With this and "Spirit of the Beehive", Ana Torrent is the poster child for childhood in cinema. Not as compelling as "...Beehive", but infinitely fascinating in it's own right, "Cria Cuervos" explores a sad and lonely childhood landscape. One of death and oppression, which leaves many deep scars and a little hope. Depending on how much you know about Franco and Spain, you'll see come political undertones, particularly with scenes of oppression within this disintegrating family. I recognized the stuff but I'm not familiar enough with that era to pinpoint who, what why. It seemed fairly general though and beside the point in a lot of ways.
Torrent plays Ana, a middle child. Her mother has recently died of a long drawn out unexplained illness, and now - apparently - under her own hand, for she blames him for her mother's death, her father passes, leaving the girls in the charge of a strict, uppity but well meaning aunt. Ana is obsessed with death, sees it as a way to get rid of people she doesn't want around, and also to help. But as most children of about 8 she does not fully understand the qualities of it.
Through memories and fantasies, the mother played by Geraldine Chaplin - director Carlos Saura's muse - and the father return, acting out the missing pieces of this family. Some of it is a bit melodramatic and tired, and when the movie shifts away from the children - which does not happen often and usually briefly - it is far less engaging.
The film has an ethereal eroticism and sensuality to it. The mother is very flirtatious in the way she asks Ana for kisses. And in particular the dance scene between the sisters holds this disturbing but natural desire to become adults in the way the girls dance together. To hate yet desire growing up.
Torrent plays Ana, a middle child. Her mother has recently died of a long drawn out unexplained illness, and now - apparently - under her own hand, for she blames him for her mother's death, her father passes, leaving the girls in the charge of a strict, uppity but well meaning aunt. Ana is obsessed with death, sees it as a way to get rid of people she doesn't want around, and also to help. But as most children of about 8 she does not fully understand the qualities of it.
Through memories and fantasies, the mother played by Geraldine Chaplin - director Carlos Saura's muse - and the father return, acting out the missing pieces of this family. Some of it is a bit melodramatic and tired, and when the movie shifts away from the children - which does not happen often and usually briefly - it is far less engaging.
The film has an ethereal eroticism and sensuality to it. The mother is very flirtatious in the way she asks Ana for kisses. And in particular the dance scene between the sisters holds this disturbing but natural desire to become adults in the way the girls dance together. To hate yet desire growing up.