¿Y si nos comemos a Raúl?

El modesto matrimonio Bland (Paul Bartel y Mary Woronov) descubre una forma poco convencional de conseguir dinero para abrir su propio restaurante. Y pretenden aprovecharse de la decadencia moral de la gente de Los Ángeles. Una obra muy entretenida, tira del carro el dúo actoral central y el toque de la ligera dirección de Bartel. Me sorprende que después de esta película en los Estados Unidos no hayan introducido permiso de armas. Por desgracia ¿Y si nos comemos a Raúl? es una película poco conocida y valorada. (21.04.2018)

Though the Roger Corman-produced Death Race 2000 remains unsurpassed as Bartel’s most entertaining, most biting and most timeless satire, his own independent project, Eating Raoul, is still a magnificently vicious piece of work. Inspired by the Ealing studio’s classic comedies, the film is reminiscent of John Waters’ later work, especially Serial Mom, in the way that it makes fun of its middle-class characters, conservatism, the American dream and, for that matter, the bizarreness of California. As the title suggests, the film unfolds mainly as a straightforward joke that does not aim to surprise or shock viewers, but rather to simply caustically incite and indecorously entertain them. In this respect, it accurately captures the personality of Bartel himself, who, unlike Waters, did not pander to bottom-dwelling tastelessness, but rather delighted in mocking conventionality, intrinsic amorality, concealed licentiousness and mainstream physicality with gourmet distinction. The filmmaker then takes the movie on his shoulders even in front of the camera, where he delivers another of his wonderfully restrained performances in completely absurd roles. As always, he is ably supported by the excellent Mary Woronov, with whom he formed an iconic duo in a number of bizarre pearls at the bottom of the trough of American low-budget trash cinema. (13.03.2021)