Carlos Saura Criticism
Carlos Saura, a prominent Spanish director and screenwriter born in 1932, is renowned for his cinematic exploration of the Spanish Civil War's lasting impact, particularly its psychological effects under Franco's regime. Educated in Madrid, Saura initially resisted the pressure to produce religious-themed dramas, favoring instead a neorealistic style that characterized his early work such as Los Golfos. This film's focus on youth and its avoidance of explicit political commentary allowed it to bypass censorship, a clever strategy noted by critics like J. S.
Saura's early films, including La Caza, use heavy allegory to critique Francoist Spain, a method that some, like Henry Hart, find overly symbolic. However, Bosley Crowther praises The Hunt for its allegorical depth. Moving into a more surreal and psychological territory, works like The Garden of Delights and Cousin Angélica exhibit Saura's fascination with memory and the emotional landscape of childhood, as explored by critics such as Roger Greenspun and Vincent Canby.
Post-Franco, Saura shifted from political allegory to psychological narratives, reflecting his personal preference for exploring individual consciousness over overt political critique, a transition acknowledged by Tom Allen. Throughout his career, Saura's films have consistently employed symbolic and surrealistic elements to examine the interplay of personal history and societal pressures, making his work a rich subject for scholarly analysis.
Contents
-
Melbourne Film Festival, 1961: 'Los Golfos'
(summary)
In the following essay, J. S. argues that Carlos Saura's film Los Golfos skillfully portrays juvenile delinquency through a realism that emphasizes innocence and societal detachment, contrasting with Luis Bunuel's style by avoiding sensationalism and instead fostering a genuine, humanistic perspective.
-
'The Hooligans'
(summary)
In the following essay, Robin Bean critiques Carlos Saura's film Los Golfos for its incomplete character development and excessive street scenes, attributing some issues to censorship, while praising Saura's innovative use of sound and imagery to effectively criticize Spain's social structure.
-
Film Festival: 'The Hunt'
(summary)
In the following essay, Bosley Crowther contends that Carlos Saura's film "The Hunt" is a powerful allegory reflecting the degeneration and internal conflict among veterans of the Spanish Civil War, effectively capturing the tension and violence through its portrayal of a seemingly simple rabbit hunt.
-
Film Reviews: 'The Hunt'
(summary)
In the following essay, Henry Hart critiques Carlos Saura's The Hunt as an immature film overly reliant on unconvincing political allegories and violent symbolism, arguing that its emulation of Buñuel results in a visually disturbing but psychologically shallow narrative.
-
'The Garden of Delights'
(summary)
In the following essay, Roger Greenspun praises Carlos Saura's "The Garden of Delights" for its ingenious incorporation of Spanish politics and its creation of a private, obsessive world, highlighting its comedic inventiveness and the compelling, if sometimes whimsical, character situations.
-
Fascism in the Contemporary Film
(summary)
In the following essay, Joan Mellen critiques Carlos Saura's The Garden of Delights for its abstract portrayal of fascism's impact, arguing that through surreal imagery, Saura reveals the dehumanization and emotional paralysis inflicted by fascism, illustrated by characters immobilized in wheelchairs as a metaphor for absent self-knowledge.
-
'Honeycomb'
(summary)
In the following essay, Greenspun criticizes Carlos Saura's film "Honeycomb" for its lack of genuine insight into middle-class marriage, highlighting its failure to progress beyond superficial unreality and noting the diminished presence of Saura's typically strong directorial style.
-
Spain: Out of the Past
(summary)
In the following essay, Roger Mortimore argues that Carlos Saura's film La Prima Angélica critically explores the enduring trauma of the Spanish Civil War on the losing side, highlighting the oppressive roles of church and family, while discussing its lack of dramatic tension and Saura's potential immunity to criticism due to his polemical style.
-
Feature Films: 'La caza' ('The Hunt')
(summary)
In the following essay, Sylvia Millar argues that Carlos Saura's film La Caza is a psychological thriller infused with a pessimistic parable about Spanish society, distinct from Luis Buñuel's surrealism, and critiques the moral weaknesses of its characters while offering a glimmer of hope for Spain's democratic future.
-
Reviews: 'La caza'
(summary)
In the following essay, Derek Elley argues that Carlos Saura's film La caza is a powerful allegorical portrayal of Spanish society's ongoing struggle with the legacy of the Civil War, blending technical skill and dramatic tension, despite its controversial depiction of violence against wildlife.
-
Poignant Middle Age
(summary)
In the following essay, Vincent Canby examines Carlos Saura's film "Cousin Angélica," highlighting its innovative portrayal of memory and its critical engagement with Spain's historical context, particularly the Spanish Civil War, Catholicism, and Republican ideals, making it both a personal and political exploration.
-
'Growing Pains'
(summary)
In the following essay, Vincent Canby critiques Carlos Saura's film "Cria!" as a haunting depiction of a traumatic childhood, where individual sequences excel despite an overall arbitrary structure, ultimately portraying a young girl's emotional struggles and vivid imagination amidst familial turmoil.
-
In Passage
(summary)
In the following essay, Penelope Gilliatt explores how Carlos Saura's film "Cousin Angelica" uses the protagonist's attempt to reconcile his memories and identity across time to delve into themes of memory, personal history, and the passage of time, portraying the universal struggle to make memory tangible.
-
Old Wars
(summary)
In the following essay, Stanley Kauffmann evaluates Carlos Saura's film Cousin Angelica, praising its skillful handling of time and humor, but ultimately critiquing its lack of narrative conclusion and reliance on travelogue elements to engage the audience.
-
Films: 'Cria' and 'Cousin Angélica'
(summary)
In the following essay, Robert Hatch analyzes Carlos Saura's films "Cria" and "Cousin Angélica," highlighting their exploration of childhood trauma, the interplay of past and present, and their implicit critique of Spanish societal constraints and the enduring impact of Francoist oppression.
-
Two Childhoods by Saura
(summary)
In the following essay, Richard Schickel contrasts Carlos Saura's films Cria! and Cousin Angélica, arguing that while Cria! successfully captures the complexities and misconceptions of childhood, Cousin Angélica fails to convey its emotional intentions despite its artistic execution.
-
Star Dust
(summary)
In the following essay, John Simon critiques Saura's film Cría as a work constrained by Spanish censorship, depicting Spain's political strife through symbolism and nonlinear storytelling, while questioning whether its lack of plot and reliance on mood stems from artistic choice or limited freedom of expression.
-
Random Notes on Rossellini and Other Current Concerns
(summary)
In the following essay, Andrew Sarris critiques Carlos Saura's films for their complex symbolism and convoluted narratives, yet acknowledges the compelling portrayal of childhood in "Cria!" as a significant achievement, suggesting it as a standout entertainment despite previous conceptual inconsistencies.
-
Carlos Saura's 'Cria cuervos'
(summary)
In the following essay, Will Aitken critiques Carlos Saura's film Cria Cuervos, arguing that while Saura displays skill in blending reality with fantasy, his efforts to emulate surrealism fall short, resulting in a film burdened by unnecessary elements and lacking the immediacy and confidence required for effective allegorical storytelling.
-
The Grotesque in Some Recent Films
(summary)
In the following essay, Vernon Young critiques Carlos Saura's film Elisa, Vida Mia for its perplexing narrative style, suggesting that Saura's tendency to disrupt logical sequences undermines the clarity and emotional impact of the film's exploration of familial relationships and childhood traumas.
-
Film Reviews: 'Cria cuervos'
(summary)
In the following essay, Tim Pulleine examines Carlos Saura's film Cria Cuervos, highlighting its exploration of childhood memory and imagination through a fragmented narrative, while discussing its thematic interplay of personal and political elements and its allusive visual storytelling influenced by directors like Buñuel and Resnais.
-
'Los ojos vendados' ('Blindfold')
(summary)
In the following essay, Cesar Santos Fontenla argues that Carlos Saura's film Los ojos vendados marks a new artistic direction, examining post-Franco Spain's societal issues through themes of identity, personal and political exploration, and a forward-looking gaze that departs from his prior symbolism and self-reflection.
-
Carlos Saura: The Political Development of Individual Consciousness
(summary)
In the following essay, Marsha Kinder examines Carlos Saura's evolution from operatic films to more introspective works, highlighting his focus on the psychological impact of societal and political forces on individual consciousness, particularly within familial settings, as exemplified in films like The Garden of Delights and Cousin Angelica.
-
New Signals from Saura and Sirk
(summary)
In the following essay, Tom Allen argues that Carlos Saura's films in the 1980s lack the political urgency and depth of his earlier works due to the absence of an oppressive regime, resulting in a decline in thematic richness and the effectiveness of his signature narrative devices.