This is an interesting Spanish/Swedish movie , including fantastic touches and premiered in 1979 . English scholar , Michael (Jon Finch), following the tracks of a lost writer 100 years ago , visits a small Spanish town in the Andalusian mountains . He has relations to an American woman , Daisy (Carol Kane who replaced Geraldine Chaplin) and falls in love for a young woman , Pepa (Angela Molina) . He learns of the legend of Sabina who becomes his obsession , a fantastic dragon woman who makes love men and subsequently devour them . Meanwhile , there shows up his separated wife Mónica (Harriet Andersson) , accompanied by their friend Philip (Simon Ward) .
Weird and slow-moving film with fantasy elements dealing with a scholar to investigate the disappearance of another English writer long ago , it is mingled with the legend of a mysterious dragon woman . There is a confrontation between two groups , foreign people and natives under background in a terrifying legend about the ¨Sabina¨, a dragon become a gorgeous woman who makes love with men and after giving sexual pleasure devour them . There is also a curious allegory about the female condition , it is an acceptable flick but turns out to be slowly paced and resulting in an uneven yarn . This is an exciting film that blends superstition , a powerful female presence , fantasy and Andalusian habits of a magical land . To enjoy this picture , being really necessary to hear the original version , including various languages : Spanish , English and Swedish . The international cast is frankly fine , such as : Angela Molina , a prestigious actress and muse of famous directors as Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón , Jaime Chavarri , Bigas Luna ; Jon Finch who starred ¨Hitchock's Frenzy¨ and ¨Polanski's Macbeth¨ and Harriet Andersson , Ingmar Bergman's favorite . And Simon Ward of ¨Young Winston¨, as trivia to add : Simon Ward and Jon Finch died same year and age : 2012 at 70 year old . Support cast is pretty well , full of notorious Spanish actors , giving brief but good interpretations as Ovidi Montllor who starred ¨Furtivos¨, here he plays as a dim-witted man , Mary Carrilo , Fernando Sanchez Polack , Paula Molina and Luis Ciges . Evocative cinematography by the Swedish Lasse Björne , though a perfect remastering being extremely necessary . Shot on location , Andalucia , Serrania Ronda , Cadiz and Olvera little town . Atmospheric soundtrack , including enjoyable sounds by guitarist Paco De Lucia .
The motion picture was well written/produced/directed by José Luis Borau , being awarded as the best filmmaker by the Circle of Cinema Writers . He began to publish articles about cinema in the newspaper "El Heraldo De Aragon" and critic of cinema in the same newspaper . Enters the Spanish Instituto De Investigaciones y Experiencias Cinematograficas in Madrid (Official Cinema School) and several years later being President of the Spanish Academy . Borau was a notorious writer and director , one of the best Spanish filmmakers , especially known for ¨Furtivos¨ or ¨Poachers¨ . He had a great career , alternating flops as ¨Rio Abajo¨ , ¨Leo¨, ¨Tata Mia¨, ¨Niño Nadie¨ along with successes as ¨Hay Que Matar a B¨ , ¨Mi Querida Señorita¨ , ¨Celia¨ and ¨Furtivos¨ .
