Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Melding melodrama with screwball farce, this Academy Award–nominated black comedy was Pedro Almodóvar’s international breakthrough and secured his place at the vanguard of modern Spanish cinema. Continuing the auteur’s exploration of the female psyche, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown tells the story of Pepa—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 deliciously chaotic series of events. The filmmaker channeled Hollywood inspiration into his own unique vision, arriving at the irreverent humor and vibrant visual sense that define his work today. With an exceptional ensemble cast that also includes Antonio Banderas and Rossy de Palma, this film shows an artist in total control of his craft.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
- New 2K digital restoration, supervised by director Pedro Almodóvar and executive producer Agustín Almodóvar, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio
- New interviews with Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar, and actor Carmen Maura
- New discussion by film scholar Richard Peña of the film’s impact in Spain and abroad
- Trailer
- New English subtitle translation
- PLUS: An essay by novelist and critic Elvira Lindo
New cover by Malika Favre
DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
- New 2K digital restoration, supervised by director Pedro Almodóvar and executive producer Agustín Almodóvar, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio
- New interviews with Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar, and actor Carmen Maura
- New discussion by film scholar Richard Peña of the film’s impact in Spain and abroad
- Trailer
- New English subtitle translation
- PLUS: An essay by novelist and critic Elvira Lindo
New cover by Malika Favre
Cast
- Carmen Maura
- Pepa
- Fernando Guillén
- Iván
- Antonio Banderas
- Carlos
- Julieta Serrano
- Lucía
- Rossy de Palma
- Marisa
- María Barranco
- Candela
- Kiti Manver
- Paulina Morales
- Guillermo Montesinos
- Taxi driver
- Chus Lampreave
- Doorwoman
- Yayo Calvo
- Lucía’s father
- Loles León
- Secretary
- Ángel de Andrés López
- Policeman 1
- José Antonio Navarro
- Policeman 2
Credits
- Director
- Pedro Almodóvar
- Written by
- Pedro Almodóvar
- Executive producer
- Agustín Almodóvar
- Director of production
- Esther García
- Associate producer
- Antonio Lloréns
- Director of photography
- José Luis Alcaine
- Editor
- José Salcedo
- Music
- Bernardo Bonezzi
- Costumes
- José María de Cossío
- Sound
- Gilles Ortión
A scene from Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
