Jorge Franco's Rosario Tijeras

Rosario Tijeras is a novela by Jorge Franco. The story or history rather of a victim of both violence and prostitution under the employment of a capo of the mafia who maintains her in a way of living her mother had never dreamt of. She comes with this world with her brother’s help who already has fame in the underworld. Jorge Franco’s Rosario Tijeras has come under criticism due to its portrayal of Colombians. Others claim that it is not so much as a novel as a chronicle that is somewhat fictitious with a slang that does not sound fluid. To defend the point of view that favors this novel you can say it depicts the tragedy of the story with an expertise narration till the very end.

As a writer reading this novel I appreciated what Jorge Franco wanted to convey, to narrated a story with no great stylistic argument. Because the novel depicts the struggle of both men and women who elect to live a life of violence it reaches a profound level as it shows the social problems in Colombia. Being shot at point-blank range while kissing Rosario confuses the pain of love with agony of death. Rosario Tijeras the victim or victimized character of Jorge Franco's intentional contrasts throughout the novels, which make it somewhat masochistic, and sets the tone of the torture in the novel. Set in a path of destruction Medellín.Her name that conjures the image of a biblical reference. In contrast with scissors her conflict as a woman in Colombia who becomes a contract killer to masochistically torture herself that spills into her world. She is shot, gravely wounded, and the circle of contradiction is closed.

Piñero’s Plata Quemada film adaptation.

Piñero’s film adaptation of he novel Plata Quemada as previously stated in my last post is loyal to historic events. Plata Quemada originally is a fiction novel that borrows from real events. At points the novel strays and follows the path of a fiction novel by creating a world that resembles our own. Something that fascinates me from both movie and novel but mostly the movie is the fact that it follows to cold-blooded killers through their journey. A physical journey to escape the authorities and it is during the escape the characters embark on another journey that is guided by their emotions and in the end it is a journey to find themselves. What is truly amazing is that these insane characters where real at one point. Taking into account that the movie follows history closer than the novel it is safe to say this couple of lunatics really did run from the cops in an epic standoff.

What is not believable is the romance between the two protagonists. This is where the movie just sites the novel. The romance is not the driving plot in the actually work of literature, however in the movie the romance plays a large role in the narration of the story or it is the one plot that is reoccurring. This is neither good or bad, it’s a stylistic choice and approach on the director’s behalf. Though it does not change much of the story it finds a balance of some sort between action and romance. At points in the movie all you get is this romantic story that shadows every other aspect of the plot. It gets to the point where the escape from the cops and living hidden away from society seems like something every couple gay or straight should do. We don’t get the feeling that these men are running for their lives instead we get the feeling that these two men really love each other and have to struggle with whatever problems they have in their relationship, whether it be that Nene is confused or that Angel wont have sex.

The choices made in the movie for good or worse they work, the faithfulness to history works also and the focus on the romance helps the story become a movie that anyone can understand. Can we do without the romance? Perhaps, the film would be just like the novel. One thing you cannot do away with is the tension between the various characters, whether sexual or not there is tension between all the characters that propel the drama that make for such a story. I wont run off anytime soon and read every historical text searching for the real Nene and Angel so to that extent I have to take the novels word that it is faithful to the real standoff in turn I would have to believe that the movie is in fact historically accurate.

Plata Quemada (novel)

Plata Quemada by Ricardo Piglia is a novel that claims to be based on historical events, this is probably true but there will always be room for questions when a novel claims to be “ based on historical events”. Regardless of the novels claim of truth we cannot help but question how much these “true events” shaped the novels plot and characters. There is a good chance that the novels depiction of the Twins is in fact historical. After all the legendary criminal duos that to this day we still speak about where real people who did commit such acts of violence we cannot help but find their lack of mercy to be a topic of discussion and even glorification.

The novel Plata Quemada is based on a famous standoff between cops and a very small band of criminals who had stolen a sum of money that would make today’s business owners scuff at the idea of getting an force so large for only three individuals and money that is only good to burn. The dates in the novel however are not as accurate as the actual stand off; this is no big deal as the novel is based on these events instead of being an exact retelling of history. For once the novel that inspires the movie, takes greater liberties as far as its historical claims go and this is were the inaccuracy does neither justice not fault to the literature. As it stands now the movie may have historically accurate when the novel is not. Even so this particular film adaptation is one that captured the novels mood down to a T.

There is no need to get stuck on historical facts, and what is accurate and what is not. After all we do not watch a movie to be lectured or to relive history unless that is the directors intention, we watch a movie to see something else that is neither lecture nor a historical documentary. Plata Quemada is a work of fiction that was inspired by real life events. The two main characters, a couple that just so happen to be criminal’s so its not just a couple of criminals, also known as “The Twins” are engaged in a homosexual love affair, do not get caught up on this aspect of the novel as it is not the main drive or theme of it. The depiction of their love is an interesting one as it is not a perfect relationship; it is filled with odd and awkward bumps in a road that is not usually trekked by “love”. These two lovers are not your everyday bandidos, they are in fact gay but not how the mainstream portrayal of homosexuals goes, they are aggressive, bloodthirsty and murderous. What the novel does expertly is give roles of power to men who are not always the bacon of masculinity or notoriety. Of course there are social stigmas in relations to gay couples that come across and through the novel. However it does empowers a negative stereotype in regards to homosexuals, even so this cannot be helped as the novel makes this couple of criminals a dominant light over the rest of the world regardless of their sexual orientation. It is no love story, Plata Quemada is a strong piece of social commentary. The act of burning money is a slightly controversial action even in a novel seen it as society worships money above many other things family included. The commentary we are exposed to is both explicit and filled with blurbs aimed at society.

Plata Quemada is a grounded novel and not over the top or fantastic, a bit theatrical but not in an overwhelming way. Because it does stay in the fictional realm something’s may feel fantastic when in reality they are not. No matter how fictional the novel may be it will have some hints of reality to it even if just as reference. The rest is an exaggeration of the truth. The liberties taken are not a big deal as I said before. If anything it gives it nudge and allows for a unique story. It does not feel like the focus of the novel to retell history, but it is its goal to let an audience see into the lives of a Bonnie and Clyde like duo and how the two deal with the problems in their life. The way the story unfolds is a bit predictable but its not a big problem either, its not as it can be helped. It does not take huge turns and go throw great obstacles to let you know that Nene is heading for destruction and bringing Angels somewhat child like mind along for the ride. And in a sense it does not need to do any of this to create tension, the tension of the novel is already there. 

Pantaleon y las visitadoras

 

                    

Pantaleon y las visitadoras is Francisco J. Lombardi’s film adaptation of a novel by Mario Vargas Llosa. It’s an entertaining movie, what else can I say. If you have to watch it just do it for the sake of watch an adaptation based on a novel that is full of social commentary aimed at the military dictatorships of south America. The fact that Pantalean y las visitadoras is a mainstream movie and accessible to any moviegoer makes it just an entertaining film, and not a landmark in Latino American cinema, not because it is accessible to any audience due to dumb down plot in the movie it weakens the entire story. Pataleon y las visitadoras like I said, is accessible to any audience especially those who have not read the novel, which is not a bad thing per say, even though the novel by Vargas Llosa will continue to be an experience that the movie adaptation cannot offered.

The imposed romance plot line of the movie is corny and not creative or even original. It was just pasted together to make the audience follow blindly expecting something to happen between Pantaleon and La Colombiana. Whatever did happen between the two was eclipsed by such a corny set up and in the end we don’t really know enough about both their feelings to even care. The romance plotline could have been executed better or done away with like other elements of the story were done away with in the film adaptation. The story might have even been better and totally different if the romance had been omitted as far as the movie is concerned. What I really did not like about the romance between Pantaleon and la Colombiana in the movie is that the novel is not about them, instead the movie makes out to be this love story between an officer of the army and a working girl.

Something I did miss from the novel, or rather was lost in the translation is the briefings and letters Pantaleon sends to his officer, this method of narration was an lineal-easy-entertaining way of reading the story. In the movie, however, this method of narration is totally lost as we only see one or two of these briefings that are either stale and none comical, or rushed and out of place,. The novels way of skipping from narration to narration is not present. I realize this may all be too harsh but the fact is, the movie is just an entertaining one, not a great one. There are a million and one things that could have been included in the film adaptation that would have allowed for an even better finished product and made the movie feel more like the novel.

Vargas Llosa's Captain Pantoja

Captain Pantoja and his special services is a novel by famed boom novelist Mario Vargas Llosa is a comical novel that deals with some serious and controversial issues. In essence the novel deals with the danger of a extremists or extreme ideology. With the humor I mention Vargas Llosa points out the corruption of the Peruvian dictatorship and the hypocrisy of the media. Through a character that from the start is comical due to his name and quick introduction to his background, Capitne Pantaleon Pantoja is a character that puts his job before his wife and family.

Through a quick introduction to the character and a briefing of Pantoja’s very important mission we already start to get the idea that Pantaleon Pantoja’s mission is not as serious as his superiors make it out to be. In a very literal sense Pantoja’s sole duty is to be an army funded pimp who supplies entertainment and relive for the men who are “defending” the country. In this particular novel the savagery of men in the army and even civilians come through. All characters are corrupt; rather all male characters are corrupt.

The novel’s structure is something to note as Vargas Llosa utilizes various methods of telling his story. We are able to connect with the character through his interaction with the army and with the prostitutes. The briefings that Pantoja sends his supervisors, it is through the briefings that the sense of humor comes out in plain sight as Pantaleon Pantoja speaks of his mission with much enthusiasm and interest when all he has really done is create a brothel for prostitutes. The novel is a great one and with a great sense of humor Vargas Llosa tells a story that while dealing with series topics through comedy still conveys a message of disapproval in the army.

Kiss of the Spider Woman, 1985 film adaptation.

          

The 1985 film adaptation of Kiss of the Spider woman is not a great one; in fact I completely disliked it. Something is lost in the translation from literature to film, in this film however what is lost is too great to look past. Director Hector Babenco took a risk in bringing the fiction novel to the big screen, as I stated before the novel has a completely different approach at narrating the story from point A to point B with only dialogue. The movie did not convey this method of narration even if for the most part all we saw was the men in the cell talking.

The character of Molina guides the movie in its entirety; in fact the only character that stands out in the film is Molina’s. This was a great fault as both characters in the novel were supposed to be equally as passionate even while being exact opposites. Valentin’s character is too passive and not aggressive enough to convey the image of a revolutionary leader. At times the movie is too theatrical, in other words corny. The actors were too dramatic when the novel was not a dramatic novel. Even so, you should watch the movie just for the sake of watching it the novel is a complicated one to follow, as the use of dialogue is the guiding light in the narrative. Perhaps it is this that kept the movie from being a great one.

Manuel Puig's Kiss of the Spider Woman. (El beso de la Mujer Araña)

El Beso de la Mujer Arañ, or Kiss of the Spider Woman is a novel by Argentine Manuel Puig. Two convicts, Molina and Valntin develop a relationship of more than just friends while the live out their days in a prison cell. Valentin a political prisoner, who is a romantic revolutionary who we believe, though it is never clarified if he is the leader of a revolutionary group attempting to bring down the current government in place. Molina an openly gay window-dresser is serving a sentence for pedophilia and having intimate relations with a minor. The two men are exact opposites of each other in an interesting contrast between the two. As the story develops so does the men’s relationship and we see a change in both the characters.

The novel on its own has a unique structure, it does not follow any traditional narrative structure and the narrator is not all that clear. Not you’re typical fiction story but nonetheless it creates a world purely through the use of dialogue amongst the characters with no hint as to who is talking or narrating. What the novel does, perhaps with all due intention or just by luck is the manner in which the audience has to take follow the thread of the story closely due to the absents of a dominant character(s) and or narrator.

The footnotes included by Puig are an interesting aspect of the novel. In a way these footnotes along with the analysis of homosexuality in the novel create a fictional story that is not that farfetched as we see with other fiction novels. The reader or audience is given a larger role than in many other works of literature, as he or she has to participate and be active while reading Kiss of the Spider Woman. In a way these footnotes of the novel, help bring some truth or maybe even trivia to the overall story. In closing it is not my favorite novel, but it is a good one with an interesting approach at narrating a fictional story. 

Memorias Del Subdesarrollo’s film adaptation.

Tomás Gutierrez Alea nicknamed “Titón” directed one of the most visionary and influential Cuban films to date. The movie made its début screening in 1968 during a time of political tension between East and West. Titón adapted Edmundo Desnoes novel Memorias del Subdesarrollo to the big screen, the story of a Cuban Aristocrat who after the triumph of the Cuban revolution decides to stay behind as he watches he close ones immigrate out of the island. Sergio, our protagonist is a man of culture, a “pessimist” as he watches on a series of politically driven events unfold. “Esta gran humanidad ha dicho basta y echado a andar… y no parará hasta llegar a Miami."

The story is narrated in part through Sergio’s perspective and his commentary on world affairs of the time and on the Cuban revolution. There are times where the story is narrated ever so briefly through the character of Pablo, Sergio’s close friend who predicts nothing but disasters in regards to the island. Also the character of Elena, a young female who sleeps with Sergio only to accuse him of taking advantage of her, in turn Elena’s family drags this argument all the way to the Cuban judicial system. Once more Sergio’s inner monolog takes is the main basis for the films narration, "yo he visto mucho para ser inocente". Lastly there is Noemí, a young girl Sergio employs to clean up his house. Noemí relationship with Sergio at times can be an intimate one though they appear to be just fantasies of Sergio and not a reality. Even so he treats her as more than a friend as they way the speak to each other is informal.

Memorias del Subdesarrollo, like Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-up is a psychedelic experience, the ending of the film being the best example. As Sergio approaches the camera until he is directly in front of the lens out of focus a voice over starts up, ¿quién eres tu Sergio? tu no eres nadie! Memorisas del Subdesarrollo also has a humorist approach to its social commentary on Cuban society and the revolution. I guess in a way you would have to be of Cuban decent to get these jokes but in the end the movie does a good job at depicting the story of a character who does not belong in the world he lives in. a character that is very much detached and who may not have ever been there.

Memorias Del Subdesarrollo.

“Memorias del subdesarrollo,” a  novel by Cuban author Edmundo Desnoes. The story narrates through a journal, or diary kept by an aristocrat at the triumph of the Cuban Revolution at the very end of 1959. Unlike the rest of his family our protagonist does not leave the island and watches the coming events ‘curios’ of what has happened or is going to happen. In 1966 Edmundo Desnoes published one of the well-known Cuban novels of all time and of his generation of the 1950’s. The focus on the Cuban revolution or the opposition from Miami Cubans was not what drove the story to success; in fact it was the complete opposite. Our protagonist, a Cuban aristocrat who watches in horror as his entire social class vanishes in an exodus and with much hurry. Sergio stays behind not just to feel free like as an individual, but because he senses something unique and irreproducible. This world created by Edmundo Desnoes is one of constant contradictions and questions. The most important aspect of the novel is the way that the novel tells you about the social changes that are happening in a spontaneous way: ‘dialecticamente’

One of the most entertaining events in the story is the event of the cane Sergio acquires. The cane with the head of a dog that he names “Fiddel”, pronounce “Fidel” who Sergio has a rather long conversation with, this event in the story is controversial to say the least and it is a push at censorship. It is here where we see the “subdesarrollo” of the novel, in other words the underdevelopment. The intellectual is done away with in the story, as censorship is the main reason why this is happening. The individual whose reality is based on books and literature is squashed by the revolution. Coincidently it is an independent Cuban director named Miguel Coyula that is currently directing “Memorias del Desarrollo.” I am not clear on the specifications or on the date of release but it is a presumed sequel to “Memorias del subdesarrollo” that takes place in New York instead of Habana Cuba. You can find out more on Miguel Coyula’s movie here www.myspace.com/memoriasdeldesarrollo 

On Bernardo Bertolucci's The Spiders Stratagem.

                           

The spider’s stratagem directed by famed Italian filmmaker, Bernardo Bertolucci, is a surprisingly a good movie. Of course Bertolucci is a varied Italian director, if not the most varied of Italian directors. He has indeed lasted through the several stages of film and movie making and has directed movies that we could even consider ancient. This is not to poke fun at one of Italian cinemas greatest director, but the man has been making movies for quite a while. Inspired by the shortest story ever written by Jorge Luis Borges’s, ‘Theme of the Traitor and Hero’ is a story that causes us to rethink everything that has been told to us by our fathers and forefathers. Bernardo Bertolucci style of directing help bring the suspense to life, maybe not in an aggressive manner, a suspense that is as delectable as a mystery dish forging to ones palate that makes us want seconds in order to truly enjoy it.

The various flashback sequences, though crucial to the narration of the fathers story line, I found to be annoying and sometime even irritating. It is not until later on in the film that we realize that these sequences are in fact flashbacks with Athos father as the protagonist. Both father and son portrayed by the same actor; the only way that Bertolucci differentiates the two characters is by a red handkerchief around the fathers neck. Though this similarity between father and son is justified early on in the movie, I found the flashback sequences to be lacking; the flashbacks could have been executed in a different way with more of an emphasis. Though comical at some points these scenes are dry and do not inspire any reaction until the very end, and even then it remains dry.

As I said the flashbacks felt out of place at times and in all honestly felt like it was not a flashback but a continuation of Athos story line not his fathers. At the same time this confusion I mention could have been made with all intention, as justified in the beginning of the movie, Athos is his fathers spiting image. Regardless of its minor flaws, the movie the spider’s stratagem is a successful film adaptation. A very entertaining film, that leads us through a path of self-discovery on Athos part, our protagonist. Even if the flashbacks are somewhat confusing, that is were the mystery dish aspect of the movie comes into play, just simply trying the food once is not good enough to really enjoy it, you have to go for seconds of the same dish in order to appreciate it. The film the spider’s stratagem should be watched more than ones in order to understand it all the way.

On Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blow-Up.”

Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blow-up” appeals to our senses and the human psyche. With an expertise touch, Antonioni is able to guide our senses with much ease and is able to control our reactions to the movie. Intentional or not, Michelangelo Antonioni creates a work of cinematic art, while not a faithful adaptation to Julio Cortazar’s short story it is inspired by the it to some degree. The movie captures the unpredictable and sometimes even random nature of the piece Cortazar wrote. As I stated before the movie “Blow-up” is inspired by one of Julio Cortazar’s most recognized works of literature. Having been inspired by the short story, the movie does not have to be that faithful to the original work of literature, in a way it is a movie that makes several; references to Cortazar’s story, and it does not have to follow the original every minute.

What Michelangelo Antonioni is able to do with his film is capture what made Cortazar’s short story so interesting. The unpredictable nature of events that lead to a climax and leave us without resolve at the very end to the point where we don’t really know if all that has happened in the main characters life has been a reality or a dream. By witnessing Cortazar’s characters re-created in real time, we get to actually see them other than imagining them and their personalities. We are able to see the photographer who is very much out of touch with peoples feelings and emotions, as he has total and complete disregard for what others may feel, in contrast with the the characters who surround him who appear to just simply care more than our grumpy protagonist.

In the end the movie “Blow-up” is Michelangelo Antonioni’s interpretation of Cortazar’s short story he really does not have to be all that faithful to the story and I respect that aspect of the movie. I watched with much anticipation to see what it would all lead to and greatly enjoyed watching Antonioni’s take on a very good short story. In the end, at least to me the movie blow-up is a great experience and in closing the movie is as unpredictable if not more so than the original work of literature art that Julio Cortazar created for us all to obsess over in order to understand, and figure out what is it that really happens to our protagonist. On another note, the music Michelangelo Antonioni uses in the movie is very psychedelic and a reflection of the times. Along with this type of music, the colors used throughout the movie are also very much a reflection of the times and psychedelic. I am lead to believe that Michelangelo Antonioni did this in order to set the tone of the movie, a story and events that are not impossible at all, but very improbable. The colors and music help blend all these elements together and this is one of the ways our senses are guided.

Sometimes reality is the strangest fantasy of all...

Julio Cortazar has a way of creating a story that is closely intertwined with magical realism.  With an acute sense of the human mind, Cortazar uses a psychological approach at narration in his short stories. “Blow-up” in its English translation, is a short story amongst a collection of mind-bending short stories, each a psychedelic experience with an intricate nature in its own right. The appeal behind Julio Cortazar’s novel as well as his short stories is the way each work has its own character, the stories themselves are the character. Julio Cortazar in his many work can narrate a story with multiple points of views, and have them change back and forth simultaneously and cohesively. Hopscotch being the main example. The film Blow-up, A Michelangelo Antonioni film is an adaptation of Cortazar’s works, focuses on the short story “Blow-up”. An erotic film that won the best picture award in the year 1966, is a tale of free love and youth in post-modern London. A world of parties’ sex, fashion and music, the main goal is to disorient the mind, a trip.

Of course the main inspiration of Antonioni’s film was the collection of short stories by Julio Cortazar and in some aspect the film is able capture the essence of Julio Cortazar’s works. “Blow-up” can be consider Cortazar’s most notorious short story, and despite the amount of articles written on “Blow-up” it has remained to this day a controversial work of literature art. There are certain aspects of the story that keep the audience guessing still today. For example the tentativeness of the person narrating the story or the shift from first to third person narrators to name a few. These are aspect of Cortazar’s work that makes it appealing especially to the younger generations of readers and writers. Where Julio Cortazar is most successful is in his grammatical approach to narration. With great ease the words flow together, and constantly. In some ways what makes a Julio Cortazar narrative so appealing to the eyes is the language, and of course the situations. I recommend watching Michelangelo Antonioni’s film adaptation of “Blow-up” for the full experience of Julio Cortazar’s most notorious and entertaining work of literature art.