I first watched this movie at a theater in Cairo, Egypt around October or November 1996. Although released in 1993, it is still relevant to this day, which is only possible because it indeed is a rare masterpiece.
For those who have not gone through the perils of evil politics and foreign intervention in their countries, it might be difficult for them to grasp the many meanings this movie delivers. They simply cannot relate unless they try to put themselves in the place of the movie's characters and what they were going through.
There aren't enough words that can describe the pain a person can feel when his and his countrymen's freedom and personal liberties are taken away as a result of the unjust foreign policy of a another country and in the case of this movie, with the collaboration of some of his own arrogant countrymen.
The story, The House of the Spirits, written by Isabelle Allende, who is a relative of the democratically elected President of Chile Salvador Allende who was deposed of - with foreign intervention - by the country's powerful General Augusto Pinochet, covers the turmoil Chile went through during that period of time - before the coup and after (without actually mentioning the real names of the players - instead she uses fictitious names).
With the exception of only a few fairy-tale like scenes involving talented veteran actress Meryl Streep's telepathic supernatural character (and a few unnecessary love scenes), the movie was extremely well executed. Rarely does a movie combine such a solid team of actors and actresses as did this movie, Jeremey Irons, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas, Meryl Streep, Maria Alonso, Sarita Choudhury, Glenn Close, Joaquín Martínez, Grace Gummer, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Vincent Gallo, Miriam Colon and Hannah Taylor Gordon combined together did a great job telling this rarely told story genre.
It's a must see for everyone wishing to enjoy excellent acting, a real story, and for those interested in politics, democracy and the transformation to complete military authoritarianism (far from boring as these topics might appear to some, the movie is very exciting), definitely a must see.
It will hopefully demonstrate to you the horrendous effects of a foreign policy that doesn't place justice and fairness at the forefront of its priorities.
I hope you enjoy it. :)
For those who have not gone through the perils of evil politics and foreign intervention in their countries, it might be difficult for them to grasp the many meanings this movie delivers. They simply cannot relate unless they try to put themselves in the place of the movie's characters and what they were going through.
There aren't enough words that can describe the pain a person can feel when his and his countrymen's freedom and personal liberties are taken away as a result of the unjust foreign policy of a another country and in the case of this movie, with the collaboration of some of his own arrogant countrymen.
The story, The House of the Spirits, written by Isabelle Allende, who is a relative of the democratically elected President of Chile Salvador Allende who was deposed of - with foreign intervention - by the country's powerful General Augusto Pinochet, covers the turmoil Chile went through during that period of time - before the coup and after (without actually mentioning the real names of the players - instead she uses fictitious names).
With the exception of only a few fairy-tale like scenes involving talented veteran actress Meryl Streep's telepathic supernatural character (and a few unnecessary love scenes), the movie was extremely well executed. Rarely does a movie combine such a solid team of actors and actresses as did this movie, Jeremey Irons, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas, Meryl Streep, Maria Alonso, Sarita Choudhury, Glenn Close, Joaquín Martínez, Grace Gummer, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Vincent Gallo, Miriam Colon and Hannah Taylor Gordon combined together did a great job telling this rarely told story genre.
It's a must see for everyone wishing to enjoy excellent acting, a real story, and for those interested in politics, democracy and the transformation to complete military authoritarianism (far from boring as these topics might appear to some, the movie is very exciting), definitely a must see.
It will hopefully demonstrate to you the horrendous effects of a foreign policy that doesn't place justice and fairness at the forefront of its priorities.
I hope you enjoy it. :)