1 Sergio Pedro Modern Languages & Literatures (Spanish) [email protected]

2  The Film Itself -the artists -the film’s reception  Spain -Linguistic Determinism, identity & borders -Spanish history—a divided Spain -Almodóvar & Spain  The Film as Art -drama & parody -gender roles, symbolism

3

4  · La corte de Faraón (1985) as Fray JoséLa corte de Faraón  · Réquiem por un campesino español (1985) as PacoRéquiem por un campesino español  · Los zancos (1984) as AlbertoLos zancos  · Fragmentos de interior (1984) TV Series as JoaquínFragmentos de interior  · El señor Galíndez (1984) as EduardoEl señor Galíndez  · El caso Almería (1984)El caso Almería  · Laberinto de pasiones (Labyrinth of Passion) (1982) as SadecLaberinto de pasiones  · Pestañas postizas (1982) as Antonio JuanPestañas postizas

5  · La Mujer de tu vida: La mujer feliz (1988) (TV) as AntonioLa Mujer de tu vida: La mujer feliz  · Así como habían sido (1987) as DamiánAsí como habían sido  · La ley del deseo (Law of Desire) (1987) as Antonio BenítezLa ley del deseo  · Delirios de amor (1986)Delirios de amor  · 27 horas (1986) as Rafa27 horas  · Puzzle (1986)Puzzle  · Matador (1986) as ÁngelMatador  · Caso cerrado (1985) as PresoCaso cerrado

6  · El Acto (1989) as CarlosEl Acto  · Huesta Luego Tenis (1989) as Jake SpicerHuesta Luego Tenis  · La Blanca Paloma (1989) as MarioLa Blanca Paloma  · Si te dicen que caí (If They Tell You I Fell) (1989) as MarcosSi te dicen que caí  · Bajarse al moro (1989) as AlbertoBajarse al moro  · Bâton Rouge (1988) as AntonioBâton Rouge  · El placer de matar (The Pleasure of Killing) (1988) as LuisEl placer de matar  · Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (Women on the Verge…)Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios

7

8 1970’s Los ojos vendadosLos ojos vendados (Carlos Saura)Carlos Saura 1980’s  Folle... folle... fólleme Tim! (Pedro Almodóvar) Folle... folle... fólleme Tim!Pedro Almodóvar  Pepi, Luci, Bom (Pedro Almodóvar) Pepi, Luci, BomPedro Almodóvar  Dark Habits (Pedro Almodóvar). Dark HabitsPedro Almodóvar  What Have I Done to Deserve This? (Pedro Almodóvar). What Have I Done to Deserve This?Pedro Almodóvar  Matador (Pe MatadorPe  Women on the Verge… (Pedro Almodóvar). Women on the VergePedro Almodóvar  Bâton Rouge (Rafael Moleón). Bâton RougeRafael Moleón

9  ¡Ay, Carmela! (Carlos Saura). (Goya Award). ¡Ay, Carmela!Carlos Saura  How to Be a Woman and Not Die in the Attempt (Ana Belén). How to Be a Woman and Not Die in the AttemptAna Belén  Sombras en una batalla (Mario Camus). (Goya Award Nominated). Sombras en una batallaMario Camus  Amores que matan (Juan Manuel Chumilla). Amores que matanJuan Manuel Chumilla  Lisboa (Antonio Hernández). LisboaAntonio Hernández

10  La comunidad (Alex de la Iglesia)(Goya Award) La comunidadAlex de la IglesiaGoya Award  Entre vivir y soñar (David Albacente and Alfonso Menkes) Entre vivir y soñarDavid Albacente Alfonso Menkes  Free Zone (Amos Gitai). With Natalie Portman. Free ZoneAmos GitaiNatalie Portman  Volver (Pedro Almodóvar) VolverPedro Almodóvar  El menor de los males (Antonio Hernández) El menor de los malesAntonio Hernández  The Garden of Eden (John Irvin) The Garden of EdenJohn Irvin  Tetro (Francis Ford Coppola) TetroFrancis Ford Coppola

11 Script & Direction

12  Small town boy, born in1949 in La Mancha, Spain  “Educated” by the catholic church in the 1950’s (Bad Education)

13  Experiments with film in the mid1970s (La Movida alternative film movement)  Artistic influences include Alfred Hitchcock, Andy Warhol, John Waters & Douglas Sirk

14  · Los abrazos rotos (2009) "Broken Embraces“/"Broken Hugs"Los abrazos rotos  · La concejala antropófaga (2009) "The Cannibalistic Councilor"La concejala antropófaga  · Volver (2006) "To Return"Volver  · La mala educación (2004) "Bad Education"La mala educación  · Hable con ella (2002) "Talk to Her"Hable con ella  · Todo sobre mi madre (1999) "All About My Mother" –wins OSCARTodo sobre mi madre

15  · Carne trémula (1997) "Live Flesh" / "Trembling Flesh"Carne trémula  · La flor de mi secreto (1995) "The Flower of My Secret"La flor de mi secreto  · Kika (1993)Kika  · Tacones lejanos (1991) "High Heels"Tacones lejanos  · ¡Átame! (1990) "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!"¡Átame!

16  Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1988) -"Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown"Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios  La ley del deseo (1987) "Law of Desire"La ley del deseo  Matador (1986) Matador  ¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto!! (1984) "What Have I Done to Deserve This?“¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto!!“  Entre tinieblas (1983) Entre tinieblas  Laberinto de pasiones (1982) "Labyrinth of Passion” Laberinto de pasiones  Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón (1980) Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón  -"Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls Like Mom"

17  Academy Awards, USA Academy Awards, USA 1989 1989 Nominated Oscar Best Foreign Language Film  BAFTA Awards (British Academy)BAFTA Awards 1990 1990 Nominated Best Film not in the English Language  Golden Globe Awards (USA) Golden Globe Awards ◦ Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film

18  David di Donatello Awards (Italy) David di Donatello Awards ◦ Won: Best Foreign Direction (Pedro Almodóvar)Best Foreign Direction  European Film Awards European Film Awards ◦ Won: Best Actress – Leading Role (Carmen Maura) ◦ Won: Best Young Film (Pedro Almodóvar) ◦ Nominated: Best Art Direction (Félix Murcia)

19  Goya Awards (Spain) Goya Awards  Won: Best Actress – Leading Role (Carmen Maura)  Won: Best Actress – Supporting Role (María Barranco as Candela)  Won: Best Editing (José Salcedo)  Won: Best Film  Won: Best Screenplay - Original (Pedro Almodóvar)

20  National Board of Review (USA) National Board of Review ◦ Won: Best Foreign Language Film  New York Film Critics (USA) New York Film Critics ◦ Won: Best Foreign Language Film  Venice Film Festival (Italy) Venice Film Festival ◦ Won: Golden Osella – Best Screenplay (Pedro Almodóvar)

21  Linguistic Relativism (one version) Each language draws a magic circle around the people to whom it belongs, a circle from which there is no escape save by escaping from it into another. (Wilhelm von Humboldt)

22  “Reconquest” (711-1492)  Map of Medieval Spain Map of Medieval Spain  Spanish Inquisition (1484 +)  Torquemada Torquemada  Carlistas & Republicans  Carlista Banner Carlista Banner  Spanish Civil War  Civil War Civil War  Post – Franco Spain  Franco Franco

23  Poor reception among Spanish conservatives -Subversion of (sexual) identity -Parody of Christian (usually Catholic) ideas

24  Some poor reception from the left -“frivolous” themes, politically not committed (70’s & 80’s) -falls prey to “imperialistic” (AND non-Spanish) American influence

25  More poor reception from the left criticism from Spain’s gay movement “obsessive concern with the fluidity of genders, the interchangeability of sexual tastes and orientations” (Stephen Marsh, U.S.C.)

26 “Almodóvar has gone out of his way to disavow the suggestion that he is a gay filmmaker (rather than a filmmaker who just happens to be gay)” (Stephen Marsh)

27  His Positive Reception -His American influences do not hail from commercial Hollywood, but rather from underground & alternative currents.

28  -His influences do include Spanish filmmakers. He has verbally acknowledged a few of these: Edgar Neville, Miguel Mihura, Enrique Jardiel Poncela, Luis Buñuel, Federico Fellini, Luis García Berlanga and Fernando Fernán Gómez

29  Archetypal images (distressed woman, Don Juan, the virgin)  Use of color  The telephone & the note as symbols: distance, of non- communication

30  -Intertextuality with Johnny Guitar (Spanish dubbing work of Pepa & Iván)  The transformation of Pepa  Empowerment—scene at the end of the film  (the UN-end)

31  -The parody-  Parody as Subversion of traditional images (gender & otherwise)  Parody as exaggeration  Parody as plasticity—theatricality as emotional barrier (First dream image, last song “Teatro, lo tuyo es puro teatro”)

32  Critics have said that Almodóvar defies discourse..connection to language, thought, & the significance of artistic mediums

33  Is it important that Almodóvar is Spanish? Is there something here that does not “translate” for an American audience?  What is gender? How is it important for the film?  How is parody manifested in the film? What tricks does Almodóvar use?  Why doesn’t the emotional impact carry its full weight for the audience?