Both 'Kiss of the Spiderwoman' and John Malkovich's 'The Dancer Upstairs' would make an interesting double bill. It's simplistic to say that, yes, they are both set in Latin America and deal with the personal and the political.
As the last reviewer perceptively noted, the film within the film reflects the situation happening in the prison cell. The film is about love/betrayal as is the story about the Spiderwoman (loss and death). Hurt, once released, lives out - in real life - the fantasy that he spun in his lonely prison cell.
I particularly enjoyed the final poetic dream-like scene, where Valentin (Raul Julia) lies beaten (close to death) and after being given morphine by a compassionate doctor (who could be punished for such a routine gesture), slips into his unconscious dream.
As the last reviewer perceptively noted, the film within the film reflects the situation happening in the prison cell. The film is about love/betrayal as is the story about the Spiderwoman (loss and death). Hurt, once released, lives out - in real life - the fantasy that he spun in his lonely prison cell.
I particularly enjoyed the final poetic dream-like scene, where Valentin (Raul Julia) lies beaten (close to death) and after being given morphine by a compassionate doctor (who could be punished for such a routine gesture), slips into his unconscious dream.