Buñuel and Mexico : The Crisis of National Cinema

Though Luis Buñuel, one of the most important filmmakers of the twentieth century, spent his most productive years as a director in Mexico, film histories and criticism invariably pay little attention to his work during this period. The only book-length English-language study of Buñuel's Mexican films, this book is the first to explore a significant but neglected area of this filmmaker's distinguished career and thus to fill a gap in our appreciation and understanding of both Buñuel's achievement and the history of Mexican film. Ernesto Acevedo-Muñoz considers Buñuel's Mexican films--made between 1947 and 1965--within the context of a national and nationalist film industry, comparing the filmmaker's employment of styles, genres, character types, themes, and techniques to those most characteristic of Mexican cinema. In this study, Buñuel's films emerge as a link between the Classical Mexican cinema of the 1930s through the 1950s and the "new" Cinema of the 1960s, flourishing in a time of crisis for the national film industry and introducing some of the stylistic and conceptual changes that would revitalize Mexican cinema. Ernesto Acevedo-munoz Considers Bunuel's Mexican Films - Made Between 1947 And 1965 - Within The Context Of A National And Nationalist Film Industry, Comparing The Filmmaker's Employment Of Styles, Genres, Character Types, Themes, And Techniques To Those Most Characteristic Of Mexican Cinema. His Book Offers Narrative And Contextual Analyses Of Bunuel's Best-known And Most Obscure Mexican Films - From Los Olvidados And El To A Woman Without Love And Death And The River - And Explores The Director's Place In Mexican Cinema As Survivor, Rebel, And Inspiration For A Subsequent Generation Of Filmmakers. In This Study Bunuel's Films Emerge As A Link Between The Classical Mexican Cinema Of The 1930s Through The 1950s And The New Cinema Of The 1960s, Flourishing In A Time Of Crisis For The National Film Industry And Introducing Some Of The Stylistic And Conceptual Changes That Would Revitalize Mexican Cinema.--jacket. Introduction -- 1. Mexican Cinema In The Time Of Luis Bunuel -- 2. Bunuel And Mexico -- 3. Los Olvidados And The Crisis Of Mexican Cinema -- 4. Genre, Women, Narrative -- 5. On The Road: Subida Al Cielo And La Ilusion Viaja En Tranvia -- 6. Masculinity And Class Conflict: Bunuel's Macho-dramas -- Conclusion: From Bunuel To Nuevo Cine. Ernesto R. Acevedo-muñoz. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 177-185) And Index. In this book I analyze in context the relationship between Luis Bunuel's career as a filmmaker in Mexico, Mexican politics, and the Mexican film industry.