There are many anthology films out in the universe, some better than others. It’s the better ones that have strong connective tissues tying the various short stories together. Sometimes, those ones are directed by many people, sometimes by the same person. When Damián Szifron realized he’d written a bunch of short stories that were all thematically similar, he thought back to TV anthology shows he loved like “Amazing Stories” or “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and decided to make an anthology film. With the thematic connections between these films, he’s turned out an incredibly strong movie that’s not only become the most seen film in Argentina but also an incredible financial success. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we wrap up our series on Argentinean actor Ricardo Darín with Szifron’s 2014 film Wild Tales.
We talk about what makes a good anthology film and why so many don’t succeed as well as this one does. We look at each of the six stories and debate which are the best and why. We look at Darín and his character Simón and how “Bombita” became such an iconic Robin Hood type of figure for the people of Argentina. We discuss why Szifron’s film succeeds even though there isn’t an overarching story connecting everything together. And we talk about how this film really seemed to take Argentina by storm and look at why people reacted to this film the way they did.
It’s a fantastic anthology movie, it’s a fantastic film, and Darín is fantastic in it. We have a great time discussing it so check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.
Film Sundries
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