Sound of the Sea ( Son de mar ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ]

Bigas Luna's Sound of the Sea (Son de Mar) is a rather conventional little thriller about marital infedelity and the power of classic poetry to awaken our desires.Ulises (Jordi Mollà) is a teacher brought in midterm to a little town's school near Valencia. His obsession (and teaching assignment) is Virgil's Aeneid, and he constantly reads it, quotes it, coaxes his students to read aloud the poetry therein, and when he finds an apartment belonging to a couple whose daughter Martina (Leonor Watling) falls under Ulises spell, Ulises quotes from the book scenes involving serpents from the sea, words that make the young and very beautiful Martina awaken sexually. In rapid sequence they become pregnant and marry - though Martina's parents prefer the young wealthy Sierra (Eduard Fernández) as a suitable husband.Soon after their baby son is born the couple attend a party at Sierra's estate and Ulises eyes a beautiful woman while Sierra attempts to win Martina's heart. Ulises buys a fishing boat and sets out to fish for Martina but the boat is wrecked and thinking Ulises dead, a Requiem mass is held and Martina in time marries Sierra for his ability to provide for her infant son. Five years pass and the now steely Martina lives in luxury and receives a phone call from - Ulises! First enraged that Ulises left her for five years, Martina is quickly wooed to the strains of poetry from the Aeneid and hides Ulises in the top floor of one of Sierra's new buildings. Sierra discovers the reunited lovers' tryst and plans for their end.While no new ground is really covered by this thriller we are treated to some rather spectacular photography and to a cast of beautiful people who carry the whole thing off quite well. While this is not entirely the Greek or Roman tragedy that the press has led one to believe, it is a quite enjoyable film. The performance by Watling is stunning and she has the ability to become the next big Spanish actress. There is also an interesting McGuffin involving a crocodile that adds some suspense to the ending.The standard definition disc from Lolafilms offers the original Spanish dialogue with English subtitles and some interviews with the director and cast as well as a photo gallery.All in all not really great but not a bad way to spend an evening.

This film is beautiful. All of the scenery is gorgeous and the people are very beautiful as well. However, it tells the story of a gorgeous young woman who falls for a seductive teacher who turns her on sexually with poetic prose. However, he never tells her he loves her until their wedding day (shotgun wedding) and only after she forces it out of him. After the birth of their child, he seems uneasy with his new life as husband and father. He even removes his wedding ring. He then fakes his death in order to leave his situation (one that I would gladly trade places with) so that he could live wandering the world lustfully. After the wife remarries to a wealthy and loving man, who adopts her child, the estranged undead husband reappears, wanting her back. Now, if I were the woman in this case, I would have completely gotten medieval with him, showing him what true suffering can be like. However, after she gives him a well deserved slap on his face, he begins to spout poetry once again, causing her to awaken those dormant feelings of complete arousal. She then begins to neglect her perfect life with her new husband, child, and gorgeous home and wealth. The new hubby finds out and .....well, you will see. I know I would have done something along the same lines. Great film, but, women with low self esteem who are selfish and make wrong choices really make me sick.

For this film, Bigas Luna uses elements from the Odyssey, including the name of the male protagonist, but returns to his familiar obsessions. In "Jamon, Jamon" female breasts are found to taste like the most common Spanish foods and the sex is violent and brutal. In "Son de mar" the sex is all lyrical--Ulysses excites his partner (who is definitely not Penelope) with lines from Homer. And then, we have the usual soapy love triangle. the pregnant single mom, the mysterious symbol (a crocodile). I might call the film's style "barroque" or "manieristic". Let us hope the others I have bought offer something different.

about two different people fall in love get married, have a baby until he goes out in the boat and she thought that he was killed at sea. she remarries, then she gets a phone call from him. they start there passion all over again.

Interesting movie

Found the movie to be a little confusing. It was okay but not one I would watch very often. I think they could have done a much better job with a little effort. Fair amount of nudity, but generally a rather silly little movie.