Spanish Cinema

1
Spanish Cinema

• Luis Buñuel (1900 -1983)
• Carlos Saura (1932 - )
• Pedro Almodóvar (1949 -)

2

• National cinema not strong in early cinema
• 1939 1975 Censored by Franco regime
• 1949-1951 Brief period of neo-realism and
  freedom of expression
• Luis Buñuel made most films outside Spain
• 1975 enters world stage after Francos death

3
Luis Buñuel

• Un chien andalou (w/Salvador Dali) 1929
• Surreal
• Dream like
• Sets tone of future films
• Los olvidados 1950
• Homeless youth
• Neo-realism and dream like
• Viridiana
• Made in Spain
• Banned in Spain

4
Buñuel (cont.)

• El Ángel exterminador 1966
• existential
• Surreal
• Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie 1972
• French production
• Blurs dream and reality
• Interruption of pleasure

5
Carlos Saura

• El Jardín de las delicias 1970
• Satire of wealthy
• Carmen 1983
• Part of trilogy
• Dream and reality
• Flamenco dance film
• Goya 1999
• Biography of painter
• Brechtian distancing

6
Pedro Almodóvar

• Dark Habits 1983
• Heroin addicted nun
• Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios 1988
• Break through film
• Feminist theme
• Átame! 1990
• Starred Antonio Banderas
• Controversial
• La Mala educación 2004
• Child abuse by clergy

7
Spanish trademarks

• Absurdity
• Over the top
• Dream/reality
• Life as theater
• Critiques of church and government

8
Other Spanish directors

• Guillermo del Toro
• Espinazo del diablo, El 2001
• Theme of dream/reality
• Set in Francos Spain ca. 1939
• Blade II 2002
• Hellboy 2004
• Alejandro Amenábar
• Abre los ojos 1997
• The Others 2001