The lush, visually vivid films of Spain’s Julio Medem are as much about his country’s distinctive landscapes and natural wonders as they are about the restless and obsessive characters that wander through his world. His 1996 film Tierra ("Earth") begins in the heavens with a vast view of the planet and then dives down into a microscopic examination of the underworld beneath the red soil of a remote wine-growing region in Spain. There we find Ángel Bengoelxeo (Carmelo Gómez), a melancholy fumigator whose wandering soul is torn between the lovely, lonely, ethereal Angela (Emma Suárez) and the earthy, passionate, impulsive Mari (Silke). Medem sets this tale of love and lust amidst the stunning austere landscape of fiery red hills, a world that seems both primal and alien (dressed in white protective suits, the fumigators look like astronauts on the red planet Mars), where the enigmatic wood lice lives under the ground and angels reside with humans above. Medem weaves multiple stories together with natural history and philosophical musings into a passionate film about fate, fantasy, and the illogical power of love. A transcendent, beautiful movie, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Tierra
Olive, 124 min., in Spanish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.99, Blu-ray: $29.99 Volume 33, Issue 3
Tierra
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: