Sex and Lucia Paz Vega

( aka "Sex and Lucia" )

directed by Julio Medem
Spain 2001

This is a deeply probing and at the same time melodramatic film. Two categories that don't often go together. I would guess that were it not for the explicit nudity and sexual content, 'Sex and Lucia' might have received even higher accolades than it did. Although praised by quite a few critics it did not do substantially well at the box-office, but often despite that (or simply 'because of') I found it truly magnificent. I watched the 'unrated version' and the, perhaps unnecessary, adult content neither diminished or enhanced the enjoyment of this film from this reviewers standpoint. Okay, that is a bit of a lie, I am a normal healthy male and seeing explicit scenes of beautiful naked Spanish women is delightful but, I think regardless this is a strong effort and I would have felt just as passionate about this film if those scenes were more implied than graphical in their nature.

The plot essentially revolves around the females who have interacted in one (fortunate in one sense, unfortunate in another) man's life... an unrevealed daughter, passionate lovers, an unforgettable one-night-stand. Drifting back and forward in a non-linear timeframe, you may have confusion in regards to the events transpiring, but you always have the sense that all will be revealed and woven together in the conclusion. The story interplays with a myriad of co-incidental events which had me think of Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia". Julio Medem's "Sex and Lucia" is a fantastic ride of ecstasy, love and the juxtaposition of coincidence. The photography is some of the best I have seen in a long time. It is a film that seems to easy bridge the gap between intellectual interpretation and self-indulgent voyeuristic pleasure, hopefully appealing to a wide audience. Get this DVD, it is an almost guarantee that someone in your household will like it... for one reason, or another. Gary W. Tooze

Posters

Release Date: 13 September 2001 (Toronto Film Festival)

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DVD Comparison:

Sogepaq (Spain - Region 2- PAL vs. Palm Pictures / Lion's Gate (UNRATED) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Tartan - Region 2 - PAL

All PAL screen captures courtesy of Pavel Borodin Thanks Pavel!

(Sogepaq - Region 2- PAL - LEFT vs. Palm Pictures / Lion's Gate (UNRATED) - Region 1 -MIDDLE - NTSC vs. Tartan - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Sogepaq Region 2- PAL	Lion's Gate Region 1 - NTSC	Tartan Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	2:02:32 (4% PAL speedup)	2:07:44	2:02:28 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	2.35:1.00 Letterboxed WideScreen 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.68 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	2.35:1.00 Letterboxed WideScreen 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.52 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 3.95 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Sogepaq
Bitrate: MGM
Bitrate: MGM-SE
Audio	Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround)	Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround)	Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles	Spanish, English, French or none	English, French or none	English or none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Sogepaq Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1 Extras: • 'Photo gallery • Making of (25,5 min) • Trailers • Filmographies DVD Release Date: Oct 2, 2002 Keep Case Chapters: 19	Release Information: Studio: Palm Pictures Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1 Extras: • 'Behind the Scenes of Sex and Lucia': Non-anamorphic widescreen (25:28) • Bonus Interviews: 9 Cast and crew ( 4:3 Removable English subs) including Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Elena Anaya, Najwa Nimri, Javier Camara, Daniel Freire, Montse Sanz, Kiko de la Rica and Julio Medem (3:36) • 3 Tracks from the Original Soundtrack (accompanied by Behind the Scenes Footage): 'Me Voy a Morir de Tanto Amor' by Alberto Iglesias 'Bajo La Isa' by Alberto Iglesias 'Yo Marco El Minuto' by Mala Roderiguez • Photo Gallery (30 static shots in click-through slide show ) • Biographies of 6 cast crew: Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Elena Anaya, Najwa Nimri, Javier Camara and Julio Medem • 2 Non-anamorphic widescreen trailer - 2:23, 1:39 • 3 Palm Pictures Previews • 3 website weblinks DVD Release Date: March 25, 2003 Transparent Keep Case Chapters: 20	Release Information: Studio: Tartan Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1 Extras: Single sided, single layer Special Features: • Star and director filmographies • Robert Stone film notes • Original theatrical trailer • Julio Medem trailer reel DVD Release Date: 2002 Transparent Keep Case Chapters 16

Comments:

ADDITION (MAY 2004) - Sogepaq - I suspect that the Sogepaq Region 2 DVD has had some slight manipulation to it. Skin tones are a shade redder and brightness is boosted (most prominent in the last screen captures). Sharpness is about the same as the Palm Pictures, which you won't get the PAL speedup if you are sensitive to that. The Palm Extras are overflowing, but the Sogepaq has a short "Making of" featurette. The Palm gives the option of Mono sound as well as 5.1. I would stick with the Palm Pictures / Lions Gate release.

There is not much difference in the video quality of these two releases. I think the Tartan may be slightly softer and it seems to have redder skin tones, but both are highly negligible. One of the ratios is off slightly. It looks like the Tartan is compressed, but again not enough to make an issue over. The Extras are in the Lion's Gate's favor in a big way as are the menus. I would say get the Lion's Gate/ Palm Pictures version.

- Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

(Sogepaq - Region 2- PAL - LEFT vs. Palm Pictures / Lion's Gate (UNRATED) - Region 1 -MIDDLE - NTSC vs. Tartan - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)