La estrategia del caracol (1993) Reviews

• Excellent Colombian movie

  gustavlem2002-08-21

  Well I enjoyed this movie is one of the best Colombian movies I saw, I dont agree with the guy from Canada, the important thing in this movie is the people and feelings, the characters are real, no special effects. Everything comes together at the end, its a good movie that shows the great courage of normal people, not Hollywood heroes with big guns.

• The best Colombian film ever made

  jucalon2002-01-08

  This movie is the first and best in a new era of film-making in Colombia; it started it: the era of good movie-making. This story is about real people, a window perhaps to the clichés of what people might think a part of our country and our people are like, but from our own point of view, which gives it an undeniable touch of authenticity. This film is finally about solidarity, which is one universal value we humans tend to appreciate. It might not be the reflection of our whole reality, but it makes a beautiful and warm portrait of a side of it, and of some values that can always be enjoyed. Very good, sincere performances; a captivating story, and a clever ending. This is by far the best movie ever made in Colombia.

• Excellent Movie

  farango1999-08-04

  An excellent movie with a realistic magical story and great humor. It could well be the representation of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez story. I really recommend watching this movie. Sergio Cabrera does ana amazing job directing it and the cast is very good.

• A tale, not so far from reality, of people fighting for their home.

  jedagon2000-09-30

  La estrategia del caracol is a precious tale, like one of those G.G. Marquez usually writes. There is a kind of magic realism on it, so we see a world that is not exactly as the real one, but is quite similar. The whole film, in my opinion, is a metaforic view of the society, represented by the house. The people living there have to learn to live altogether, despite their differences, and fight together to face a great danger: The destruction of their home. After using as many legal tricks as possible, there is only one solution, proposed by a former Spanish civil war fighter. But this solution means work, and everybody must work with his neighbours, doing as much as possible and receiving everything needed in exchange. During the work, they act as a team, as a real society; and some anarchist little dreams can come true, although, as Jacinto (the Spanish exiliate)says "it´s autumn in Spain". Nowadays, I´m afraid it´s already winter.

• Here's your painted house!

  nick suess2010-07-09

  During our winter season, the Perth Tango Club shows a South American movie every Friday before the regular dance session, and we have seen some excellent cinema this year, but this delightful film has been the highlight so far. Like one contributor here I found myself thinking of it as a Gabriel Garcia Marquez fable as I watched the plot steadily unwind, and like another I thought of the "subversive interruption of the abstracting powers of speculative capital", and "the socially disjunctive effects of capitalism" (I quote from that review). Indeed it had me wondering why we as human society continue to allow the anti-social rich to mess with our lives so much. But that's politics, and the movie was far more about the power of the human spirit than it was about making a political statement, and the young left-wing politico in the group got very firmly told to just stop the slogan-bashing and get on with the vital work at hand. The emptiness of the rich man's painted house was the final message of this lovely fable. Beautifully shot, with no special effects to distract from the power of the acting. I couldn't fault it. 10/10