1102 essay 2

Zach Rounsaville

March 12, 2009

English 1102 D2

Dr. Perez Tejada

Vignettes: a Comparison of Films

The films Amores Perros and Pulp Fiction have been compared several times, and rightly so they are similar in several ways. Both films are a series of vignettes of different characters’ lives that are intermingled throughout the films; this style has become the trademark of American director Quintin Tarrintino. The films also have similar themes such as forbidden love, and the common link of all human lives. The films represent how globalization of media has allowed American cinema to influence the directors of different countries, and how individual directors take these influences and add their own touch to make a global film that is representative of their country and style.

The narrative style of both films shows a clear influence of American Cinema; the separate vignettes taking place at the same time has become a style associated with all of Tarrintino’s films. This narrative frame work is the reason why Amores Perros has sometimes been called the, “Mexican Pulp Fiction,” (Brown). All of the events in the films seem insignificant, but as the individual stories fold in upon themselves we see that even the most minuscule action can have dramatic effects on the lives of others. The flow of both films also shows an influence upon the Mexican film; both films counter slower paced action sequences alongside very quick action sequences. The effect of the pacing of these films keeps viewers engrossed in the films while allowing for the development of characters and storyline. A benefit to the viewer of this style of narrative is that it allows the films to cover, “Genre ranges from crime to comedy, humor, and drama,” (Court C). The intermingling of lives and the effects the characters have on each other’s lives develops, “the feeling of the world being small,” (Court C).

The themes of both films also show how similar they are. Both films deal with an overarching theme of the characters searching for something to make their life meaningful. Many of the vignettes hold similar themes as well; for instance the first story in Amores Perros deals with the forbidden love that Octavio feels for his brother’s wife Susana. The series of interactions between John Travolta character with his boss’ wife, while not identical, deals with forbidden love, or in this case lust. The idea of the effects of our choices is also shown in both films; however the films differ in the representation of this ideal. Amores Perros focuses mainly on how the characters lives cannot be improved because of the choices they have made. In Pulp Fiction on the other hand, “Every character gets a chance of redemption in the film,” (Court C.), and it is the choices they make once given the chance at redemption that effects the outcome of their lives.

The character development in these films also makes the viewer, “love the characters and rout for them, even if they are seedy people,” (Court C). The films get viewers to empathize with the characters, and make them think on what choices they would make given the same circumstances. The directors of these films effectively submerge the audience in the more sinister side of the world by developing the characters, “learning about their pasts, feelings and senses of humor,” (Court C), which makes the audience feel like a part of the characters’ lives. Tarintino’s characters, in particular, are so relatable because they use, “transient, pop-cultural symbols and icons are the way these characters make sense of their lives,” (Mark T. Conrad).

Each film also sets its self apart in an artistic sense, allowing each to become very noteworthy piece of art. The most obvious effect in Amores Perros is the coloring; all of the colors in this film are washed out and desaturated which gives the effect of viewing the film, “with a jaundiced eye,”(O’Brien). This coloring of the film allows the viewer to see the poverty, and emphasizes the struggles of the characters. This is compounded by the shooting style of the film, “its edgy and fluid hand-held camera work,”(Brown), adds an almost documentary style to the film; making the audience feel that they could see many of the sequences in the film on a street in Mexico. On the other hand, the colors of Pulp Fiction are very vibrant and accentuated by high key lighting in most of the scenes; this effectively draws the viewer in. The vibrant colors also make the scenes of violence seem more acceptable and play down the nefarious actions that occur within the film. Even though this film has merit, it often goes unnoticed; because much of the film is watered down with, “seemingly endless references to pop culture,” (Conrad).

The ways in which the nefarious deeds of the characters are portrayed are very different in both films. Amores Perros treats the actions of the characters very seriously, and shows very clearly that the actions that the characters are taking are leading to their down fall. Oppositely, the seedy deeds of the characters in Pulp Fiction are depicted as rather glamorous; that is until their actions lead to an incident that serves as a reality check. The deeds in question are also quite different; representative of the common issues of the countries. The first story in Amores Perros deals with dog fighting which, “is always likely to have a bad time in our ‘nation of animal lovers”,(Brown); however, dog fighting is a more common occurrence in Mexico, and is not nearly as frowned upon. The issues found in Pulp Fiction, drugs and organized crime, are common issues in American and are therefore a more acceptable theme.

The effect of globalization, while seen in Amores Perros through the influence of American cinema, is an object of humor in Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction discusses globalization with a conversation between John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson on the spread of McDonalds to France. The humorous view of globalization as America’s influence on others is congruent with the general American imperialistic view of themselves.

While some feel that comparing these two films, “would do a disservice to Amores Perros,” (Brown); a comparison shows the ability for these films to both be global films. The similarities make it so the films are of a familiar style to viewers of other countries, and therefore do not isolate groups from being able to enjoy the films. The influence of American cinema on the cinema of other countries shown through a comparison is integral in showing that we are becoming a more global and mixed society. The globalization represented here is also the first steps in breaking down the prejudices of many Americans towards foreign films; in that they can relate to the format of the films better making them more likely to view them. This serves to increase rather than detract from the merit of the films; because the influences are what make Amores Perros accessible to a greater demographic earning it more acclaim. This is a single example that helps to explain the success of many foreign films in America; and represents the cause for the more recent increases in foreign film production, and the influx of foreign films to America. It is films like Amores Perros that take the basic framework of familiar American films and remix them into a film representative of their own cinema that bridges the gap between American audiences and foreign films.

Bibliography

Court C., Movie Analysis: Pulp Fiction, Helium

Harvey O'Brien PhD., Amores Perros, Harvey's Movie Reviews, 2001

Keith Hennessey Brown, Amores Perros, Eye For Film

Mark T. Conrad, Pulp Fiction The Sign of the Empty Symbol, Metaphilm, August 29, 2003