Entre tinieblas (Dark Habits) (Dark Hideout) (1984)

70% of critics liked it
(10 reviews)
67% of users liked it
(5,300 ratings)

In this Pedro Almodóvar film, a singer at a low-end nightclub hides out at a convent after her lover dies of a bad dose of drugs, and she meets a group of off-the-wall nuns while in hiding. The nuns range from one who writes sensationalist pulp fiction under a pseudonym to another who takes drugs,… More In this Pedro Almodóvar film, a singer at a low-end nightclub hides out at a convent after her lover dies of a bad dose of drugs, and she meets a group of off-the-wall nuns while in hiding. The nuns range from one who writes sensationalist pulp fiction under a pseudonym to another who takes drugs, and another hooked on masochism. But their private lives and perverse foibles may be in jeopardy when a new mother superior arrives to take charge of the convent. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 56 min.
Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar
Genres: Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1983 Wide
On DVD: Sep 9, 2003

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Mildly engaging, Dark Habits, Almodovar's third features about nuns on the run, is not as satirical or entertaining as his previous or later films.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Possibly the first work to hint at the tender sadness of [Almodóvar's]later phase
Matthew Sorrento, PopMatters
Almodóvar on crazy nuns should be as madcap as Peter Jackson was on zombies ( ... ) But the result is a rather low-key affair.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
It's hard to imagine how it could be any more Almodovar-esque than it is.
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Plenty of premise but little payoff.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
far drearier and lifeless than Almodóvar's best films

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Anthony L

For me, Dark Habits is Pedro Almodóvar's first great film and still stands as one of his best. It's wickedly funny from the outset and just gets funnier and funnier, I think even the staunchest catholics would find it hard not to smirk at at least one joke. Almodóvar is… More
For me, Dark Habits is Pedro Almodóvar's first great film and still stands as one of his best. It's wickedly funny from the outset and just gets funnier and funnier, I think even the staunchest catholics would find it hard not to smirk at at least one joke. Almodóvar is Spanish though, and being brought up in Calzada de Calatrava his upbringing was about as Catholic as it gets, so he very knowingly parades the lives of Nuns but he also does so with just enough affection so as not to be too offended by it. The film is never nasty in any way, not do i think is it anti-catholic/anti-religious/blasphemous etc. Dark Habits is also noted as being his first commercially produced film. He has distanced himself from the film lately stating that he felt it isn't the film it should have been due to these commercial obligations. Makes you wonder what the original was like then when producers in a deeply Catholic country allow Nuns to be shown indulging in drug taking and masochism but yeah, Viva Espania!
Randy T

"Sister Manure, Sister Rat, Sister Damned, Sister Snake. Man will not be saved until he realizes he is the most despicable being ever created." A most unconventional convent, populated with drug addicts, murderers, extortionists and lesbians. Almost makes me wish I was… More
"Sister Manure, Sister Rat, Sister Damned, Sister Snake. Man will not be saved until he realizes he is the most despicable being ever created." A most unconventional convent, populated with drug addicts, murderers, extortionists and lesbians. Almost makes me wish I was Catholic.
Lanning :

Not my favorite Almodóvar to date, but the dark humor, when it's working, is very good. I asked you all a few weeks ago if you could think of a movie where the Catholic Church comes out smelling like a rose. I'm still thinking about that.
Fernando Rafael Q

A strange B-movie, that's also a satire of religious life. Amazing cinematography, a nice cast and few glimpses of a mature Pedro Almodóvar ultimately lose out to its god-awful dubbing, which made me take out the DVD.
Eric B

Unlike the florid soap operas Pedro Almodóvar has been scripting in recent years, "Dark Habits" has a simple plot. Struggling lounge singer Yolanda (Cristina Sánchez Pascual) accidentally kills her lover with strychnine-laced heroin, and decides to hide… More
Unlike the florid soap operas Pedro Almodóvar has been scripting in recent years, "Dark Habits" has a simple plot. Struggling lounge singer Yolanda (Cristina Sánchez Pascual) accidentally kills her lover with strychnine-laced heroin, and decides to hide from the police in a convent ("The Community of Humble Redeemers"). The story's forward motion mostly ends there, as the film becomes a perverse look at Yolanda's interaction with the nuns. See, these are not typical nuns. Their home has recently lost its prime benefactor, and they're struggling to pay the bills. This is especially difficult, given all the money they're spending on heroin, acid and cocaine. Not to mention raw meat for the pet tiger who lives on the grounds. But maybe the blackmail threat will pay off, or maybe the nun who writes popular pulp novels under a pen name can contribute some funds. It's just too bad their adopted names are so alienating. Would you trust your soul to Sister Damned, Sister Snake, Sister Manure and Sister Rat of the Sewers? In the end, "Dark Habits" comes off a bit juvenile, as if Almodóvar is just delighting in being naughty. This impression becomes hard to shake from the moment we see a nun vomit. Luckily, Almodóvar's explorations of the profane became more subtle with passing years. Note: I was disappointed to learn that the DVD version (what I saw) is about 18 minutes shorter than the earlier theatrical/VHS cut. I'd still like to track down the original version.
Sunil J

An odd but interesting tale from Almodovar. Think Sister Act but dark. Loved the cast in these odd roles.