re:mote voices

Title:Ferpect Crime [Crimen Ferpecto]
Cast: Guillermo Toledo, Mónica Cervera, Luis Varela
Director:Álex de la Iglesia

Rafael(Guillermo Toledo) has everything. He is well regarded and respected by those around him. He is a bit of a ladies man, surrounded by beautiful women, who are only to happy to please him. As head of lady's wear in a major city store, he is confident he can beat the head of the men's wear department Don Antonio(Luis Varela), and become the floor manager. However, after some tense sales competition, Rafael loses out to his rival. After years of rivalry, and jealousy, Don Antonio is not going to let Rafael retain his position, and with the slightest excuse Rafael becomes disgraced. His life comes tumbling down around his ears. At the moment, the moment of despair, things get out of hand, and Rafael kills Don Antonio. Its an accident, but will the witness who gets away just before Rafael can find out who they are see it that way? This has not been the perfect crime, though when the witness reveals themselves, perhaps they can come to an arrangement?

Director Álex de la Iglesia's deft work provides another Hitchcockian thriller, unfolding in his own unique style. From the start Ferpect Crime has a strong vein of comedy, one which comes increasingly black and warped, as the film goes on. From the slick, dream like beginnings – the wonder, the joy, the ease. To the twisted, nightmarish ending – the blackmail, the ghosts, the sheer torture. Álex de la Iglesia has a history of the absurd, from his Accion Mutante (disabled terrorists fighting for their rights) through The Day of The Beast (a hapless group of people trying to stop the arrival of the devil in Barcelona). Here it expresses itself through clowns and ghosts, at moments of stress Rafael is haunted by Don Antonio.

Álex de la Iglesia's films are always fun, the big problem is that not nearly enough people get to see his work and that it remains hard to find. Ferpect Crime had a one off showing, part of this year's annual Spanish Film Festival, though hopefully it will get some semblance of a wider release at some point – though given the last film I saw by him seems to have vanished without trace I won't hold my breath.