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La
Formula Secreta
Strange, semi-surrealist nightmares -- somehow
related to Mexican realities -- form the
matrix of this work. A corpse is carried
on a flour truck, a boy knifes a cow, a
couple kiss before a blood- bespattered
wall, clerical students imitate the crucifixion.
Perhaps the best scene is of a Mexican staring
out silently toward the Mexican plateau;
after a while, the camera pans away from
him, to concentrate on the landscape. Stubbornly
he re-enters the frame and assumes his former
position, the camera pulls away again, and
again he returns ... a perfect visual metaphor.
Director Rubén Gámez occupies
a place of honor in motion picture history.
The fabulous medium-length La Fórmula
Secreta (The Secret Formula), is an irreverent
treatment of national symbols and playful
approach to formal experimentation. An irrational
essay, unified only by the author's unique
voice, full of surreal moments and provocative
scenarios related to intellectual debates
about the Mexican national character. Gamez
relates the film to the supposed passivity
of the Mexican people, for whom the film
serves as a wake-up call.
video
source quality rating: B+ |
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| La
Formula Secreta
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Item
price: $14.99 |
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B&W/50 minutes/1965/ |
| In Spanish w/ NO subtitles |
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