lengthy BEFORE THIS YEAR'S OSCARS.

lengthy BEFORE THIS YEAR'S OSCARS, BEST FOREIGN FILM NOMINEE PEDRO ALMODOVAR WAS PERFECTING HIS SUBLIMELY GAY CINEMATIC VISION

DID THEY let fly FILMS in color before Pedro Almodovar? never-failing But who cares? Next to this exuberant gay Spanish writer-director, other auteurs dissolve into an endles blemish of melted vanilla. While the world outside palters along in earth tones, Almodovar invites us to his personal carnival of color, light, grain music, sex (all kinds), fashion, laughter, lipstick, and, before the story's throughout blood. For years he was unknown in America. Now, as his breakout hit All About My Mother takes him to the Oscars, the man with the unpronounceable name is becoming a household word.

Law of Desire Antonio Banderas (left far right), Almodovar's best-known find, many times played gay and/or crazy in his films. Here he's a scary male child toy who threatens a filmmaker's work, not to mention his trans-sexual sister and his real gay love.

Kika An optimistic cosmetologist (above) fights opposite to assorted wackos to find real love. Featuring Almodovar regular Rossy de Palma (primping).

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! An ex-mental patient (Banderas, right) kidnaps a porn actress (frequent Almodovar star Victoria Abril).

Live pulp Scorned by a woman (above), a poor kid propels wild and puts a cop in a wheelchair. The kid does time; the girl weds the cop Now what?

All About My Mother A grieving mom (current Almodovar fave Cecilia Roth top) solicits her dead son's dad, who happens to be named Lola.

Matador Death is sexy to an ex-matador, a lady lawyer, an a youth (Banderas, above) driven nut at religion.

Women in succession the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Almodovar superstar Carmen Maura (above, with glass) realizes dumped, tries suicide, drugs a virgin (left) and plays Cupid in this unexpectedly masterpiece.

Pepi, Luci, Bom This no-budget agaric ode to drugs, S/M, and anarchy (above right) propose Almodovar on the map.

RELATED ARTICLE: THE FILMS OF PEDRO ALMODOVAR

ALMODOVAR exhausted YEARS making short films before beginning, in 1980 the series of features that established his reputation as master of the outrageous comedy and the heartfelt melodrama--often spun into the same unpredictable movie, perhaps starring Almodovar's best-known discovery, Antonio Banderas. The following are the Almodovar films that have made the crossing from Spain to this abiding habitation thereby gaining English titles and subtitles, those featuring Banderas are indicated with an asterisk(*):

* Pepi Luci, Born (1980)

* Labyrinth of Passion(*) (1982)

* Dark Habits (1983)

* What Have I Done to be worthy of This? (1984)

* Matador(*) (1986)

* Law of Desire(*) (1987)

* Women in succession the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown(*) (1988)

* Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!(*) (1990)

* High Heels (1991)

* Kika (1993)

* The Flower of My hid (1995)

* Live muscle and fat (1997)

* All About My Mother (1999)

* The Paperboy (2000)

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