In 1997 Iglesia directed a picture, Dance with the Devil, which wasn't very well received by his fans or his critics. David Trueba was one of four credited screenwriters on that picture. Trueba's Masterpiece feels like it wants so badly to be on the same level as an Almodóvar or Iglesia, but ends up falling painfully short. Certainly another roadblock in Trueba's path to success was wholly due to coincidence. It just so happens that while he was hard at work on Masterpiece, a very similar movie was being made here in America. Cult favorite, John Waters' Cecil B. Demented was made and released almost simultaneously as Masterpiece and since both movies share identical plots, it insured that Trueba's film wouldn't see release anywhere other than his native Spain.

Having never seen Cecil B. Demented, I can't honestly say how similar the two movies are in execution, but I can vouch for the fact that both story's tread the same path. Masterpiece tells the story of wannabe-actor, Carolo (Pablo Carbonell) and amateur director, Benito (de la Iglesia regular, Santiago Segura) and their quest to make a movie. It's established early on that these two characters may very well be insane. A full-blown, Technicolor, musical number gives us insight into the workings of Carolo's damaged psyche. Meanwhile, Benito, looking very similar to the actual Álex de la Iglesia, is presented to us as a disgusting, opportunistic svengali who is only using Carolo so he can stop using plasticine actors.

While doing some odd jobs at the local Television Station a rare opportunity presents itself to the Duo. Famous actress, Amanda Castro (Ariadna Gil) shows up to do an interview. During the course of her appearance, Carolo hands a script off to her, only to have it thrown away. When Benito finds it in the trash, he decides that he will take matters into his own hands. After dismissing her manager and having a few too many whiskies, Amanda passes out and falls into Benito and Carolos' hands. The Duo bring her to Benitos parent's vacation house and begin to make their "Obra Maestra" ("Masterpiece").

During the course of the kidnapping and the forced filming, several good or at least interesting ideas present themselves. However, Trueba never does anything with them. Held against her will, and terrified by the obsession that both of these men seem to have with her, Amanda could have been an interesting character to see develop, but within the confines of the script she has moments that never seem to go anywhere. Carolo is portrayed as sympathetic, someone who is being used and knows it, but never rises up to take a stand against Benito, instead we see over and over again the idealized world of the movies that he seems to always want to inhabit. Benito, himself, is sick, obsessed with his filmmaking, to the detriment of himself and all those around him.

There is a particularly disturbing scene where Benito visits his "Maestro" who supposedly instilled in him his love and passion for film (even though it was discussed early in the film that he got his love of film from his father who worked in the industry before injuring his back) and the "Maestro" plays a super 8mm film of his deceased wife in several explicit scenes. In order to honor his dead wife's mammaries… uh, memory, the "Maestro" commands Benito to masturbate to the film, telling him to go faster as the film nears completion. While it begins as a darkly comic scene, it quickly grows pitch-black, and like so many other moments in the film, doesn't go anywhere. There's just no pay-off, no feeling of satisfaction at the end of the film. I guess the audience is very much like Benito, commanded to enjoy this movie, so any joy found in the end just becomes the relief that the ordeal is finally over.

The DVD:

Picture: The movie is presented in an anamorphic widescreen 2.35.1 aspect ratio. The transfer was good, even with the shifts in film-stock from 35mm to Super 8mm, with a crisp, clear picture and bright, bold colors throughout.

Audio: There is a Castilian Dolby Digital 5.1 Track and a Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track. I listened to the 5.1 Track with English subtitles and was happy with the audio.

Extras: Included as Extras on this DVD are Optional English/Spanish Menus, a "Making of…" Featurette, and trailers for other Lolafilms Latino Cinema releases.

Conclusion: Masterpiece is the furthest thing from it and doesn't even come close to what I would consider a good film. I mean, it's an interesting premise (Huh, maybe I should see Cecil B. Demented), but the characters are all so unlikable. From the Creepy Benito, Sad Carolo and Bitchy Amanda, to Benito's horrible family, Carolo's evil girlfriend and Amanda's controlling manager… who now that I think of it may actually be the most normal person in the whole film. Otherwise, it's just a sad, sordid tale about people you could care less about.