A beautiful bucolic/violent film, where two families, much akin to dysfunctional ones such as the Hatfields & the McCoys, as in the feud/competition between the two families through generations of men into chopping logs as a competitive sport; the haunting of the cows on the patriarch, cowardly, maybe, smart, possibly more so. Traumatized by the carnage amongst his paisanos, he feigns death and escapes, though not unscathed (psychologically) as a cow bears witness to his (transgressive) act and this propels him to pay (continuous) tribute to its kind, until the end of his days. The love story was, while expected, handled nicely.
I'd have given this film five stars, but for the poor quality of such a luscious, beautiful film, not found on the dvd, but experiened at the screening when I first saw it at the MFA in Boston. January 20, 2004
 |  | poetics of sacrifice in Vacas |  |
This is a great lyric film. Great imagery, highly recommended
March 28, 2003 | | Bummer, I was hoping to be a foreign film connoisseur :( | |
On the whole, I found this film depressing and strange. I failed to appreciate the "omnipresence of the cow" and found some of the scenes gruesome. The beauty of the film escaped me because of the disturbing and disturbed characters. Definitely not an "entertaining" movie. This one is strictly for the connoisseur.
June 28, 2002If you like foreign films you will certainly love this one. It is hauntingly beautiful. This is one of those rare gems that draws you in and doesn't let go until long after the end credits have rolled. Warning: Although this movie has no foul language or nudity, it contains two sex scenes. This is not for family viewing.
March 30, 2002 | | Life through the eyes of omnipresent cows >=8) | |
Julio Medem is a genious! This movie captures the beauty and misticism of the Basque country while showing the hard-working naturist spirit of the people. The story spans 3 generations in the life of two basque families who face the hardships of the Spanish civil wars starting with the 1st Carlist War.It all takes place in the lush isolated green valleys of Guipuzcoa. I have spent some time in Guipuzcoa and this movie is the best representation of Caserio (farm) life that I have seen. The script is remarkable and the filming techniques that Medem uses are quite fascinating. I have 2 minor complaints about the movie - 1)Some of the spanish dubbing is a little strange and 2)The use of Carmelo Gomez for a dual role of father/son. These were, however, only minor distractions to an otherwise beautiful yet haunting and disturbing masterpiece of Spanish Cinema!
January 28, 2002More reviews at Amazon.com ...
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