PEDRO ALMODOVAR

Pedro Almodovar Caballero is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer.

Almodovar is arguably the most successful and internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation. His films, marked by complex narratives, employ the codes of melodrama and use elements of pop culture, popular songs, irreverent humor, strong colors, glossy décor and LGBT themes. Desire, passion, family and identity are among Almodóvar’s most prevalent themes. His films enjoy a worldwide following and he has become a major figure on the stage of world cinema.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/starsandstories/5982469/Pedro-Almodovar-interview-for-Broken-Embraces.html

http://www.littlewhitelies.co.uk/interviews/pedro-almodovar-16259

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Almod%C3%B3var

Filmography

Year	English title	Original title
1999	All About My Mother	Todo Sobre Mi Madre
2002	Talk to Her	Hable Con Ella
2004	Bad Education	La Mala Educación
2006	Volver	Volver
2009	Broken Embraces	Los Abrazos Rotos
2011	The Skin I Live In	La piel que habito

Spain under Franco’s reign

The consistent points in Francoism included above all authoritarianism, nationalism and anti-Freemasonry; some authors also quote integralism. All in all, Francoism showed a frontal rejection of Communism, Socialism and Anarchism. Although Franco and Spain under his rule adopted some trappings of fascism, he, and Spain under his rule, are not generally considered to be fascist; among the distinctions, fascism entails a revolutionary aim to transform society, where Franco and Franco's Spain did not seek to do so, and, to the contrary, although authoritarian, were conservative and traditional.

Against his parents' wishes, Pedro Almodovar moved to Madrid in 1967. His goal was to be a film director, but he lacked the economic means to do it and besides, Franco had just closed the National School of Cinema so he would be completely self-taught. Madrid’s flourishing alternative cultural scene became the perfect scenario for Almodóvar's social talents. He was a crucial figure in La Movida Madrileña (Madriliene Movement), a cultural renaissance that followed the fall of the Franco regime. Alongside Fabio McNamara, Almodovar sang in a glam rock parody duo.

Live Flesh

Live Flesh explores love, loss, and suffering with a sober restraint only briefly glimpsed in the director's earlier work. The film tells the story of several characters implicated in each other's fates in ways that are beyond their control. Live Flesh is historically framed from 1970, when Franco declared a state of emergency, to 1996, when Spain had completely shaken off the restrictions of the Franco regime. With this film Almodovar started his collaboration with Penélope Cruz.

Labyrinth of Passions

The film is an outrageous look at love and sex, framed in Madrid of the early 1980s, during the so called Movida madrileña, a period of sexual adventurousness between the dissolution of Franco's authoritarian regime and the onset of AIDS consciousness. Labyrinth of Passions caught the spirit of liberation which then ruled in Madrid and it became a cult film.

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE - TALK TO HER

Marco with ex [Flashback]

Benigno with his mother [Flashback]

Benigno’s mother dies [Implicit]

Benigno meets Alicia [Flashback] [4 Years Earlier]

Benigno visits Alicia’s Father, scares Alicia and steals hairclip [Flashback]

Alicia in hospital, Benigno is chosen to tend to her [Implicit]

Benigno and Marco attend Café Muller [Flashback]

Start

Benigno attends to Alicia in hospital and tells her about Café Muller

Marco watching Lydia on TV

Marco finds Lydia in the bar and gives her a lift, kills snake, takes her to a hotel.

Marco and Lydia start a relationship; go to cucorucko party and Marco cries.

Lydia is seeing El Niño and doesn’t tell Marco.  

Marco’s ex’s wedding.

[3 Weeks Later]

Bullfight – Lydia has been seeing El Niño and is gored by the bull. [Implicit]

Lydia is in Hospital with Alicia.

Benigno recognises Marco and they develop a friendship.

El Niño tells Marco that he and Lydia had gotten back together.

Marco decides that he is going away; Benigno tells him that he wants to marry Alicia.

Shrinking Lover scene – Benigno impregnates Alicia [Implicit]

The Hospital Staff realises Alicia is pregnant.

[8 Months Later]

Marco is in Jordan and he sees that Lydia has died; he contacts hospital and finds that Benigno is accused of raping Alicia.

Marco comes home, meets with Benigno in prison and moves into his apartment.

Alicia wakes up and the baby is stillborn [Implicit]

Marco spots Alicia in the dance studio and does not tell Benigno that she is alive because it could negatively affect him.

Benigno contacts Marco to tell him of his ‘escape’ plan.

Marco rushes to the jail to see Benigno but he has already killed himself.

Marco visits the theatre and sees Alicia and Rosa.

GENRE EXAM ANSWER - TALK TO HER

Explore some of the ways in which you have gained fresh insights into your chosen film as a result of applying one or more specific critical approaches.

            Throughout the study of Almodovar‘s Talk To Her (2002), I have developed an understanding of melodramatic conventions, as well as appreciating the different connotations that these themes can represent. Melodrama, as a genre, is characterized by a plot that appeals to the heightened emotions of the audience, generally depending on stereotypical character development, exaggerated interaction and sensitive themes. Many of Almodovar’s films illustrate these ideas through the mediums of character, theme, setting, narrative and the auteur’s personal style.

           

During the course of the film, as well as in many films of the same genre, the theme of performance is prominent. Not only in the exaggerated interactions of the characters (such as Lydia’s reaction to the snake), but also in the structurally integrated performances; Café Muller, Amante Menguante, Cucurrucucu Palomas, etc. These are similar to Raimunda’s singing performance in Volver (2006), and through studying these Almodovarian films, it is clear that these routines act as visual procedures, purposefully mirroring the plot. Café Muller incorporates the two sleepwalkers, echoing Alicia and Lydia, while Cucurrucucu Palomas illustrates Marco’s sensitivity within his past and present relationship. This convention is used in many melodrama films, and allows the audience to interpret the film both visually and symbolically.

As well as a continuous theme of performance

           

THE READER

Narrative
The narrative structure within ‘The Reader’ is distinct. It seems that a middle-aged Michael has flash backs of his relationship with Hanna when he was a young boy, which are intertwined with his present life. The controversial theme of perversion, also expressed in Hard Candy, seems a lot easier to discuss in this sense, with the couple being an older woman and a younger boy. The audience is still inclined to view the relationship as wrong, but in a different way than if it was an older man and a young girl, like in Hard Candy - somehow it seems less perverse. The structural organisation of the film allows the audience to approve of Michael and Hanna’s relationship for a time, not disclosing until later in the film that she was part of The SS. Later in the film, at Hanna’s trial, she is accused of allowing the deaths of 300 Jews and writing a report. It becomes apparent to Michael that Hanna is illiterate, and would rather confess to the crime (which it obvious she did not commit) than damage her pride. While she is in prison, Michael sends her tapes of books so she can learn to read and write. The film is very much a coming of age story, and shows how many generations have been effected by the crimes of the Nazis.

Genre
‘The Reader’ is a post-war drama, centring on the affair between a middle-aged woman, Hanna Schmitz, and a teenage boy, Michael Berg, and how the experience affected their lives. Throughout Michael’s life he is infatuated with Hanna, but also angry that she abandoned him. This climactic drama has highs and lows within the narrative, as well as easily relatable characters with clear views and a plot enhancing realisation at the end, therefore adhering to the conventions of a drama.

Individual Interpretations and Position
Although the narrative of the film is a quite specific and farfetched, there are universal themes of romance, lust and heartbreak which can be interpreted. This allows an audience member, regardless of race, gender or age to find some part of the film easy to relate to.

THE ORPHANAGE (EL ORFANATO)

Narrative
The narrative structure of ‘El Orphanato’ is chronological, with cuts to distinguish between passing time. At the beginning of the film there is an introduction to the character of Laura, a young girl living in an orphanage. Throughout the film, there are constant flashbacks to this time, as well as photographs, films and hallucinations. This illustrates the lives of the other children after Laura’s adoption, as well as giving a brief history of the orphanage itself. Throughout the film the filmmakers use suggestion to create an eerie atmosphere around the characters and the orphanage building, which is a typical convention of horror films. This is also shown by the giving of clues to the audience, which is also a prominent theme within the films narrative, interlocking the two. The character of Benigna is enigmatic within the narrative, only hinting at her real motives by actions and appearance. The trauma after Simon’s disappearance is heightened by feelings of paranoia and terror within the character of Laura. Laura and Carlos attend a meeting for bereaved parents, and because of Laura’s visions, the audience are inclined to believe that she is experiencing typical emotions and feelings of such circumstances, hearing children in the house for example, and that Simon, although he is physically missing, his presence may still be with her. After Benigna’s sudden death, Laura and Carlos appear to be at a loose end, and begin to try more heretical methods of finding their son, such as the employment of Aurora, a medium. This, although not conclusively, indicates that there is supernatural energy within the house. Carlos thinks the method is deceptive and therefore useless, and after she pleads for him to do so, leaves Laura in the house. She follows the trail of clues, and as the audience are not omnipotent, and have no more knowledge than Laura, the outcome is mysterious and forbidding. The final catharsis is that Laura commits suicide by overdose, after finding Simon’s dead body. The ending is bittersweet, as although Laura is dead, she is with her son and her presence will stay in the orphanage forever. This is felt by Carlos in the final scene; he was a sceptic but now believes that Laura’s presence is there.

Genre

Individual Interpretations and Position

Micro Elements

Emotional Response

THE HURT LOCKER

Narrative
Throughout the film, the narrative is generally chronological. The idea of threat is a prominent theme, as is the idea that it is unknown and shadowy. The film is centred on the last 40 days of Bravo Company’s rotation through Iraq. The company are introduced as SGT JT Sanborn, Specialist Owen Eldridge and Staff SGT Matt Thompson (a cameo role played by Guy Pearce) as they are trying to diffuse a bomb in the middle of an Iraqi street. The small robot that they try and use is faulty, and a wheel falls off as it travels to safely detonate the bomb. This is an implicit comment to show how badly funded the U.S. army are. Staff SGT Matt Thompson dons ‘The Suit’, a bomb disposal suit designed to be used after ‘The Bot’ has identified the bomb size, type etc. Guy Pearce’s character (Thompson) dies in the suit, as he cannot outrun the explosion in the heavy gear. Soon after Thompson’s death, the team are introduced to SGT William James, a reckless and unorthodox bomb disposer; a thrill seeker. At first, there is tension between the three characters as, Sanborn and Eldridge fear James’ recklessness is endangering them, and they even consider killing him ‘accidentally’. However, as the group bond more confidentially throughout operations, they become closer and stronger as a unit. As the company’s rotation draws to a close, James seeks one last thrill to punish a group of terrorists responsible for the death of a young Iraqi boy that he was familiar with, nicknamed Beckham. Unfortunately, Eldridge is injured in friendly fire and must be withdrawn from Iraq. Sanborn and James then face an innocent civilian man who has been armed with explosives by a group of terrorists. The bombs are strapped to him and secured by many bolts and padlocks; they are unable to save him. Bravo Company’s rotation finishes and James returns home to face the tediousness of civilian life; picking out cereal and cleaning gutters. It is clear that he is unfulfilled, and seeks thrills that he cannot achieve as a civilian. The film ends with James’ return to Iraq, now in Delta Company, with 365 days left of their rotation.

Genre

Individual Interpretations and Position

Micro Elements
When faced with diffusing a bomb, the team are usually in an open area surrounded by high buildings with balconies and windows; this creates a sense of vulnerability within the film, allowing the audience to be on edge constantly, demonstrating the realism of the film.

Emotional Response

HARD CANDY

Narrative
The themes and ideas within the narrative of ‘Hard Candy’ can be described as distinctly controversial and extreme. The development of the relationship of the two main characters – an alleged paedophile and a 14-year-old girl - is socially and ideologically shocking, which in turn illustrates the dominant moral of the film. The film is not overly graphic, as most of the violence and horror are implicit, but the intensity of the real-time narrative allows the audience to be more thoroughly immersed in the unfolding plot. The situation alone is perverse, inclining the audience to begin to develop a negative interpretation of Jeff’s character, appearing to ‘groom’ the apparently naïve and innocent Hayley. Later in the narrative, it appears that there is an element of role reversal between the characters, as Hayley becomes the dominant figure that is in control of Jeff – this does not adhere to the typical conventions of a psychological thriller and also blurs the boundaries between protagonist and antagonist. There is then an inclination that Hayley is insane (“four out of five doctors agree”), and as Jeff never confesses to the murder which she is punishing him for, there is a hint of sympathy towards him, and a doubt that he is the monster Hayley believes him to be.

Genre
This film challenges the conventions of a psychological thriller, in that the relationship between the couple is unorthodox and the dominance is shifted towards the younger apparently more vulnerable and naïve Hayley. There are also few supporting characters, which concentrates the attention directly on the two main actors.

Individual Interpretations and Position
As there are only two main Caucasian characters, the interpretation of the film by a relating audience may seem narrow, but is widened by the unfortunately universal themes of internet grooming and paedophilia. These matters not only concern those who have experienced them, but also to the general public, to whom issues such as this are often difficult to discuss and explain.

Micro Elements
The film contains many coloring effects of lighting to reflect the moods of the characters. For example, when Hayley gets angry the colors would be edited to be of lower frequency. One effect used was to brighten the lighting in filming and correct it in post-production. This allowed for facial details to be visible even while having a darkened atmosphere. The set is simple and modern, which allows the setting to be easily relatable to a contemporary audience, which is also applicable to the costumes and props utilized. As there are only two characters, performance is key; the close-ups and two-shots begin to develop the relationship.

Emotional Response
It is easily interpreted from the text that actions of paedophilia and child molestation are unethical, disgusting and morally wrong; however the other themes within the film are those of the universal invulnerability of youth culture today; more street smart and knowledgeable than ever. The realism and audience position set by Slade is so to develop safeguards and morals of modern online culture, as well as to entertain, thrill and actively allow the audience to develop their own thought-provoking interpretation of this often difficult-to-discuss issue.