45 years ago, this young director made an appearance as noticed as it is remarkable in his first film and since then he became a legend

A first film with scandal scent

In 1980, Spain discovered Pepi, Luci, Bom and other girls in the neighborhood, the first feature film of a young director already very daring … We are talking about Pedro Almodóvar. The film, shot with a modest budget and in 16 mm, reflects the effervescence of the Movida Madrilene, this post-burquist cultural movement where art and irreverence were finally expressed after 36 years of dictatorship.

The intrigue follows three extraordinary women: Pepi (Carmen Maura), an independent young woman seeking to take revenge on a police officer who raped her; Luci (Eva Siva), a masochistic housewife trapped in a destructive marriage; and Bom (Alaska), a sadistic rocker. Together, they form an explosive trio, break taboos and energize the traditional values ​​of an ultra-conservative Spain.

With a mixture of corrosive humor, provocation and visual exuberance – fortunately the style of Almodovar has evolved for the best since – the film exhibits a Spanish society in search of liberation, both sexual and artistic.

The scene of “general erections”: a subversive manifesto

Among the memorable sequences of the film, that of “general erections” best embodies the provocative spirit of the director. During a unbridled party, a master of ceremonies, played by Almodóvar himself, organizes an absurd and raw competition: measure the size of the erect sexes of the participants. This scene, both provocative and burlesque, perfectly illustrates the rejection of standards and the quest for freedom that animate the film and its author.

At the time, this scene was a direct affront to the moral imposed by the Franco regime, which had just collapsed. By making visible what was until then taboo, Almodóvar transforms provocation into a political act. Far from being limited to vulgarity, the moment becomes a declaration of artistic and sexual freedom, marking the beginning of a career where the audacity would be queen.

MUBI screenshot

When irreverence becomes cult

Today, Pepi, Luci, Bom … is considered a cult work, a symbol of a reborn Spain. This first test already announced the themes dear to Almodóvar: the fluidity of genres, the complexity of human relations and the rebellion against established standards.

Despite its technical and narrative imperfections, the film has raw energy that continues to fascinate. The scene of “general erections”, formerly decried, is now seen as a centerpiece of the cultural revolution of the 80s. Pedro Almodóvar, then beginner, already proved that nothing could slow down his creativity or his desire to shake up the status quo!

Pepi, Luci, Bom and other girls in the neighborhood is now available on Mubi, on the occasion of the cycle This is not a coming out Where you can also find cult films (Paris is Burning, Born in Flames) or to (re) discover emblematic works of the New Queer Cinema (The Watermelon Woman, The Living End) ..