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Licensor Information
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar
Featuring: Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, María Barranco, Rossy de Palma, Kiti Mánver
Pedro Almodóvar makes telephones, a mambo taxi, and a burning mattress into delirious plot points and indelible images in his international breakthrough, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Melding melodrama with screwball farce, this Academy Award–nominated black comedy secured the auteur’s place at the vanguard of modern Spanish cinema. Continuing Almodóvar’s exploration of the female psyche, the film tells the story of Pepa, an actor—played by the director’s frequent collaborator Carmen Maura—who resolves to kill herself with a batch of sleeping-pill-laced gazpacho after her lover leaves her. Fortunately, she is interrupted by a string of visitors, setting in motion a deliciously chaotic series of events. The filmmaker channeled inspiration by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Douglas Sirk into his own unique vision, arriving at the irreverent sense of humor and vibrant visual sense that define his work today. With a sensational ensemble cast of early Almodóvar regulars that also includes Antonio Banderas and Rossy de Palma, this film shows an artist in total control of his craft.
Streaming Options
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
Blu-ray
Disc:
BD-50 (1 Disc)
Total: 1 Disc
Regions:
A (Blu-ray)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85:1
Audio Options:
Spanish DTS-HD MA Surround 2.0
Spanish DTS-HD MA Surround 5.1
Resolution:
1080p/24
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Interview, Theatrical Trailer, Insert
- New interviews with director Pedro Almodóvar, actor Carmen Maura, and producer Agustín Almodóvar
- New discussion by film scholar Richard Peña of the film’s impact in Spain and abroad
- Trailer
- An essay by critic Elvira Lindo
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Picture
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Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Producer: Kate Elmore
Artwork: Malika Favre
Release Notes on Restoration
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. This new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on an ARRISCAN film scanner. The restoration was undertaken from the 35mm original camera negative at Deluxe Madrid, under the supervision of director Pedro Almodóvar and executive producer Agustin Almodóvar. The original 2.0 surround soundtrack was remastered from a 35mm magnetic track. Additional restoration was undertaken by the Criterion Collection using Pro Tools HD an iZotope RX. Please be sure to enable Dolby Pro Logic decoding on your receiver to properly play the Dolby 2.0 surround soundtrack.