THE LIST
two films of completely diverse styles by the same gifted director impressed. Japan‘s Yoshimitsu Morita was the hand behind both the unsettling thriller Deaths in Tokimeki, about an ascetic hit-man in training to assassinate a religious leader, and the stunningly beautiful story of a destructive unrequited love, And Then. The former shows Morita in virtuoso form, moving the camera in ways you never even thought possible, while the latter demonstrates the quiet intensity that can be obtained from the rigour of a static camera. long tales and spell-bindineg subtle performances from the actors. We say give this man lots of money to make more movies.
And there you have it, at the end of the day man of the match goes to Yosimitsu Morita, with the team award to the Recorded Group, who not only opened the Cameo cinema, but also distribute She's Gotta Have It and the splendiferous Trouble in Mind. Hope you enjoyed your Festival film-going and that next year upholds the same high standards Mr Hickey and Co have set this year. See you at the movies. (Trevor Johnston)
LISTINGS
FRIDAY 2-2
0 FILMHDUSEl
Alamo Bay 11.30am.
Passing Glory and Shoot for the Sun 2.30pm.
The Time to Live and the Time to Die 5.45pm.
Salvador 8.30pm.
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door and Critters 11.15pm. SOLD our.
0 FILMHDUSE 2
From the Reports oi Security Guards and Patrol Services - Part 8 and Waiting for Marie 5.30pm.
Tang Concept of Play 8pm.
Interval 11pm.
SATURDAY 23
o FILMHDUSEI
The Sacrifice 8.30pm. SOLD OUT. Ma Che Bambina and Dixieland Daimyo 11.15pm.
o FILMHDUSE 2
Plunging on Alone: Monte Hellman’s Life in a Day 8pm.
Innocent as Hell and Last Night at the Alamo 11pm.
o CAMEO
The Trip to Bountiful 6pm.
0 ABC
True Stories 11pm.
SUNDAY 24
o CAMEO
A Love Bewitched 3pm. Sid and Nancy 8pm.
0 PLAYHDUSE
Greed 8.30pm.
MONDAY 25
o PLAYHDUSE Greed 3pm.
' £ En
.L'
EWITOHING PROSPECT
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Carlos Saura acclaimed director of Carmen talks to Allan Hunter about his new film A Love Bewitched.
completes a trilogy of work uniting the talents of renowned Spanish director Carlos Saura and the dancer- choreographer Antonio Gades. Their previous collaborations on Blood Wedding and Carmen have resulted in some stunning terpsichorean treats that enthralled and excited even the most flatfooted cinema spectator. Based on the ballet by Manuel de Falla, El Amor Brujo is a less flamboyant and less obviously stirring work but represents a commendable decision by the duo to use their experience in tackling a less populist piece.
Set in a gypsy shantytown on the outskirts of Madrid the film has a classical simplicity in its story ofa tragic love affair whose repercussions extend beyond the grave. At a recent Guardian Lecture at the National Film Theatre Saura described the almost matter-of-fact process whereby he chose to embark on a third project with Gades. ‘When I began to work with Antonio Gades we made Blood Wedding and I thought of it as a great experience for both of us but thought that nobody would go to see it. 1 was surprised that the film was quite successful and the producer was enthusiastic about a follow-on. We began to chat about possible projects. including Carmen. 1 now see Carmen as a film that belongs to the past but the other day 1 read some notes where 1 had written. ‘How the deuce am 1 going to film Carmen‘." 1 had no clear idea at the outset, was full of doubt as always. However. in terms of audience response Carmen was sheer. divine madness. 1 think it is the Spanish film that has made the most money in all the history ofSpanish cinema. I wouldn‘t say it‘s the best.
‘So. 1 made another film. Stilts. and was still not sure whether there would be a third film with Antonio Gades. But we made a decision to do the trilogy taking advantage of our experiences from before and looking for a new departure. For me. all these films are like experiments.’
Born in Huesca. in the province of
i Aragon. on January 4th 1932. Saura
studied engineering and began his
career as a professional photographer
before enrolling at his National Film
; School.
His first feature filtn in 1959.
Los Golfos ('Ilte Hooligans) dealt with
juvenile delinquency. a subject he
; returned to in Dept‘isa. Deprisa (am.
Past) in 1980. His career has unfolded
: in the shadow of comparisons with Luis
Buniiel. a potent influence on his work and a valued friend. ‘Buniiel was one of
f the great creators of images in cinema.
Every Spanish director has something
of Buniiel in them but it was impossible g to follow him and I've never tried to. When 1 saw three or four ofhis films in
the 1950s 1 was very bothered because someone had made what I wanted to do
. before me! 1 think the greatest praise I
ever received was when Buniiel saw La Prima Angelica and said he would have
? given anything to make a film like that. r We had a great friendship.‘
[I was his friendship with Saura that persuaded Buntiel to appear as the
: executioner in the 1963 feature Llamo I por mt Bandit/o (lettr‘s'for the Bandit).
Such was Buniiel‘s notoriety in Spain
that his sequences were cut from the : release print on their home ground.
Saura engaged in many skirmishes with
. the censor during the Franco era and 1 lost his teaching post at the Film T School for political reasons. However.
he claims not to produce ‘militant'
f political cinema and expresses surprise , at the allegorical meaning that has been read into his work.
The themes that have preoccupied Saura over his career have been the aftermath of the Civil War and the place of the family in Spanish society. He also acknowledges the importance oftheatricality to his personal style of filmmaking: a facet of his work most noticeable in the Gades films. ‘There is lots oftheatricality in lots of my films. I‘m not a theatre man but I‘ve been offered lots of plays and operas which is very gratifying. I haven‘t thought 1 would be capable ofdirecting them yet
the theatricality and musicality of film interests me and is increasingly important in my work. Theatricality is a very Spanish tradition, role-playing interests me very much.‘
Prior to his recent concentration on dance interpretations Saura’s best known film internationally was Cria Cuervos (Raise Ravens). A tenderly observed tale of life and death through the eyes of a 9—year-old girl the film starred Geraldine Chaplin whose professional association with Saura extended from Peppermint Frappe in 1967 to Mama 7itrrts 100 in 1979. He recalls their relationship as ‘very creative. It was a way of widening my world which was very Spanish. She had an Anglo-Saxon background and brought another point of view; like opening a window into new possibilities. We worked very harmoniously most of the time.‘
Saura speaks with equal affection of his relationship with Antonio Gades. ‘Meeting him was the beginning ofa great friendship which was very enriching creatively. When I worked as a photographer in the 1950s 1 used to take photos at the International Music Festivals in Granada and Santander. 1 would attend rehearsals which were often more attractive than the actual gala performances because. I suppose, you were a privileged spectator and could see their efforts and their sweat. When 1 saw a rehearsal of Blood Wedding it was that same kind of fascination that compelled me to make the film. The only thing 1 did that first time was to look at the ballet through my eyes and change only a few things. 1 respected his choreography quite a lot and had to learn how to shoot choreography as 1 went along. Antonio has a very theatrical concept of dance and we had to evolve a cinematic concept; film can go round the characters and change the spectators point of view. A film vision has to change continually and seek the maximum visual effect from every single shot.‘
Having successfully realised the once unenviable task of translating dance to film Saura is now channelling his enthusiasm into the realisation ofa long-cherished project that is now due to film in South America. Entitled El Dorado it is budgeted at three million dollars. ‘It is the story ofthe Spanish in the 15th century and how they explored the Amazon looking for El Dorado. I‘ve spent years working on it and feel very attracted to the period. 1 think we have a bad conscience about the period. Everyone says we behaved barbarously,
that's true. but we must see it from certain other angles too perhaps. 1 think this is the first film to show events from a Spanish point of view. The conquistadors went to America for money and wealth. ofcourse, but there was also something magic that they never found. I‘m very conscious of the dangers in the project and have become quite paranoiac about it but I‘m looking forward to it.‘
A Love Bewitched (El Amor Brujo) can be seen at the Cameo at 3pm on Sundav 24 and will return to Scotland early in [987
mThe-TList 22 Aug - 4 Sept 19