SPANISH CINEMA!

11/2/2010

Which director best represents Spanish cinema and why?

Choose from some of the most renowned directors:
Almodovar
Alejando Amenabar - 'Los Otros/The Others' 2001
Luis Bunel - 'Los Olvidados/The Forgotten' 1950
Guillermo del Terro - 'Pan's Labyrinth' 2006
OR feel free to suggest your other favourite Spanish film directors!

12 Comments

Samuel - 22yrs old - UK

12/28/2010 03:36:57 am

Dear Anna,
I believe that Almodovar although once may have represented Spanish cinema, he no longer represents it.
He has since given a lot of support and financial help to younger directors in Spain such as Amenabar and although his films have not reached international audiences as much as some of Almodovar's have this does not mean to say that he has not contributed greatly to Spanish cinema in Spain. The impact that he has had in Spain surely should determine his status as a represent of Spanish cinema whether or not it is known in many countries? To name but a few Amenabar has done The Others (2001)

The Sea Inside (2004)
Tesis (1996)
Open Your Eyes
Open Your Eyes (1997)
He won Outstanding Director in a Motion Picture in The Others (2001) and he won
Outstanding Screenplay i believe. He is a director that has shown his talent for filmmaking and his potential for the future of Spanish cinema. Almodovar may well soon pop his cloggs soon!

Anyway brilliant site about Almodovar - still have a lot of respect for this guy!

Chloe - United States New Orleans 27 years old

1/10/2011 02:14:38 am

I think that regarding countries outside Europe for example the USA, Japan or the Middle East, Spanish cinema tends to be associated as part of a wider category of European or ‘foreign-language’ cinema. Spanish cinema tends to be thought of as non-Hollywood.
The market for Spanish cinema is rather niche - or rather for art-house audiences which is attractive to some film fans because it is anti-hollywood.
I understand Spanish cinema to be understood in foreign markets because of their auteurist credentials wth directors such as Pedro Almodovar, Alejando Amenebar Bigas Luna, Vicente Aranda or Julio Medem all being very popular. I enjoy Amenebar's films even more so than Almodovar's films but thats because I prefer to see more of a 'Spanish' culture in films that rend them distinctive.

Jim 29 United States Washington

1/11/2011 04:58:26 am

Hey Anna I found your site posted on filmforum.com, I would like to comment on Chloe's comment about Almodovar's films not being 'distinctive enough'. I find this untrue and an unfair representation of Almodovar's films. Amenabar is internationally recognised, but not as much as Almodovar because his films are not as good. Almodovar has still clearly got Spanish culture and themes in his films. Look at Volver where he shoots scenes in 'La Mancha' the town he grew up in. Broken Embraces does not envisage the same aspects of historial moments that Volver or any of his previous films have but that does not mean to say it is 'less Spanish'. Who defines what Spanish is anyway?

Oumi, United States 25

1/19/2011 09:27:39 pm

Guillermo del Torro represents Spanish cinema!! He is way more international than Almodovar and does films in English which makes them more flexible and able to reach international audiences

Dien

1/31/2011 10:24:25 am

When people talk about Spanish movie I immediately think of Almodovar, and his leading actors such as Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Javier Cámara, Carmen Maura and lots more of Spanish talented actors. Watching Almodovar films is such a pleasure, just relax your mind and let him tell you a story with so many subtleties, feast your eyes on the color and sooth your mind on those music. It makes me wanting to scream out "Hollywood, Look how they make movie"

Harry - Washington United States

2/1/2011 02:54:07 am

THE MUSIC ON THIS WEBSITE IS AWESOME!
Your website stands out from other ones as it triggers automatically.

I believe 100% that Almodovar is the bearer of Spanish cinema all around the world. His themes, actors and storylines have become so iconic of Spain. I am from the States but I am a huge film fanatic and have friends all around the world thanks to my university and I know that they share my belief about Almodovar. I am going to forward some of them your site!

Tom - UK

2/15/2011 02:36:44 am

Hey Anna,

Your site looks really professional!
I came across it on an amazon forum you had posted on, hope you don't mind me taking a look and commenting!

I love Almodovar and I think his films are so intriguing. Everytime I watch them I am engrossed by the extremity of shock in the scenes. I don't even mean in a sexual way..but more the violence, the sheer bluntness he uses in the language and also the fact that he is not afraid to cross the line and shoot really controversial storylines. My favourite film is 'Habla con ella' because I have never come across such a deep and dark storyline. It shocked me completley and it was the suspense element that quite literally kept me on the edge on my sofa!

Laura - 27 USA

2/15/2011 02:37:10 am

In answer to your question I would have to say that Almodovar one hundred percent represents Spanish cinema - atleast in the UK. There are not many other Spanish directors that I have heard of that have had the lingering effect that Almodovar had on me. Having said that it is true that Guillermo del Torro has had a few oscars and numerous box office hits but he is Mexican, not Spanish so i don't think we can compare the two.

Also he is working on a huge budget so it takes away from the 'art' element of film that many of us enjoy from watching Almodovar.

Good luck with the site!

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tony culver link

10/18/2013 08:32:37 pm

Hi
I read that Spanish Cinema is having trouble raising finance from the right wing government. Well, in face of this - REVOLUTIONIZE PRODUCTION. This can be done quite simply and at LITTLE EXTRA COST. How? Use 2 3 4 5 (probably optimum number for a studio)cameras filming from different angles, heights, distances, with different stock (colour and B & W) of the SAME SCRIPTED PERFORMANCES. Edit each separately and thus produce 2 3 4 5 DIFFERENT FILMS instead of the usual ONE you have been used to making, in a line back to Birth of a Nation. The SINGLE SCRIPT IN PRODUCTION has obtained right across the international board ever since (sometimes one gets a 'director's cut' and 'original cut' on D V D) otherwise - ONE first version of all scripted performances (some might be re-edited later and re-distributed). I don't imagine 2 3 4 5 cameras, stock, crew would add greatly to production costs and you'd be able to market to 2 3 4 5 different markets so maximise profits a fxxk the government cuts. (what's money anyway? Numbers that go up and down in bank accounts, big fxxking deal. Production of any kind should be determined by such trivialities?)
The origin of this multiple script development lies in a project I am working on as a writer - a six part dramatization of Cortes' invasion of Mexico in 1518. Each part to be written in 13 versions of the 'prime script' and put into production on stage in groups 2 4 6 12 of versions by the same company on sequential nights. 12 productions might cost, doing this, the same as THREE of an ordinary SINGLE SCRIPT PRODUCTION as has been the practice since Aeschelus. The title of the project - CONQUISTADORES VARIATIONS (as in BEETHOVEN'S VARIATIONS) in theory if filmed, the variations could be WATCHED (on D V D) as one LISTENS TO Beethoven's variations on CD. You might like to consider being the director of the projected 78 script variations (could be filmed as well as performed on stage). The basic story line is, of course, Spanish. Cortes, one of the great largely ignored heroes of European/American history.
TONY CULVER
painter potter sculptor illustrator novelist playwright poet script writer publisher philosopher - one of Europe's most prolific arts innovators.

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SPANISH CINEMA!

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