The two films we have selected for today are representative of
the work of many of the young filmmakers who came onto the Argentine film stage
in the mid-1990s to create what has become known as the New Argentine Cinema
(Falicov calls it by several names, but this is the one that stuck, and that
critics now use capital letters to refer to it means it is now an academically
recognized concept). Although Falicov suggests these were young minds set on
preserving the ideals of a national or independent cinema in the Argentina of
Menem’s “blockbuster” era, on closer scrutiny it is important to see how they
also take advantage of the opportunities afforded them by the system (after
enormous hardship, it must be stated). I don’t think this should be taken as a
criticism, but rather reflects on these young professionals’ training in the
film schools that had proliferated since the early 90s. In our discussion of
the last few films, especially Caballos Salvajes and Nine Queens,
we had questioned how these movies, which depended for their success on a
working class audience, represented those characters they tried to portray.
Falicov points out in Ch. 4 that, although in the 1990s the
INCAA gave preference to funding the projects of directors with higher-budget
commercial films over younger or independent film directors, the organization
also instituted a fund for young filmmakers that resulted in a “new, gritty,
urban style of filmmaking by fresh, young talent.” (115) The style, Falicov
points out, had been seen in Historias breves (1995), which was actually
a compilation of several Argentine shorts presented to an INCAA competition.
The films we are watching today were made by these students who emerged from
the Buenos Aires film schools in the 1990s that “contested the imitative style
of Hollywood, and yet they often rejected the auteuristic approach of the
well-established Argentine film community.”
By 1997, according to INCAA, there were a large number of film
institutes in Argentina, especially around the capital, Buenos Aires, with
enrollment numbering between 4 and 10,000 students (Falicov 117). These
produced films that received national and especially international acclaim
through their focus on the social reality ignored by blockbusters. In today's
films we can speak of the return to a neorealist aesthetic (which had dominated
the social films of the golden age, and the political films of the 60s and
early 70s, centered on stories that followed the hardships of working-class
characters whose reality seemed to have disappeared from the
commercially-successful films) and the low budgets available to the younger
filmmakers added to the gritty look of the films, and reinforced some of the
positions of the advocates of Third Cinema thirty years earlier, who had argued
that the visual style of films produced in the Third World was both a
reflection of a specific reality and of the economic conditions under which
they were produced. As Falicov points out, although these filmmakers are
addressing the social issues that affect the Argentine public, “their stories
are told from a different standpoint, and they are not necessarily openly
polemic or ideological.” (120). Interestingly, this is one of the THEORETICAL
characteristics of neorealist cinema, which aims not at exposing poverty as a
social ill, but rather exposing the viewer to its existence and its consequences.
When discussing Mundo Grúa,
Falicov emphasizes 27 year-old director Pablo Trapero’s desire to use a
Neorealist style , including his reliance on mostly non-professional actors, in
order to underscore the reality of the working class, but also because, in the
1990s, it represented an aesthetic “born out of necessity and urgency, and not
as a movement that sprung out of a bourgeois experiment” (Falicov, 122). I
question this statement (which, to be fair, is not Falicov’s). I think that
there is a deep theoretical base to these films , their composition often
follows contemporary theoretical issues from the philosophy of film (French
philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s two volumes on “The movement image” and the “Time
image” are at the heart of much of the discussion on Italian neorealism, and
also of some interesting interpretations of contemporary Argentine film,
including an analysis of Pizza, Birra, Faso that focuses on the temporal
and geographical DYNAMICS of these films (how the camera works in time and
space, the temporal structure of the film, the way the ACTION develops in space
and time, etc., some very interesting considerations we have not had time to
contemplate in the class.)
It is this relationship to the bourgeois that also ties these
films to many of the arguments regarding the audience’s expectations of the
representation of its own experience, where these films become relevant. It is
interesting to notice that the filmmakers, in both instances, are not too
preoccupied with HISTORY, with what comes before or after the stories. This has
interesting political ramifications (there is no sense of history, there is no
past), but also denies us, as viewers, the comfort of the historical narrative
(what has brought these characters to the situation they are facing
in the film's plot?) something that will explain to us the present circumstance
of the characters, that will allow us to identify with the characters. This gives
a different depth to the viewing experience. After viewing Pizza,
birra, faso in class a couple of years ago, some of the
students judged the characters in the films very harshly, in
part perhaps because we are not given that traditional insight into the
underdog characters that make us empathize with them, as, for example, in Disney's Aladdin,
where we are given a context that allows us to relate to the plight of the
socially-transgressive characters, to feel sorry for them. In the Disney
cartoon the audience did not hope for the hero to get caught or imprisoned as
he keeps "One jump ahead of the breadline, one jump ahead of the
sword" just because he "steals only what I can´t afford"...
"gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat," and what does the crowd
tells us? he is "a one man rise in crime" "I´d blame parents
'xcept he hasn´t got any". The distancing from the
characters not only takes place through this lack of historical setting,
but it functions also as a disarticulation of the plot that allows for
some of the most interesting aspects of Mundo Grúa, which are also
present in Pizza, birra… : In both films the story is organized in
jolts, and rather than witnessing a complete story, this style of narrative
isolates the characters and make the actions that appear in the screen
secondary; in a way, we fill in the blanks of what takes place in the
interstices of the story we are seeing, WE give it a sense of continuity.
In some way, in Mundo Grúa we find some of the positive
Argentine traits we had been shown in Nueve Reinas and Caballos
salvajes; specifically, among Rulo and his friends there is a sense of
solidarity and enjoyment of life that that we had commented in the barbecue of
the blue-collar workers of Caballos, or even in the friendship of the
group of crooks in the closing scene of Nueve Reinas. But here we
experience this reality at eye-level, without making heroes of those forced to
live it, without making political or moral statements about their condition,
without creating a struggle between good and evil, an environment that allows
these characters to just BE. And it is in that being, in the way that these
stories are bereft of allegory, their endings open-ended, their characters
minor, where we can perceive these films’ ability to relate to an audience.
Perhaps not to the “good” audience --bourgeois, educated, wealthy or at least
able to pay for a ticket-- but rather the type that is left to think and ponder
about the exercise and the utility of
filmmaking as art or as social statement.
Pizza, Birra, Faso (Pizza, Beer and Smokes, 1998), falls under the same category
of films made by young film school graduates – here Bruno Stagnaro and Adrián
Caetano-- with limited resources. The film uses neorealist techniques to tell
the socially-relevant story of a group of unemployed youths surviving in the
Argentine capital during a time of crisis. We mentioned, early on in the
semester, the influence a young cast has on the audience, especially in a film
like this, about the negligence of the past, the difficulties of the present
and the challenges of the future –if there are any. The audience (an Argentine
bourgeois audience looking at the reflection of its own world, left to come to
terms with a social reality it has created and from which, it seems, the only
escape is to leave the country? At the end of La historia oficial we
were left to ponder Gaby’s future. Here the future is Cordobés and Sandra’s
child, and hope comes through the voice of the police
speaking to the radio dispatcher (a very Hollywood concept), who talks of “un
nene masculino, aparentemente sin vida por herida de bala” (A male child,
apparently dead from a bullet wound). It is one of the very few times that the
filmmakers allow for emotion to break into the narrative, and barely.
I mentioned how in previous screenings of the film I was shocked
by some students' cheering for the kids’ death, and spent a good deal of time
looking for some intelligent interpretations of the film that would allow us to
redeem these characters. Joanna Page, a critic that writes about the film in
the book Crisis and Capitalism in Contemporary Argentine Cinema, states
eloquently: “in New Argentine Cinema we rarely see explicit denunciations of
the dictatorship or of Menemist policies pursued during the 1990s or, indeed,
any appetite for unrooting past causes or laying blame at a particular door.
The youths of Pizza birra, faso are not simply victims: the film clearly
shows their position within a larger chain of exploitation, as others, hungrier
than they, eat the food they discard; we see them dispassionately robbing those
with less, as well as with more. The psychological explanations of behavior
advanced in Hollywood cinema are denied to us here: we join the action in media
res, … and are afforded no privileged knowledge of the boys’ childhood
experiences that might explain their current actions. The rigor of New
Argentine Cinema lies in its refusal to grant its spectators access to
comforting narratives or continuities that are out of reach for the characters
themselves. Its gaze deliberately distances us, refusing to … satiate our
hunger for explanations.” (40, my emphasis) What these films are doing is
turning us into observers, not letting us be “part of the action”.
In both films we can see the awkward
position in which the camera places us in some shots of both movies, as if we
were there, witnessing the events, … (we talked about how the hand-held camera produces
a “documentary effect”) but we are always passive observers, and perhaps
it is in that passivity that makes us uncomfortable and makes us want to see
more action.
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The film, "Pizza, Birra, Faso" was created in 1998 and directed by Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro. In the time this film was produced Argentina was facing some economic hardships especially in the working class. These hardships led directors to take a new approach to filmmaking, called Neorealism. Neorealism is when the directors use certain visual elements to help us identify with the characters in the film. Filmmakers also began utilizing hand held cameras to help instill a documentary like style of film. This documentary like style was used to express the reality of Argentina without romanticizing it or telling the audience to do something about it.
ReplyDeleteIn "Pizza, Birra, Faso" many realities are expressed. The most prevalent reality was the tremendous poverty and unemployment in Argentina. The main characters Cordobes and Pablo are continuously searching for ways to make money, resulting in stealing and working for the "bosses" around town. They usually in the end get taken advantage of and lose out, however, they are always able to at least get enough money for food. The film shows Cordobes and Pablo buying pizza, and when they leave a stranger comes up to eat their leftovers suggesting that the impoverished include more than just the kids pictured in the film. The fact that teh police officer in the film, who helped fix the car, also asked for cash as reimbursement shows the wide spread poverty that had stricken Argentina.
In the film, Cordobes also tries to reach out to an old friend, Miguel, so that they can get into the casino but since Miguel now has a job he will not acknowledge Cordobes. This interaction brings up another reality in Argentina: the working people's viewed themselves in much higher regard then those unable to find a job, creating tension between the two groups. Those without jobs also seem to be lacking morals throughout the film. When in desperate need of cash, Cordobes and Pablo rob a disabled man and leave him with nothing; however, this does not mean that they lack loyalty. When they go to to rob a taxi and women from their own providence is there and so they treat her very nicely, ensuring that she gets to her plane on time and that she is not hurt, a courtesy onto shown to their other victims.
The final reality I noticed in the film is the possibility of restarting for the middle class. In "Pizza, Birra, Faso" Sandra, Cordobes pregnant girlfriend, represents the middle class. She is always willing to forgive Cordobes for the things he does to help them survive but it is her in the end who is able to leave and take a ferry to Uruguay to start over with the new baby. While Cordobes wanted to go with them, he is unable because of the choices he has made and ends up dying in the final scene due to a bullet wound in a heist gone wrong.
The film we viewed in class today, Pizza, Beer, and Cigarettes, directed by Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro, explores a group of petty criminals’ idea of a big score- the robbery of a dance club to which they have been refused entry. Their plight reflects their desperate position on the social hierarchy. This film focuses on a tendency towards Italian neorealism trained on the homeless youth, with the hiring of non-professional actors, and a hand-held camera that provides a documentary-like point of view for the audience. This Italian neorealism technique as we have seen in other films viewed in class, is a key characteristic of the New Argentine Cinema. Pizza, Beer, and Cigarettes focuses on the harsh social realities of the “invisible” youth. Argentina’s lower class continues to produce cycles of impoverished, destitute, and underprivileged youth. These youth become invisible because these generations are a nuisance to society. Society leaves these youth to their own devices, because the privileged in Argentina, the middle class and even the working class to some extent, do not care about the livelihood or futures of their countries children. A nation’s youth embody the future of the country, but in Pizza, Beer, and Cigarettes these generations are the wasted youth.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the only positive connotation associated with this film was Sandra’s situation. She was brought up in a middle class household, and had the option of returning home rather than sleeping on the streets of Argentina. However, this was at the expense of her father’s abusiveness. This abuse is symbolic of the middle class’ treatment of the invisible youth. These youth may not be harmed in a physical sense by the working class, but by choosing to ignore their plight and desperate call for help, the working class are contributing to the abusiveness. They are as much to blame as Sandra’s father. Sandra is given a second chance for a different life, and hopefully a better life, through her unborn child. However, in doing so she will need to leave her old life, city, and father of her baby behind. She is alone and can only rely on herself. It does however make the audience wonder if she will contribute to the cycle of the poor generations that society continues to produce through the birth of her child. Caetano and Stagnaro allude to this by painting a dismal and bleak future for Sandra, but it is apparent to the audience that she is better off at the end of the film than she was at the beginning.
Falikov argues that the new generation of filmmakers that created Pizza, Birra, Faso (1998) and Mundo Grúa (1999) were driven mostly by necessity to use inexpensive cameras. This created a neorealist effect like the films of 30 years prior. Either way, both embrace this “gritty” appearance and use it to their advantage. The first film, Pizza, Birra, Faso, followed around two young robbers and their friends as they tried to make a living in Buenos Aires. The handheld cameras were usually set up and not moved; creating shots that lasted a long time (an odd phenomenon when compared to glossy Hollywood films). They were also used effectively during the chase and fight scenes towards the end of the movie. As also stated by Falikov, this movie was created not as a social commentary, but rather a window into the lives that many may not consider. It’s true that these young robbers are committing crimes, but the audience is led to believe that this is their only option other than relying on pizza handouts from strangers.
ReplyDeleteThe second film viewed in class today, Mundo Grúa centers around the life of an aging crane operator, Rulo. The film was shot in all black and white, and uses a minimalist approach as far as shot composition goes. This is very reminiscent of the neo-realist style of the 60’s. At the beginning of the film, Rulo is told that he must lose weight and might be suffering from a weight-related condition that affects his breathing. We also learn that Rulo used to be in a band, and got his current job through a friend. The audience is introduced to the love interest in the movie, Adriana, his son, and his mother. When Rulo loses his job, he goes south in search of more opportunities. When that job doesn’t work out, Rulo again travels north. The defining conversation in the film takes place between Rulo and the man who helped him get his second job. Rulo relates a story about a time where he got drunk while performing and that he has many other stories like it. He then goes on to say that he doesn’t much like remembering these times. In this respect, the audience can infer that Rulo doesn’t believe life is defined by its high points, rather the day to day existence. In this respect, this film also offers a window into the daily life of the working class. This is mirrored by the black and white color scale used in the film. The audience is not asked to interpret anything they see, rather see things as they are. Things are black and white.
There is a very clear shift in the types of films we watched yesterday from last week. From action packed, more Hollywood like movies, we have transitioned to this more realistic reflection of the big social issues in society. As explained by Falicov, it is clear that the funding for these young filmmakers was not nearly as much as the high-budget commercial films. The esthetic of how it was filmed had no car explosions or fast-paced car chases, it was simply the everyday corruption of the youth. Both Pizza, birra, faso and Crane World depict the economic crisis of Argentina at the time. I believe both of these films don't lead our audience to look for solutions, but rather to cause the invisible issues of society to be thought about. In a way the point of both stories is to tell the story of the antihero, to explore life and reality and bring to the big screen what Argentine society actually looks. Reality is not being glorified for the sake of entertainment, rather the Argentine cinema is being renewed by these young directors to look at the unspoken or overlooked issues in society.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I note is that the reason, we as a class don't see a super direct message is because we may not relate well to the Argentine society in this time. How many of us have grown up on the streets feeling like our only economic option was theft? Or have we been born into this society of horrible economic crisis with few options? How many of us have worked a job for 20 years to be unexpectedly laid off and have not education or of the skills sets to fall back on? At times I feel like the reason these movies feel slow and drawn out, is because we aren't experiencing the difficulties that the directors are trying to depict. I am sure that for the Argentine people when the movies came out, these realistic depictions struck a chord with them. The "documentary effect" of both films make the audience feel as though they are observers, witnessing the events. And perhaps it is this realistic viewing of the films that would make these films important in Argentine society.
“Pizza,Birra, Faso”(1998) is a great example of the new style of film known as New Argentine Cinema which was representative of new, young filmmakers that were appearing in the 1990’s. Falicov describes this new style as characterized by “ the fact that they generally choose marginalized figures in Argentine society, do not conform to the same styles of camera angles and cuts that earlier directors used, and they typically do not make genre films”(130). The film definitely utilized different camera angles and cuts than we have seen in previous movies especially since it was filmed with a handheld camera. This is very evident in the opening scene of the movie which is very choppy. Moreover, it portrays marginalized characters. All of the main characters are poor except Sandra who is of the middle class. In previous films we have watched such as “ The Official Story” characters were of the middle class or at least working class as seen in “Wild Horses”. By portraying this marginalized class the film conveys Argentina’s attitude towards this marginalized group of the population. The film portrays the harsh realities in Argentina without trying to romanticize it as previous films we have watched have. It suggests the dismaying place Argentina has reached such that kids are forced to break the law just to survive. Moreover, it paints a dismal portrait of the poor suggesting that they are a stain on the beautiful canvas that is Argentina. The poor are seen as somewhat a disgrace in society and the lowest of the low. This is evident in the scene where Pablo and Cordobes leave their pizza and it is picked up and eaten by someone else. This suggests that they are the absolute lowest rank in society. Further, beyond just examining the poor it is more generally a reflection on city life in Argentina. This is evident in both the opening and closing scenes. The opening scene comes into a panoramic of the city symbolically introducing us to city life and then the final scene moves out of the city symbolizing our end to the introduction. I also took note of the scene where they bribe the cop to let them go. This was an allegory for larger corruption within the government. This is yet another social issue the movie explores. I saw a stark difference between past heist movies we have watched specifically “Wild Horses” and “Pizza,Birra, Faso” in terms of the morality of the characters and how they are portrayed. Juan and Pedro are seen as crusaders avenging the working class. Moreover they are portrayed as having morals in that they only steal from the rich and in the end give money back to the working class. This coupled with the back-story makes you root for the characters and also makes you very emotional when Juan is shot in the final scenes. Whereas in “Pizza,Birra, Faso” you do not get any backstory on any of the characters. They are also portrayed as lawless. They do not have moral standards and steal from disadvantaged groups including a legless man and an older woman. These factors both make it almost impossible for you to develop an emotional connection. I found myself almost cheering when Cordobes was shot.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading about Pizza, birra y faso in Falicov’s book I was pleasantly surprised that we would get a chance to watch it in class.
ReplyDeleteThe film Pizza, birra y faso (1998) came at a time when the creation of low-budget film fund was instituted by the INCAA. The movement spearheaded by fresh, young and new filmmakers came on the scene partially due to a sanctioned effort by the INCAA to provide them with funding. At the same time many films schools were opening up and expanding. Many of the recent film school graduates were becoming successful in releasing feature length films (Falicov, 2007). The film Pizza, birra y faso was made with $187,500 dollars that was given by the INCAA and $112,500 that was provided by a Dutch foundation. The directors Caetano and Stagnaro tell a visual story about a generation of youth who struggle to maintain their human relationships while living in a city that at times is overwhelming.
The film depicts scenes that are gritty, dark and under lit. The director wants to bring light to social issues within the countries and in the city of Buenos Aires in particular. The film reflects and addresses the reality about an underground world in which protagonists Cordoba and Pablo commit robberies on the streets. The directors shed light on an ‘invisible’ population and I wonder at time if they are attempting to force the viewers to witness a problem in Buenos Aires that its populace would like to forget [about]. Like in the documentary that we watched, Memoria de Saqueo (Solanas, 2004) in the scene where the doctors talks about the poor and undernourished generation of people that he says that society feels that there is no place for them and they should die.
The new Argentine cinema does not show the bourgeois or “acceptable’ side of Argentina rather focuses on stories that are told from a different perspective with the intent of making a statement.
In my opinion I felt the film would have been a little more effective if there was less foul language and more meaningful dialogue and character development between the characters. The scenes between Sandra and Cordoba tapped into the human relationship side of the story the most for me.
The two films we watched today, Pizza, birra, faso (Pizza, Beer, and Cigarettes) directed by Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro in 1998 and undo Grua (Crane World) directed by Pablo Trapero in 1999. Both of these films use the style of The New Argentine Cinema and takes advantage of the Italian Neorealist aesthetic. For example, there is a sense of non-closure that is left up to the viewer for interpretation. It could be argued whether the filmmaker uses grittiness as a lack of resources or if it was another way to reach the audience.
ReplyDeleteThe character I connected with most in Pizza, birra, faso was Sandra played by Pamela Jordan. Since this film depicts the daily lives of the adolescence in Argentina, all of the characters are victims of circumstance to a degree, but I think that Sandra is in the most challenging predicament. Being pregnant, her only choices were to stay with the father of her child and continue being involved in a life of crime or live with her own father who beats her. Falicov explains that this movie is about, “human relationships, and how Cordoba and his pregnant girlfriend Sandra try to escape life in the streets” (119). There is a level of sympathy with Sandra that I didn’t feel with the other characters because the boys in the film did not seem to mind (and at times enjoyed) living a life of crime. At the end of the movie, it is open to interpretation whether Sandra will get a second chance at a better life or if her life will remain in chaos. I think this speaks to adolescence everywhere who are unaware of the consequences or outcomes of their actions. What happens in the future is left ambiguous.
The film undo Grua is also approached with an unbiased perspective by illustrating the life of a middle-aged man named Rulo (Luis Margani) who is struggling to survive in the working class. Throughout the film, Rulo does not appear to be especially happy or depressed about having a life that is mediocre. I would argue with Falicov when she explains that Rulo, “has never emotionally resolved the loss of his former status in the heyday as a musician in a semi-successful rock band during the 1979s” (122). He seems content with his past and even mentions that he does not feel like partying or having fun anymore. He had already done the party scene and it did not seem to get him anywhere. The overall meaning I developed from this film was that life is just what it is. Sometimes bad things happen just as pleasant things happen and that is just a part of existing in an ordinary “population stung by the cruel realities of a neoliberal Argentina” (Falicov 122).
After watching these films, I felt I was able to comprehend a different perspective of the lower and working class lifestyles in Argentina. These films were unlike La historia oficial (The Official Story, 1985) which perceives the middle-class as a society that suffers from the consequences of their own actions. In the two films today, the characters accept their lifestyle guilt free and seem quite content overall. I find it interesting that the characters in these films seem to become more satisfied in their living conditions the further down the societal scale they go. By not glamorizing the life of an ordinary person, these New Argentine Cinema filmmakers have created a genre that is convincing to an audience.
The first film we watched today, named “Pizza, birra, faso”, debuted in 1998 and was directed by Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro. A neo-realist approach to film, it depicted a group of young hoodlums surviving day-to-day working with a taxi driver to rob his passengers. Wanting ever more from their existence they also try working with a seemingly “bigger” criminal who supplies them with guns to rob a restaurant. However, the group of friends soon determines that both are ripping them off. One of the young men, Cordoba, has a pregnant girlfriend named Sandra and wants to get enough money to take the ferry to Uruguay to start a new life. The group had long-since been dreaming of pulling off a big robbery by themselves, watching movies to prepare, and Cordoba agrees in order to get the movie he needs. However, being complete amateurs, the robbery attempt goes completely wrong and Cordoba is shot. He makes his way to the ferry and then hides his would from Sandra to give her the money they had succeeded in grabbing. Telling her he would take the next ferry he succumbs to his wound and takes his last breath, slumping over as the ferry leaves the dock.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this story had some appeal in the tragedy of the last few minutes, for the most part the audience is left somewhat detached. There is no connection to the characters because of how they treated those around them. There was no remorse in their actions and they seemed as if they would do just about anything to get onto easy street without actually having to work for their money. If I were trying to decide what this film tells its audience about where Argentina was as a nation when it was produced, I would say that it was a nation in recovery from its tragic past, and I would wonder what opportunities were available to these youth other than a life of robbery and vandalism.
The second movie we watched today was called “Mundo grua” or “Crane World”, released in 1999 and directed by Pablo Trapero. In the film Luis Margani plays Rulo a middle-aged construction worker who is in and out of work due to his health. An old friends lands him a job operating a crane in downtown Buenos Aires but as soon as his health report comes back from the company’s doctor they let him go because their insurance won’t carry him. He then finds a job farther outside the city and works operating a crane to dig trenches along the side of a road. This new company is somewhat unreliable in food and in pay and a group of workers, including Rulo, decide to leave. During this season in Rulo’s life he is also contending with his teenage son who is leading the life of young musician, playing gigs and picking up girls, something Rulo did himself in his youth.
The movie is somewhat monotonous, however, the simplicity of the movie may inspire some to enjoy daily life and not take for granted how easily life can change. Rulo did a good job of going with the flow of his life. He never became upset or overwhelmed and he seemed happiest when he was with family and friends. As a country, during the making of this film, it seems Argentina’s labor market is still in recovery and it is becoming increasing harder for people to find a permanent job.
My interpretation of Pizza, Birra, Faso directed by Bruno Stagnaro and Adrian Caetano was that the youth of Argentina were suffering and no one was taking action to change the situation. It was sad to see these young adults struggling so much with no role model to help them find a better path. I agree with most critics in that, what the protagonists were doing to get their money was extremely wrong especially when they stole from people even less fortunate than themselves, such as the man with no legs making money with his guitar. But at the same time I did not interpret these boys as evil or bad guys, it was more pity/sorry for them. Looking at their actions from a more psychological stand point the way in which these boys seemed to be raised, without parents guiding them to becoming successful human beings, means that they at this point in their lives know of no other way to survive. From what information was given about these characters, that each of them did have previous jobs but did not excel in any of them. They did not fit in to that particular surrounding they had worked in. At that age if you do not seem to fit in and especially if you have no support telling you that its ok, things happen try harder or let’s try working somewhere different because this better fits your capabilities like a role model would say. These kids had no one to do this for them, so when they failed they took it personally. Kids would rather give up than fail at this and earlier ages if they do not have someone pushing them to work through their struggles in a positive way. This is why role models whether they be parents, teachers, coaches, or any other adult figure are so important.
ReplyDeleteBut simply looking at the way this film was presented it was way more entertaining than Mundo Grua directed by Pablo Traero’s, even though they were released around the same time. Whereas Pizza, Birra, Faso was a film depicting the everyday lives of Argentineans, it presented this in a more entertaining way than the very formal neorealist style show in Mundo Grua. This film definitely illustrated this style of film making more accurate than the previous by being more realistic in how one would live day to day. There was no glamour about it and the film did a really good job representing how hard it was to find a job even as an adult with experience in different traits.The main way this film was more realistic than the other was the camera angles. The way this film was edited and designed made you feel as though you were a part of it all. When the protagonists were in the closet looking for the bass or pictures you felt crowded in there as well. The director did an amazing job of bringing reality to the screen.
The film, "Pizza, Birra, Faso" was created in 1998 and directed by Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro. As falicov explains, there wasn't enough funding for this directors and others. the movie talk about a group of troubled teens in Buenos Aires Argentina, since there was a lack of jobs in the area, the only way for them to survive and eat was to commit crimes. They are live together I a small apartment, and its hard for Sandra especially since she's pregnant. Sandra wants to change and realizes she cant do that if she stays in Argentina. Sandra's character was the one that interested me the most in the movie. She came up from a middle class family in Argentina, unfortunately she also had an abusive father. the movie really depicts what many troubled teens go trough in poor lower class areas. At the ending of the movie, the father of the kid and Sandra's boyfriend gets killed after robbing a night club, leaving a kid behind, keeping that cycle going.Reality is not being glorified for the sake of entertainment, rather the Argentine cinema is being renewed by these young directors to look at the unspoken or overlooked issues in society. overall, it was a great movie showing all the issues that were going on in Argentina during that time .
ReplyDeleteThe realistic depiction of a young group of children stealing and robbing their way up the social class was shown in Caetano & Stagnaro’s movie, Pizza, Birra, and Faso. In this movie, we followed the endeavors of Cordobes and Pablo, along with their friends, as they try to get out of their poverty. The film used the “shaky” camera effect along with jump cuts which conveyed a sense of neorealist filmmaking seen in the previous years. This style was not only used to get a more intimate feel with the characters of the film, but was also efficient during a time of financial struggle. The two directors were students and was able to get funding through the INCAA, along with other producers. This was great for them, but it also proved that filmmaking during this time was heavily impacted and consequently needed funding. Low budget filming was one of the few outlets for young and new filmmakers to create their art. An important aspect of this film was the locations that were used. Unlike the blockbuster films like Nine Queens, the shot scenes in this movie isn’t grand motorcycle chases, but rather the directors showed the grim and grittiness of the streets of Buenos Aires. In a few scenes, littered trash and graffiti are shown in the background of the film. This not only emphasized the low production of the movie, but had also showed the reality of the lower class in Argentina.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film, there is also a sense of tension for the viewer. One cannot decide if they support or scold the actions of Cordobes and his friends. Furthermore, the viewer is placed within the film as an inactive watcher of the scenes. We do not truly want to interact with Cordobes because of his actions, yet he is still only just a kid. This is evident in the last scene where the police operator mentioned a bullet wound in a young male child. That moment was one of the few that actually had addressed the premise of the film’s message. Even though Cordobes was unjust in his actions, he was still just a young boy trying to get out of poverty. Another scene that showcased the depth of poverty was when a scavenger grabbed the pizza left by Cordobes and Pablo. This shot showed not only the poverty that Cordobes was in, but it also showed another sub-level of poverty underneath his own. A level of poverty that isn’t as obvious as Cordobes and his friends and that fed on the scraps left over by them. Cordobes, just like most of his fellow peers, is a victim of the Argentinian government. He is so indebted into the lower class, that he and his friends would do anything to make money, such as robbing a crippled man. Trying to be the one on top, Cordobes exploits the fellow citizens of Argentina with death threats and tried to use a gun against the police for his escape, only encountering his demise.
In the end, only Cordobes’s girlfriend, Sandra, is the one that was successful and was able to start a new life. The boat in which she left on is allegorical to the only solution a low class Argentinian could take. In most of the scenes, Cordobes and his friends are constantly trying to get more money. At its conclusion, he and most of his friends have died trying to get to this goal. The severity of his actions is what killed him and it is conveyed in the film that any sort of attempt at advancing one’s own social status is negligible. The film showed that if one was to try and break the barriers placed by a financially corrupt government, only tragedy will be the ultimate outcome. Even though the film doesn’t create the conventional emotional connection to Cordobes and his friends, we are left with the haunting idea that they were only children and that their deaths was trivial in grand scheme of Argentinian politics.
In Pizza, birra, faso (1998) we as a class are introduced or rather advised to pay attention to the camera angles (how it seems to have been filmed by a handheld camera), and also to pay attention to how the film seemed kind of like a documentary at the begging due to the imagery. With this technique we can feel a sense of reality, and that this film is not going to contain a “too good to be true, everybody lives happily ever after” type of movie.
ReplyDeleteBased on the character’s story and adventure, I could see how the Argentine economy really messes people up to the point in which they feel the need to rob. With this in mind, this movie kind of reminded me of the American movie, Set It Off (1996). This movie was set filmed in Los Angeles, California, and showed the lives of 4 women who got taken advantage of by the system, so to get what they needed to escape and live a better life, they decide to rob banks. Like Pizza, birra, faso, at the end when they attempt to pull off their big, last heist, they get caught and the cops end up killing all, but one of the members. In Set It Off, one of the girls grew up without parents as which coincides even more with the movie watched in class because it goes to show that these young adults have had no role models to look up to and have had to figure things out for themselves in a society that could less about them. Both are in major cities that prosper, yet the citizens are not prospering. However, the two films are different because Pizza, birra, faso contains little to no character development whereas Set It Off has a lot of it.
The reason why Caetano and Stagnaro did not include much character development was to allow the audience to focus more on how the society is playing a role in all of what occurs throughout the movie. For example, we see that the main characters are in a low sector of society, but it becomes apparent that they are not even the lowest of the low when a man eats their pizza scraps. Another point in the movie where the audience can see how society works in Argentina is when the guys all get stopped by the cop, and he helps them get the car started. After he helps them, he asks for money to leave them alone. It shows that corruption has reached people of society that young men and women should be able to look up to which hints to Argentina’s problem as to why things are not getting better almost 20 years after the change from a dictatorship to a democracy. No one was setting the path for those who will run the future.
Pizza, birra, and faso (1998, Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro) is an interesting film that takes place in the city of Buenos Aires. There are several young characters, and there is little character development throughout the film. The personalities of the individual characters leave something to be desired and I find them to be less relatable than those in the previous film. It is quite fragmented and the plot is difficult to follow. There is a lot of shooting done with a handheld camera, giving it a documentary-like feel. The film offers a commentary on class division, showing the struggles and boredom of a lower class represented by the main characters. Though they seem to be closer to the bottom of the food chain, there are still those below that (for example) consume their unwanted pizza they leave behind at the restaurant. Within the group is a pregnant young woman. She is the girlfriend of one of the main characters and although she hangs out with a tough crowd, we later see that she is a product of an upper middle class family. Eventually we get a glimpse of the dysfunction of her family unit. The youth within the film all lack a definite role model. The conflicts that arise become steadily more intense and at the end, the protagonist has been shot but he insists his girlfriend and unborn baby board the ferry to leave the country. This is a decision no adolescent should have to make. The audience hears the police officer on the radio describe the young man as a “nene”, once again alluding to the fact that these individuals are just that… kids.
ReplyDeleteCrane World, directed by Pablo Trapero and released in 1999, is shot in black and white with a handheld camera. Lack-luster actors with less familiar faces play the characters in the film. The plot is once again difficult to follow and there are less action shots, leaving a lot to the interpretation of the audience. This is my least favorite film from the many we have seen so far. Though the characters are more down to earth and relatable, I find it difficult to derive the message from this film.
Transitions in the economic and political scene of Argentina had a direct effect on the film industry. The inextricable ties and response of the industry to the political situation often led to an deluge of creativity as a reaction to the circumstances. After a period of hardships, a new generation of filmmakers emerged in the 1990’s. New Argentine Cinema was characterized by a return to standards of realism as the “filmmakers look at problems in Argentine society with a quirky, youth-oriented perspective.” (119) Low budgets and fresh perspectives set the stage for a new approach to film.
ReplyDeletePizza, Birra, Faso documents the lives of Argentine teenagers struggling to survive and thrive in a dark and bleak environment. The reality of society and the economy of the time is emphasized as the boys are reduced to stealing from a legless man on the street and systematically planning their next theft. Sandra, Cordoba’s pregnant girlfriend, is trapped between continuing an inglorious life with her boyfriend or being subjected to the abuse of her middle-class father. They are all living without much hope for the future, emphasizing the gritty reality and neorealistic approach sought after by the New Argentine Cinema movement.
Mundo Grua reveals the life of a working class man, as he ventures to maintain work and care for his teenage son. The viewer becomes familiar with his story, almost creating an emotional investment in his life as he enters the dating scene, dines with his cronies, and addresses the past through his son. The black and white film emphasizes an anti-hero message framed by the monotony of everyday life. The monotony is balanced by the little joys of life, specifically through parts of the movie such as his dating escapade. Falicov describes the author’s intent of strictly adhering to neorealist techniques. He achieved this by telling a low-key story of everyday life.
Mundo Grua, directed by Pablo Trapero, and Pizza, Birra, Faso, directed by Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro, are filmed in a documentary style that allows the viewer to be present in the moment. In both films, this approach strengthened the focus on the everyday lives of the protagonists versus Hollywood inspired action. The films distinctly reveal the realities of life for people of all ages. The characters are not people with extended wealth and opulent lives, but rather working-class people who are trying to survive in a challenging world.
“Pizza, Birra, Faso” made in 1998 by directors Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro, was by far the most different of any of the films that we have seen thus far in this class. In the film we see a group of young teens who are little thugs living on the streets, trying to survive in down town Buenos Aires. There is a clear lack of education, lack of good hygiene, and lack of any parental/role models in their lives. The film places these teen in the harsher, not well seen locations of Down Town Buenos Aires, where the forgotten peoples of society, like these teens, reside. This style of representing these teens in this student film production, depicts what Falicov describes as typical student films which “ exhibited a realism that exposed a side of Argentina that most medium-budget, middle-class dramas had not” (119). Student film during this time touched on some of the neo-realistic styles of earlier 60’s films, but added a twist of a youth’s perspective that pushed away from the documentary feel. This student film had more choppy scenes and more hand held camera shots that actually aided the audience in feeling as if they were bystandards watching these events taking place while in the city. This was a very important tool used by the directors that forced the audience to pay attention to the environment, economic devastation, lifestyle and character actions and draw their own conclusions and connections about what is going on. Interestingly, Caetano and Stagnaro do not allow the audience to become very involved emotionally towards this films characters or even to the series of events that go on, which is important in helping to focus the audience on the scenery and the environment that is revolving around these teens.
ReplyDeleteI would argue that the purpose of the this film is to raise awareness of the issues going on in down town Buenos Aires and question what kind of legacy are we leaving behand for the next generation. We see in the film a clear lack of direction and parental guidance for these young people living in the streets who are left to their own devices. The adults who are in their lives, are just as corrupt as they are. For example, Sandra’s father beats her, the taxi cab driver that they work for encourages them to steal and he takes advantage of the money that they make, and the police office lets them escape with no car registration just by paying him a large sum of money. There is no sense of a moral compass in these teens besides what they learn from the adults in their life and T.V. T.V. is a major part of how these young teens come up with plans on how to steal and get away with their crimes. Overall, These young people, like many of the poor people living in down town Buenos Aires, have been forgotten by society and the countries complacency towards this part of its society has resulted in all this devastation. This film speaks to the cold reality that this kind of devastation still exists, it never went away after the military dictatorship and it was never addressed by democratic leaders; not everything in Buenos Aires is as beautiful as it looks.
Monday the film Pizza, Birra, Faso (1998) produced by Adrian Caetano and Bileuo Stagnano and the film Mundo Grua (Crane World, 1999) produced by Pablo Trapero were watched and discussed in class. These two films were a part of the New Argentine Cinema which are funded by grants and festival competitions by the INCAA and other organizations giving new filmmakers an opportunity to present their films. This New Argentine Cinema is described by film scholar Gonzalo Aguilar as one with “open endings, an absence of emphasis and allegories, more ambiguous characters” (Falicovl, 130). Directed by the younger generation of filmmakers that had limited resources adds a “gritty” feel to the movies which showcase the economic hardship faced by the Argentineans in the 1990s.
ReplyDeleteWhen examining the first film of the day, Pizza, Birra, Faso reveals the side of Buenos Aires that goes unnoticed by society. The characters in the film are a gang of jobless young adults living off of robbing others. A handheld camera brings the viewer into a close up of day to day life yet does not provide the context of why these people are in the situation that they are in and disregard sensible morals that distance the audience from relating to the characters at all. From robbing a business man in a taxi on the way to the airport, a restaurant, a bar, people in line for jobs, a legless man playing his guitar on the streets who also knows them by name demonstrates the survival mode mentality of the characters. One character Sandra who is from a middle class family, is the only person who seems to want a more stable future. She leaves her husband to go back home to her abusive father and asks her husband who is in the gang to promise her to find any real job, then she will come back. However, her husband does not stop stealing and does not get a real job. At the end of the movie he dies of a bullet wound from an attempt to rob the club that his friend got a job at. Sandra manages to get a ticket that her husband gave her the night before this tragic event on a ferri headed to Uruguay. A sense of wasted youth of the poor, uneducated, lawless, lower class resounds through the film. On the other hand, the theme of middle class escaping the negative effects of the poverty and the next generation raised robbed of a stable life and missing role-models. Even the watching of movies that are purely entertainment and show violence and unrealistic expectations influence the characters violent reactions to conflicts that they face. Then recalling the leaving of the ferri removes the audience from the characters further where questions are left unanswered and left thinking about these people they had never thought of before.
Then there was the movie Crane World which resembles the first film in many ways yet it is completely different. First, the entire film is black and white and received funding by University. A hand-held camera was used as well to hint of progress lagging behind the times. In this film the main character, Rulo, is working-class has lived past his glory days of playing bass in a one hit band, and now is overweight and looks for work doing unusual jobs. It seems to me that every job that he finds he somehow falls short of securing the job and moves on. One job he tried to get was working at a construction site in a crane. Rulo needed training and had to have a doctor’s examination for insurance, which turned out to not accept him because he was overweight by 20 kilograms. In between jobs Rulo promises and attempts to fix things he is not familiar with such as blinds and a motor. This could be interpreted as Argentina trying to figure out how to recover from the disaster resulting from mismanagement, fraud, dependence, corruption, lies, violence, and dictatorship without outright saying anything. Then one of his friends tells Rulo about another job working a digging machine at a construction site in the South. Here he is paid well, however receives lunch late or not at all, which makes the company he is working for unreliable and too much to handle. Therefore, Rulo leaves yet another job. Also, Rulo’s kid is worth mentioning because he resembles his father in his youth because the kid plays in a band like his father. This is interesting in how it brings up the idea of the next generation becoming like the previous generation. The influence of the environment that a person is raised from including people and places significantly molds a person into the person that they are. In the film daily life is shown in lingering cuts of driving down a barren road, washing a car, buying a sandwich, shaving, Rulo’s car breaking down, and ordinary conversations. Even a parade on Gaucho National Day was shown briefly adding to the assumption of time and events passing as life goes on. The fact that nothing is really done by Rulo to lose weight reminds me of the lack of action of the Argentinean people as a whole in dealing with their current –behind the times- state their nation is facing. Maybe what the audience should take from this film is to examine their own daily life and decide if that is really the life they want to live and perhaps consider what the effects of continuing or discontinuing what they do foretell.
ReplyDeleteI was interested in the fact that Pizza, Birra, Faso is a very political film. This film was made under a film movement in Argentina involving students. What I find interesting is the perspective on Argentine youth that the film takes on. As the professor has pointed out already, it is important to take note that the film does not concretely make judgements of Menem’s government and policies. The scenes are artistic and creative when making political commentary. The scene with one of the men eating a slice of pizza, leaving it there and seeing a stranger pick up the leftovers to eat makes a strong statement not just about the economy of Argentina but a universal theme of people and certain sectors of society that need to do what they do to survive. I found it interesting that the film also contains a theme of the effects of the system being passed down to the next generation. This film is politically charged in many of its scenes. The pizza shows this theme precisely. The fact that another person picks up the leftovers gives a notion of continuity. The film is criticizing that sense of continuity. It makes finding a solution to such a huge political issue complicated in Argentina. To expand on this idea, I believe that this theme is purposefully portrayed in such a light to demonstrate the fact that a concrete solution is indeed difficult. This idea of continuity can also be found in the unborn child that will grow up without his father most likely in a home that is struggling to provide for the child as well as survive. I believe that this film is making a criticism about the system and what it is providing for Argentine youth. The film is making an interesting connection between Argentine youth and the opportunities that are available to them. The fact that they live uncomfortably and are unhappy people is a local and universal reflection of youth. The film provides more questions as to the future of Argentine youth than it does answers.
ReplyDeleteToday, we watched two movies, “Pizza Birra Faso” and “Mundo Grua”, both filmed at the very end of the 20th century. At this time in Argentina, the country was still experiencing immense turmoil socially, politically, and economically. In these two films, we see the struggles of the youth and of the working class. In “Pizza Birra Faso”, the youth struggle to find work. The directors, Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro, send the message of trying to make the audience aware of the true social conditions of the youth. They may appear as outlawed or rebellious, but in actuality, they are simply trying to get by in any way they can, even robbing people of their money. It is not a political message, but more of a social message of apathy for the future of the country and of its youth. The uprising generation of leaders is these kids seen in this movie, who have to lie and steal to survive. The way this movie evokes emotion is through Sandra, who is a pregnant teenager. She comes from the middle class, but her boyfriend, who ends up dying at the end, tries to provide for her and the baby and wants to prove he is ready to be a father. The end scene of his death shows that, much like the cops, the upper class is apathetic and ignores the poor. The life of a poor person of this time is worth nothing.
ReplyDeleteIn “Mundo Grua”, we get a glimpse of the daily life of a working class man, Rulo. Although it is less intense and action-packed than “Pizza Birra Faso”, it also accurately depicts the life of working class people during this time, and the struggles he endures. The fact that the film is black and white adds to a tone of monotony and melancholy. It does so in such a way that it can be enjoyed, pondered, and even related. It heightens the viewers awareness of the actual situation and shows the other side of reality that is not glamorous, nor is it even exciting in the slightest.
Both of these movies show the daily life of struggling people in Argentina through a neorealist perspective. They involve unprofessional actors, low-budget equipment, and minimalist technology.
Pizza, Birra, Faso displayed many interesting aspects throughout the film. The video showed a critic to Argentina’s economic crisis in a manner to instill a reaction from the audience. The main characters struggled to meet their daily needs, and through robbery and their criminal activities they maintained at least a meal through the day. For the most part many of the characters were young who lived careless. Although, they exposed a real struggle in their lives their moral values were extremely skeptical. The young men on a few occasions would question their real needs compared to wants. For instance, two of the characters decided to steal from a handicapped individual, someone who had decapitated legs and could not walk. Stealing from others from need is no way to be heroic of someone to feel sympathy for. In a way the film exposed a real corruption in the system that everyone seems to be suffering from. In one of the scenes, the young men did not finish their pizza so they left whatever they didn’t finish behind then the next scene other homeless ate what they left behind. This scene displays that many citizens are dealing with severe conditions. In the other hand, Mundo Grua displayed another tragedy through the economic system. The main protagonist goes from job to job to maintain a decent living. Through the film we see that he has a good heart and continues to search for a job regardless of his health and other obstacles. I found it interesting to see his relationship with his father. Although, in the beginning his father continues to help him in the end his father is less tolerable of his laziness and his careless activities of partying and drinking and decides to kick him out. However, the son doesn’t leave to advance in his life because he moves in with his grandmother. In a way the audience can see how critical the economic system was during this time.
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ReplyDeletePizza, Birra, Faso (1998) was a particular film that followed the life of a group of mis-fit teens living in very tough conditions. This film took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina. These teens were growing up in very rough conditions and the only way they could get by was by stealing from other people. The group of teenagers did not have any role models and had no boundaries to the types of crimes that they committed. Someone in class pointed out something very interesting. In the film, the crimes start off very small and as the movie progresses the crimes get worse and worse. One of the first crimes that they committed was robbing a legless street performer. The last crime they committed was shooting a police officer.
What I believe is that as life moved on and Cordobes had to make tougher and tougher life decisions he was unprepared. Cordobes was about to have a family. He had his girlfriend pregnant, so now Cordobes needed to provide for the new family. When Cordobes couldn’t provide, Sandra decided to move back in with her abusive father. Cordobes needed to get a good job to provide, but instead decided to commit more crimes. Ultimately having most of the group die. Cordobes did not know any better than to do the thing that he knew would get him by and this was to steal.
I take away a very strong message from this film. No one is ever brought up in ideal situations, something always goes wrong. What distinguishes people is how they combat the wrong, what comes from that wrong. But at the same time the decisions a person makes are based upon the situations you were accustomed to and the people that surround you, that influence you. This film was interesting and it did leave me thinking about everything that this represented.
Pizza, Barro, Fasso is an Argentine Cinema that depicts the daily life of four young adults trying to survive in the city of Buenos Aires. These kids have a sense of invisibility as they thieve and rob others in order to be able to provide for each other. The kids just find themselves barely scarping by and they perform robbery after robbery. Fellicov adds that, “the protagonists are overwhelmed by the city, but try to become a part of it at any cost, Fellicov adds that, “the protagonists are overwhelmed by the city, but try to become a part of it at any cost” (119). Fellicov also refers the young adults in the movie as Generation X, and as depicted in a documentary previously watched in class, there is a sad notion that the middle class this and other of higher class think that we would be better off without them. This is a sad thinking of Argentina who was striving to better and start a new generation in Argentina, but who had no strategical means of helping the generation who was unemployed and uneducated. There is also this notion that there are no role models for the kids struggling to survive in the streets of Buenos Aires, and who also have no families except Sandra. However, the family of Sandra does not even serve as a good role model to the kids as he abuses her, his daughter who is a pregnant woman. This movie calls into question about the society this new generation is entering into and how well of a job those before them have provided opportunities for them in Argentina. It’s subdued hints through the following of these kids’ lives hint at the message that there is a necessity to build a better Argentina for the youth that is entering it.
ReplyDeleteThe second movie we watched, Mundo Grua, depicted the monotony of life that Rulo faced. I found it interesting that there was this message of complacency, and no message to change that. For example, when the doctor told Rulo that he should lose weight for his health Rulo is surprised and a little concerned as to how this will affect his job, yet does not change his eating habits nor does he begin to exercise. His health is the reason for the loss of his job, however, he does not change that either in order to get his job back, but rather searches instead for another job. Fellicov states that, “Mundo Grua reflects Trapero’s philosophy that daily life in itself is absurd” (121), as well as it is a movie that depicts the “limited possibilities in Argentina a reality known too well by many” (121). Daily life is absurd in the fact that Rulo cannot seem to find his identity and cannot seem to “win” in daily life, even though he does nothing wrong. Bad luck follows him which contributes to the absurdity of his daily life, as well as the limited possibilities as his dream of his becoming a musician is short lived. This movie depicts the monotony of daily life and the slump that Rulo falls into after his unsuccessful dream of being a musician only achieves him a one hit wonder. However, the movie offers no solution of how to change this slump and how to take action for ourselves so that we can live our lives to the fullest.
In Pizza, Beer, and Smokes, it seems that character development is absolutely irrelevant. There are no heartstrings to pull on by the directors, Adrian Caetano and Bruno Stagnaro. We are simply presented the characters, and no questions are asked. In the other movies we have watched, the crooks always have a higher reason or calling. In Pizza, Beer, and Smokes, the directors do not even bother to ask us to root for the characters; they are crooks for the sake of being crooks. However, there seems to be a class younger than them, although they are pointed out to be the lowest of low. This film aims to shine a light on the unseen Argentina, but with a scene where another teenage boy comes to eat the character’s half eaten pizza, we see that there is someone that even the filmmakers can’t get to.
ReplyDeleteWe see symbolism in the pregnancy of Sandra, the cyclical manner of poverty and what these teenagers go through. However, Sandra, from a middle class family, is able to get out as the boat leaves the harbor. However, we see her boyfriend dying as the boat leaves, “missing the boat” out of poverty and his unlawful lifestyle. He is dying and the police are closing in on him from the robbery he committed the night before. While it’s easy for Sandra to come and leave their risky behavior, the boys in poverty will stay there until they are caught by the police or murdered.
The level of violence and severity of their crimes escalate through out the movie, seemingly moving up the criminal food chain. They seem to idolize some of the criminals on TV, watching and imitating them in one of the scenes, noting how much they admire them. Even the people who are supposed to stand for justice, the police officers, wind up corrupt when the boys are stopped after a robbery.
Crane World. It’s a world of moving heavy objects, trivial work, day-after-day. One at a time moving objects back and forth, and for the main character, Rulo, never seeing a finished project. It is also a world (to use the word crane in its verb tense) of constantly stretching yourself and “craning” your neck out into the world day after day never to really get anywhere; a lot of effort and trials, always trying to move forward, but as the movie suggests, never really getting anywhere. With this, it is clear to see that Crane World is a very existentialist film. Everything in the film seems to be meaningless, meaningless. The film itself is in black-and-white, showing that life itself is void of color. From the beginning of the movie to the end, the lighting, among other elements of the movie, seem to change for the worst. The lighting grows darker. So much so, that the end of the movie is darkness itself with a flicker of light to show Rulo’s face. The sound, especially “cheerful” sounds, diminish completely. At the beginning of the movie, the Rulo hums to himself a lot. He seemed to be okay with life and tries to keep cheerful with humming. After losing his job, his humming stops completely. He also seemed to enjoying gardening and plants; but all the life and greenery surrounding him soon fade to dirt and pavement at his new job. There is nothing beautiful about it, the newness and life of it all has died off. Even his relationships—something the movie tried to display with a positive light (hugging and solidarity)—are meaningless. Though his surrounding community (friends, family, Adrianna) were always helpful to him, by the end of the movie there is no reuniting with them. No one gets the fulfillment of seeing what might happen between Adrianna and himself, with his lazy son, or even with his friends. It is all meaningless. This is a bit of a dismal message when applying it to the real Argentine world. But, it is a bit of a reality for the people living there at the time. Life probably seemed meaningless; any hope and “craning” to a future seemed meaningless. It was an existential world, full of people constantly coming down off the heights of “cranes”, and landing in meaninglessness.
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