particular Bigas Luna's early films. The good ones are not on BD yet, but if you could get your hands on this SDVD boxset:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bigas-Luna-C...6780590&sr=1-3

...I believe that you would be quite happy. The Tit and the Moon is amongst my favorites.

If you are looking for something exceptionally strong (and perhaps a bit exotic), I would recommend Argentinean director Luis Puenzo's The w h o r e and the Whale (La puta y la ballena). The Spanish DVD, and the Argentinean for that matter, is English friendly.



Pro-B

p.s. Sorry, I had to be inventive with the title of the film as the site won't let me post it as it is.

[McCrutchy]

Thanks for the info, rich adamson, and thanks for the suggestions, Pro-B!

Actually this will be my first "Spanish erotica" title, and, incomprehensibly, one of my first Spanish-language titles ever (outside of El topo (1971)) that I have seen (haven't watched El norte yet). I guess it's a testament to...excellent advertising (although, ironically, it seems that many officials in Spain wanted that Diario de una ninfómana poster removed from public view).

I even have yet to see an Almodóvar film (SACRILIGE!)

And I must say, I do find the censoring system on this forum to be quite humorous, like: W *** e, Octo***** (1983), and Otto Pre*****r (personal favorite that used to be censored) are censored, but tit is not...

[leol87]

are this movies region locked ?, looking foward to buy spanish titles i wish they release "amores perros" in the future.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by leol87

are this movies region locked ?, looking foward to buy spanish titles i wish they release "amores perros" in the future.

As much as I would love to say yes, I believe most Blu-ray output from Spanish countries (especially Spain) will be region-locked to B (or, in Mexico, Region A), as these companies usually do not hold licenses for US or UK distribution of their films. In the US for example, smaller Hollywood offshoots like Focus Features (Universal), Fox Searchlight, and Sony Pictures Classics often release these titles on home video.

However, with Region A including the US and Region B including the UK and Australia, what we could start seeing more of is English subtitling options on Spanish Blu-ray Discs.

FYI- In the case of this film, all the info and Spanish reviews state the disc is Region B locked. IFC Films hold the US rights (theatrical and video) and they released it on demand (i.e. their pay per view television service) last summer, but I have not seen anything in the way of a DVD/Blu-ray announcement. Momentum Pictures released this film on DVD only in the UK (DVD Region 2) last summer and it is available via Amazon.co.uk.

[McCrutchy]

I was flipping through my Video on Demand services and this popped up (HUH?!) under its Spanish title on Cinemax on Demand (of course it's CINEMAX), but I'm afraid it might be the cut Spanish theatrical version. I'm not sure which IFC have gotten over here, and that same version will surely be the one on Cinemax on Demand.

[neto]

Hola! I can confirm this is not region locked. I bought it in Barcelona and live in New York, and it plays fine on my primitive region a sony bd-300 !


Another movie I bought from Spain was Camino -a fairy tale against fanatism- is region free too!

I'm just hoping Secret Of His Eyes, Antichrist and Agora are region free because I am SO ordering them!

BTW not a great movie this one LOL!

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by neto

I'm just hoping Secret Of His Eyes, Antichrist and Agora are region free because I am SO ordering them!

Good evening,

Antichrist will not play on your Region-A machine as it is encoded in 1080i50.

Pro-B

[neto]

Thank you Pro-B!

By the way do you know if the Almodovar movies are region locked? since they're the same company as "camino" I would think they're not locked... but you never know... 5 titles in blu remastered... OMG! I need to see Women on the verge... and Kika... !

[pro-bassoonist]

I don't have the discs with me to confirm at the moment. Also, please keep in mind that they offer only Castilian SDH subs.

Pro-B

[neto]

Thanks! Luckily soy mexicano!

[pro-bassoonist]

Ah...that solves the issue then

Pro-B

[Skinmeister]

This Blu-Ray seems to be going out of print. Does anyone know an online shop that still has it in stock?

dvd.go and Fnac still list it but without naming a shipping status (e.g. "In Stock",...).

EDIT

moviesdistribucion.com still seems to have it but I don't know how reliable they are.

[hedliniv]

I am interested in this movie if it does not fit into your long term ownership plans. Also if anyone would like to do a group buy I would be interested. Thanks!

[hedliniv]

I am still looking for a copy on trade or if anyone would be kind enough to help me import this title I would greatly appreciate it!

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by hedliniv

I am still looking for a copy on trade or if anyone would be kind enough to help me import this title I would greatly appreciate it!

hedliniv, are you aware that the disc comes with both cuts of the film, but that the uncut version is MPEG-2, lossy 2.0 audio and not English-friendly?

Only the theatrical cut is AVC with lossless (5.1) audio and English subs. This is the reason I promptly re-sold my copy when I tested the disc on my system and ran a BDInfo scan (the results of which I don't still have, unfortunately).

[Noel198]

Por lo que he leido dicen que esta pelicula se pude ver comodamente en un blu-ray player americano,...sera que tambien se podra ver en un PS3 americano?

Saludos