Lost City Themes

A film about the Cuban revolution, The Lost City is a prime example of Latin American Humanities. Reasons so are: it is set in Havana, uses Cuban actors, was filmed in both Cuba and the Dominican Republic, and is a major point in Latin American history. The film is made for the U.S. audience, yet it still demonstrates a Latin American way of life. Other than that, the movie explores many themes associated with Latin America.

The film paints a picture of both the everyday lives of an upper-class family in Havana as well the desperate acts of those looking for freedom within the same city. Although in English, the Spanish lingua is there in the names, songs, and colloquialisms. Another similar characteristic of Latin America is rhetoric. The main patriarchal figure, Don Federico, best embodies this. Bill Murray's character also uses devices like metaphors but does not have the same. Possibly even more important than language to Latin Americans is music. The film immediately opens with Latin music and soon goes to a club with both Latin music and dance. The music not only helps place the audience in the setting but also sets the tone and continues through the entire film. The music at one point seems like the chant of an indigenous people that is most likely African based off of context within the film. The syncretism of

From prayers to analogies referencing the bible to a Catholic funeral, it is clear that religion is important to the people depicted in the movie. Even more prevalent is the sense of family and loyalty. While not unique to Latin America, there is a widespread respect for and duty to family. Luis argues to Fico that supporting the revolution is for his family. Fico, in turn, struggles to decide what the best course of action is if he wants to protect his family. When he makes it to New York, Fico becomes dedicated to making the money necessary to bring his family out of