Reflection

Watching these Spanish language films has been really enjoyable. It's been fun to analyze a little deeper when I watch movies, to pick out the parts that were most interesting. I believe that the variation in genre helped me see the value in the artistic vision of every director. The historical pieces helped me see how others interpret the events that happened, as well as the documentaries. The works of fiction were full of symbols and very thought provoking. Even though this was all for a class, I don't think I'll stop here.

El Orfanato (The Orphanage)

El Orfanato (The Orphanage) tells the story of Laura, a woman who has grew up in an orphanage, but has returned to live there as a grown woman with her husband, Carlos and her adopted son, Simón. She intends to reopen the orphanage as a facility for disabled children. Amidst all the chaos of renovation, Simón claims to have "invisible" friends, one of which he calls Tomás. Laura and Carlos are hosting a party for potential patrons of the care facility, when Simón comes up missing.

Simón

Horror falls very short of describing The Orphanage. While there are frightening moments, it is the symbols of the movie that are most powerful. In order to describe them the best I can I'm going to list a bunch of bullet points that probably won't make sense at first, but hopeful they will:

Symbols:

• Shells
• Neverland
• Reverting back to old ways
• Doorknobs
• Masks
  
  

Near the beginning of the film, Simón ventures into a cave that is next to the seashore. His mother goes to look for him and discovers him talking to an invisible friend. On their way back to the house, Simón makes a trail of seashells back to the house, so "his friend can come and visit." This friends ends up being the ghost of Tomás, a boy from the orphanage with a disfigured face, who accidentally drowned. While Tomás' presence in the house is initially haunting, his presence soon becomes a good signal. 

The ghosts from the house send Laura on a scavenger hunt that not only leads her to their hidden bodies after they were murdered, but also to a doorknob with a shell on it. This is the point in which seashells become a good sign. They are a reminder of her lost son. 

Throughout the film there are references to Neverland, from the children's classic Peter Pan. Simón is very curious about this place. He wonders if the children in Neverland ever die. He asks Laura if they can go there. (Simón learns that he is HIV positive and doesn't have long to live.)

As a way to remember the past (and communicate with the ghost children) Laura changes the house to be the closest thing she remembers the orphanage being like. This return to the past is her way of reconciling her past with what she must do to find her son. She even prepares a meal and rings the dinner bell in hopes that the children will come running to eat. 

Finally Laura discovers that they way to connect to the children is by playing a game with them. As she begins to play the game, the children appear and lead her to find her son. 

They lead her to a closet that has a secret door hidden in the back. She uses the doorknob that she has and opens the door. Before Simón went missing, he told his mother that his invisible friends liked to play games with him. If he solved their scavenger hunt, then he got to ask for a wish. Laura is at the end of their scavenger hunt, and finds her son's dead body at the bottom of the stairs. She discovers he must have tumbled down them to go visit Tomás (who lived in the basement). 

Tomás

When she goes to pick him up, he is wearing Tomás' mask. Masks are an interesting element in the story. Tomás is shunned by the other children at the orphanage because of his disfigurement, and was also kept isolated from the rest of the children. He wore a mask out of shame. When Simón became his friend, he shed the mask and gave it to his only friend. 

At the end of the film, Laura mistakenly takes the wrong combination of pills and makes a wish that Simón come back alive. As she dies, Simón "comes back alive". Simón also makes a wish that Laura be able to watch over him and his friends forever. As all of the children appear and gather around Laura, Simón brings up Neverland again. He says, "Now you're like Wendy from the story." Essentially she does become Wendy for children that can never die. 

The Two Escobars

The Two Escobars is a documentary that tells the story of the Columbian national soccer team from the early 1990's and its owner Pablo Escobar, drug lord and organized crime leader. Andres Escobar was the name of the captain of the Columbian soccer team. After much pre-World Cup success, the team felt confident in being successful in the 1994 World Cup tournament. Unfortunately they didn't have the success they hoped for. In their game against the U.S., Andres Escobar accidentally scored a goal against his own team. When he returned home, he was killed.

The violence in Colombia was unparalleled at the time and Pablo Escobar was at the head. The drug cartel of Medellín was the most lucrative cartel at the time, and also the most violent. Pablo Escobar owned the national team and they became good for two reasons: They had lots of talent, and they stayed because they were payed very well.
The most interesting thing about Escobar was his immense generosity and contributions to the community. Pablo grew up in poverty, and because of his upbringing, he donated new soccer fields for the neighborhoods where he grew up. He also recognized a severe problem with homelessness, and so donated money for the building of houses, schools, and health clinics.
The Associated press article here rightly states that when Pablo Escobar was finally tracked down and killed, many people mourned his death, while many other rejoiced in it. Like was said in the documentary, his death didn't eliminate the violence in the city. It multiplied.

The real question is: Are people really so passionate about something as trivial as soccer that they would kill someone? The answer is yes, but it involves so much more than that. The national soccer team at the time was the face of Colombia. They were to represent Colombia in the best way. When they lost, chaos ensued. Not only was it a question of national identity, but always it was a question of money. Gambling exacerbated the hurt of a loss exponentially.

The Devil's Miner

The Devil's Miner is a documentary made in 2005 that follows a fourteen year old boy named Basilio and his younger brother Bernardino. and their work in the silver mines of Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia.

This article by the BBC is an excellent read if you want to learn more.

There are a few central issues that this film brings out:

• Religion, namely the paradoxical worship of the devil and God.

     and

• Child Labor

Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia

Religion, Worship of Tío

The miners of Cerro Rico have a unique perspective when it comes to protection inside the mines. While most of the miners claim to be Catholic, inside the mine they worship Tío, a devil-looking god, they say is the god of the underworld. Here is what he looks like:

The miners claim that Christ's protection cannot reach into the mines, because that is where Tío is in control.

The mines are extremely dangerous. Health risks include death by explosions, collapse, or inhalation of poisonous gas. Many miners will suffer silicosis, caused by daily inhalation of dust and debris.  The live expectancy of a miner is forty years old.

The miners have a belief that Tío is in control of the explosions and accidents that may happen in the mines. For this reason, they offer him sacrifices of coca leaves, tobacco, and alcohol. On certain occasions they will sacrifice a lamb and splatter its blood on the entrance of the mine for Tío's consumption. But before I leave this question of what they sacrifice, I want to ask: Why do they sacrifice alcohol, tobacco, and coca leaves? The movie does not explicit state why. Is it because this is what Tío values most, or is it what the miners value most? Is it plentiful and disposable? The only question I can answer is regarding their take on the coca leaf.

Miners highly value the coca leaf. They chew it every day before entering the mines. It is an appetite suppressant, and according to the article above, "helps filter some of the dust." This seems more psychological than anything.

Child Labor

In the case of Basilio and Bernardino, their father died, and their mother is unable to provide enough to support both of them. Basilio works full time in the mines, and goes to school. Bernardino works only sometimes in the mines, but he doesn't like it that much because he fears Tío. In this NPR interview, it explains that children under the age of 14 are legally able to work in Bolivia. In fact, there are many proponents of the legal working age being lowered to 6. One great point that is made is the same benefits would be available to both adult workers, but still one has to question the morality of the issue. In the United States and much of the Western world, child labor has all but been eliminated. However, when you consider the extreme poverty of many these families in Potosí, you kind of begin to understand the reality of the situation. These kids feel the responsibility to work to help their family. 

La lengua de las mariposas (Butterfly)

Moncho

Moncho and Gregorio

La lengua de las mariposas (Butterfly) is a film set in Galicia, Spain in 1936. It follows a boy named Moncho who moves to a new town. He is befriended and mentored by his teacher Don Gregorio. Don Gregorio is a kind-hearted man who has genuine interest for his students. Spain is very politically charged at this time and is on the brink of civil war. It is a dispute between the Republicans (loyalists) and the Nationalists (rebels, fascists).

The historical context sets the stage for what happens in the movie. Spain has just established a new republic after the military dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera. Spain is very politically charged at this time and is on the brink of civil war. It is a dispute between the Republicans (loyalists) and the Nationalists (rebels). The new republic, among many things, gave women the right to vote, and also  began to lessen the power of the Catholic church in the government. Nationalists stage another military coup which takes control of the most of the country. The Spanish Civil War lasted until 1939, where the Nationalists eventually won. Spain began to be ruled under the new military dictatorship of Francisco Franco from 1939-1975.

Initially intriguing is the name of the film. Although "Butterfly" is the American title "la lengua de las mariposas" actually translates to "the tongue of the butterflies". In the movie, Don Gregorio explains to Moncho that a butterfly's long tongue is used much like a straw to suck nectar out of flowers. FYI this really exists. Here's a butterfly using its tongue on a guy's arm.

But it's the symbolism of the butterfly that is most intriguing. The lesson is that just as a butterfly has to reach deep into a flower to extract the sweet nectar, so too the Spanish people have to search deep to find the goodness amidst the turmoil.

Their family is representative of the country as a whole. The mother is devout Catholic and sympathizes with the rebels. The father is a Republican, who has become close to  Don Gregorio, a fellow Republican. The last part of the movie really sums up the feelings of all parties:

• Don Gregorio is captured by fascists, along with other Republicans. He is the face of innocence, being condemned for his beliefs. 
• Moncho's father shouts insults to the Republicans in his cowardice because he doesn't want to get turned in.
• Moncho's mother is the first to yell insults. She yells "Ateo!", which means atheist. She yells in part to protect her family from scrutiny and mostly because she really believes what she's saying.
• Moncho duplicates what everyone else is yelling, but as he throws his last rock, he yells a word that Don Gregorio had taught him, in apparent hopes that he would hear it and know that they were still friends. 

El Baño del Papa (The Pope's Toilet)

El Baño del Papa (The Pope's Toilet) is a Uruguayan film based on true events when Pope John Paul II plans a visit to the small town of Melo, Uruguay. The movie follows Beto, a bicyclist who smuggles contraband across the Brazil-Uruguay border, Carmen, his wife, and Silvia, their daughter. With the Pope's visit just weeks away, people decide to take advantage of the hoards of people that are supposed to visit by selling things. Beto has a brilliant idea that he's going to make a bathroom and charge people to use it.

Three different themes are highly present in the film:

• Morality and Religion
• The media's role in distributing information
• Economy

Morality and Religion

Carmen is the most religious of the family. She crosses herself when she passes in front of the church, She prays to the Virgin to protect her family. When her daughter Silvia hears on the radio that the Pope might come, she's asks Carmen if she thinks he'll really come. She says, "Si Dios quiere". This is a phrase that means "If God wants". This becomes an overarching theme of the movie: The Pope's coming is going to do good to the people, because that's what "God wants". She even asks her neighbor if taking advantage of the Pope's coming by selling is morally wrong because, "It seems that God punishes for those sorts of things."

Beto is much less religious. He could care less about the Pope coming. The day before he comes, he asks his wife, "And what time is this guy coming anyway?" She says, "You mean His Holiness?" He responds offhandedly, "Yes, yes, His Holiness." He's most interested in making money off the people coming to see the Pope. He wants a motorcycle, concrete all around his patio, and a chicken coop. Beto is a dreamer. We see this in a segment when he is riding his bicycle and his daydream turns it into a motorcycle.

Beto also questions the morality of his being a smuggler. Does it make him a bad person if he's trying to provide for his family? In order to make enough money for the toilet, he makes a deal with the border patrol. He knows that this isn't right, but he does it in order to make enough money. In short, Beto will justify anything if it means getting him the money that he needs. He does come to his senses at the end though and rejects the border patrol's money even when he earned it.

Silvia is also less religious than her mother. When they pass a church, she doesn't cross herself stating, "She'd already done it that morning." She is most interested in leaving Melo to have a better life as a reporter.

The media's role in distributing information

Throughout the film, there are several instances that show the news giving updates on the Pope's arrival or people's preparations for the Pope. The media constantly exaggerates the number of people who are coming. In a certain segment, a newscaster is surrounded my a group of people. He asks each of them how many people they are expecting and what they'll be selling to the crowd. Each person gives a different estimate, each more outrageous than the next: 40,000...50,000...90,000...200,000. When a man says that he thinks that there won't be that many people, the camera quickly turns away from him. 

The extreme exaggerations perpetuated by the media cause people to use all of their savings and resources in order to buy food to prepare.

On the day of the Pope's arrival, the news continues to give hope by saying, "We're pleased to report a line of buses 10 kilometers long making its way into Melo."

It was all false hope. At the end of the movie it reports that about 8,000 people were actually there, mostly from Melo. 400 Brazilians and 300 journalists came. 387 food stands were set up. The most striking images of the movie came in the aftermath of the Pope's visit, when people have too much leftover food.

An associated press article reporting the events of the day, actually reports there being 50,000 people. This further emphasizes the obscurity of the reports. 

Economy

The biggest question in regards to the economy is: Is it possible for anyone in such poverty to leave that lifestyle?

Silvia wants to be a reporter. She practices fake news reports at night when her parents are sleeping. Her mom works at home and is saving for Silvia's tuition. The program she wants to take is in Montevideo and it lasts 2 years. Beto wants her to start helping him smuggle goods across the border. Carmen wants her to go to stay home and go to sewing school. Both her parents have settled on the idea that she will remain poor just like them.

The movie gives the impression that that will probably be the case. Silvia is clearly saving money for her daughter's future, but she gives it all to Beto so that he can buy the toilet. Near the end of the film,  after they've realized all that they've lost, Beto leaves the house to find work and Silvia runs to catch up with him.

The film doesn't end so pessimistically. The final scene shows Beto entering his bathroom. He yells, "Carmen, I have an idea." This softens the harshness of their loss and sends the message that despite their poverty, they'll be all right.

Don Juan Tenorio (1966)

Don Juan Tenorio is a Romantic play written by José Zorrilla in 1844. The protagonist is Don Juan, an amoral man who feels no remorse for any wrongdoing. He prides himself in getting any woman he wants and killing any man that gets in his way. However, he changes his ways after he is challenged to win over the seemingly hardest woman to get, a nun named Doña Inés. It is a wonder story of redemption and love.

While this is a play, there is a full movie version here. It is faithful to the original play in style and script. You can read the script here. Sorry if you don't speak Spanish.

Style and Structure: The play is written in verse. Most lines are written with eight syllables, but there is some variation. It also rhymes consistently throughout the whole play. The story is linear, although the space of time between the two acts is substantial. 

The characters clearly represent certain attributes that contradict and complement each other: 

• Don Juan is a symbol of the devil and of rebellion.
• He is a dynamic character. He has a change of heart because of his love for Doña Inés

Don Juan Tenorio

• Doña Inés is a symbol of purity and righteousness. She is a nun, who falls in love with Don Juan, but remains celibate because she dies in the space of time between Don Juan's fleeing the country and his return. 
• Her character is static. She continues loving Don Juan, even when he kills her father. 
• Her love for Don Juan ultimately is what grants him salvation. 

Doña Inés

• Don Gonzalo is Doña Inés' father. He represents justice. When Don Juan appears to have abducted Doña Inés, he confronts Don Juan and is killed in the struggle. This is particularly illuminating especially because Don Juan flees the country i.e. justice. 
• Don Gonzalo is a static character. He later appears to Don Juan as a ghost to escort him to hell.

Don Gonzalo

• Brígida is Doña Inés' handmaiden. She acts as an advocate for Doña Inés and Don Juan's relationship. She alternates between being reasonable and passionate. 
• She is opposite Don Gonzalo in behavior. 

Brígida

The most beautiful part of the story is the paradox between Don Juan and Doña Inés. Don Juan is the worst of the worst and Doña Inés is the best of the best. In the end their love for each other is what saves them both.

Spanish Language Films

I'm starting this blog to delve into and analyze select Spanish language films of various genres and time periods. Some will deal with true events, others with provoking fiction. As I do this, I hope that you, the reader, will have left with a clear idea of my opinion and a good analysis of each work. Bear in mind that I expect you to have seen these films in order to understand my analysis. Also, these are just a few of my thoughts about certain parts of each film. Look elsewhere if you want something more comprehensive. Explaining these movies in full would take a lot of time, time which you should probably just take yourself in watching the movies. :)

I'll review and analyze each film in this order:

Don Juan Tenorio (1966)

El Baño del Papa (The Pope's Toilet)

La Lengua de las Mariposas (Butterfly)

The Devil's Miner

The Two Escobars

El Orfanato (The Orphanage)