The 'veil' (if that's what it is) is clearly soaked with blood from a broken hymen, at least metaphorically (if you want to say it's literal source is a nose bleed, that's fine, but it's referencing virginal blood). The blood from the loss of virginity is then taken and a close-up detail shows us a small opening, quite explicitly the size of a vagina, being sewn up, a clear statement of virginity being restored, or re-sewn. Thus her reaction of disgust when he is transfixed by this, as he *still* doesn't get it.
Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I have no idea what most of the film's visual motifs mean. The three appearances of animals (mouse, fly, pig); the constant threat of terrorist explosions, the sack of *beep* (verbally identified as 'women in general' in the movie), the dual performance of one woman (which I didn't clue in on until the last 10 minutes of the film!). I caught that these were important, but I have no idea why or what they mean. And, as with a small handful of other movies and books, I'm actually ok with that. In Jungian therapy a handful of dreams a person has in their life are best left un-translated, because their power lies in the metaphors not being translated into psycho-babble. I feel the same way about the visual motifs in this movie, which I absolutely head-over-heels love even though I don't know what it 'means'.
I'm very happy, therefore, that it hasn't been 'decoded' on these boards, because I wanted to read other's reactions without having it explained away and packaged up nicely and tied with a bow.
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ccherry-1
12 years ago
It's not a veil but a slip or chemise. You can see the straps.
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visual_abyss
10 years ago
I think the "veil" was in fact a night dress similar to what Conchita wore earlier in the film. The blood on the night dress was the blood of post virginal sex. Mathieu was of course taken by it. He speaks to her as the dress is being sewn but the dialogue is obscured by the music. My impression was that he was likely talking about making love with her again which is why she was mad. The sewing of the lace was symbolism for Conchita's vagina always being closed to him.
Neither of them would ever change, but they couldn't live without each other. In the end they don't have to live with that for too long as a terrorist bomb goes off.
During the course of the movie we hear about the terrorist acts going on all around them, but such is Mathieu's obession with Conchita it never get's the attention it deserves and in the end they pay the price.
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udippel
8 years ago
Wow! On one hand you say you want certain items being un-decoded, and then you decode the end masterly!
Why would you not be interested likewise in decoding other items of the list?
May I offer my humble opinion, though?
the pig is nothing. It is a normal item to bring luck, and Fernando Rey is looking for and needing luck, and he knows it. Therefore he gives in.
The other two? Thea are trapped, aren't they? And the mouse at a very specific moment, when the trap becomes obvious.
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