Salt of the Earth is a Mexican American drama film with a running time of 94 minutes that was released in March 14, 1954 in New York City directed by Herbert J. Biberman and produced by Paul Jarrico, with a budget of $250,000. Also we can see a great cast that plays these braves characters, for example Juan Chacon plays (Ramon Quinteron), Rosaura Revueltas (Esperanza Quintero), Will Geer the (Sheriff), Frank Talavera (Luis Quintero), Melvin Williams (Hartwell), Clinton Jencks (Frank Barnes) and Virginia Jenks (Ruth Barnes). Salt of the Earth film was a film that was banned by the Hollywood organization based on the communist politics participation that the film had at that time. This drama film was pictured to the real facts about the big fight …show more content…
between miners and the Empire Zinc Company in Grant County, in New Mexico in the early 1950’s. It was a based on the feminist social movement, changing the way in how the Mexican American worker and their wife fought this company. This Mexican American drama film was based on the strike between the Mexican American worker and the Empire Zinc Mine in New Mexico. This film was at the time of the cold war and the first feminist social movement; we can see how these families struggle in that moment with the difficulties of the discrimination and abuse against the workers. The Film starts with a synopsis on a village in San Marcos, New Mexico, where the Anglo people changed the name of the village to Zinc town. We can see Esperanza Quintero telling the story and at the same time she is sad and disappointment because she is pregnant. The picture tells us that it is hard to have another baby in this poor condition, where the lack of money is a big deal and the only way to get money is in the mine where only the men works. After that scene we can see Ramon Quintero has a discussion with the supervisor about a problem that happen in the mine. We can see how the problem with the company starts raising at a point that the workers block the main entrance to stop the operation of the company. After these scenes the workers create a union organization as a movement to protest the equality and no discrimination on Mexican American workers. This men’s movement last months until one point of the time the police and the Zinc Company start forcing the union to stop the union movement. Later the workers are forced to stop the movement, but the women’s spoke out loud with a vote in the union to be in charge in this protest. The time passes several months to a moment that the woman starts having problems, struggle with the sheriffs, and with the company. But at the end the workers and their wife’s gained the respect and the victory of this protest movement of equality with the support of many people and workers from other towns, to support Zinc Town New Mexico. In the film Salt of the earth, it has many strength scenes that refer a great story outline, and a good atmosphere image style of the movie.
Salt of the earth has a good scene where we can see the strong taste of the entire movie, where we see the sheriff taking away all the stuffs from the Quintero family house. This scene we can see good strength on storytelling, camera work, and transaction between scenes. Referring to the understanding of how people support each other in this type of circumstances. Not only when they need the help from friends, but also the dignity of fighting together as a big union movement for equality, and to end discrimination between Anglo men and Mexican American workers. On the other hand, I can see a few weaknesses and technical issues on camera work and sound. We can catch a few issues with camera work and sound because it was a low budget film with some problem, by creating and connecting the scenes with the sound. But I can say overall it is a great film with an awesome true story outline, by giving us and picturing the powerful meaning of the entire film. That anything, it is possible if we as a group or union fight together for a peace movement, we can create a better place to …show more content…
be. I can think the film Salt of the earth it is part of Chicano film because we can see a variation of techniques foundations such as reflective and open-ended, which refers to the big problem at the beginning and how they solved for a better way to live in this town.
Another foundations that I can add is effect social change, this reflect the type of movement that the workers create based on the fact that they were being discriminated in the company, affecting the lives. Last foundations that connect on this film it is Chicano film language, we can see how the combination of languages, between Spanish and English and cultural codes that the people from the film shows as part of the Mexican American culture. For example these three techniques foundations create a strong image to this film in the way that we can see the scene where the woman’s are in prison because of the movement. The whole scene creates an atmosphere of anger, and desperation, referring to the woman’s expressions “queremos la formula, queremos camas, queremos baño”. I can connect this great scene for a moment of expressing the support from each other by forcing the sheriff to give them their needs and
rights. To conclude my analysis on this movie Salt of the earth I can say the film it illustrates a great understanding between the meaning of the movie and the purpose of the people in this town, and how important it is the equality of everyone. Referring to the feminist movement that it is shown in the film it picture how the women can be as strong as the men’s, with the support of each other as a group. They illustrate that nothing is impossible if we stay together and face the problems as a whole, fighting for a peaceful cause, like equality of the workers and the Anglo men’s, and stopping the discrimination from each others.
“Waste Land” and “Emmanuel’s Gift”, After watching these films, I have been thinking about the happiness to be found by work that is honest and valuable. I also thought about how hard some people are prepared to work, and how inspiring it is to see the individuals in these films find ideas to demonstrate the power of art and media to bring curiosity and cultural awareness in the poorest, most underprivileged people. “Waste Land” follows an artist Vik Muniz as he works on his art project in Brazil and the world’s largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho in Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs catadors or garbage pickers as they pick recyclable materials from the garbage. And upon meeting the characters at the landfill, Vik decides to turn the project into collaboration with the catadors. In the end, this collaboration reveals both dignity and despair in the lives of the catadors. “Emmanuel’s Gift”, is about Emmanuel Ofosu, a man born in Ghana with a deformed right leg, he bikes around the country to help raise awareness and build relationships in a culture that ridicules those with disabilities.
Las colores de la montaña can be listed among the films that tell the story of the unarmed actor, Manuel, his friends and family in particular. Even though the film is about the armed conflict, the main emphasis is placed on how the conflict is perceived by those who are not directly involved in it. Telling the story through the eyes of a nine-year-old gives the film a unique feel: the traditionally represented aspects of the armed conflict are still there, however, they are placed in the background focusing on the confusion a child has to experience while growing up in this
By showing the historical struggle of Mexican immigrants to be equal members of American society, portraying the humble and unique characteristics of Fernando Valenzuela, and by emphasizing his incredible rise to fame, the film Fernando Nation introduces a new type of American dream. Fernando Valenzuela became the embodiment of the Mexican-American dream to many people. By understanding his story we can understand the hopes and dreams of many Mexican immigrants in America today.
Furthermore, ethos is being established through visual elements. In 0:27:26 Madgalena Cerda is introduced with a title in bright orange text on the screen. The visual elements of the text give her credibility since they state the environmental organization she works with. In 0:29:04 the film shows a San Diego newspaper article of the owner of Metales y Derivados not wanting to clean up the toxic mess created by his company. The newspaper article proves that the film’s credibility and facts being stated in the film are valid and
... lead to his involvement in the events at the end. It was tragic to see him killed, but I didn’t see the loving character that the community saw. I feel of this theme of Love and Hate, Love didn’t get enough coverage. I think this was supposed to be a story about Love losing to Hate, but I don’t think Love was fairly represented here. It was interesting to see the Community at first adamantly deny boycotting Sal’s talking about how they grew up on Sal’s food, and to see how in the course of an evening they were chanting to burn it down. This was a really compelling movie, and to a degree its hard to distance yourself from it. I am a white guy watching it, so its harder for me to see it from Spike’s point of view, but after thinking about the movie for a week or so, he does bring up a lot of excellent arguments. I just hope that violence isn’t the right conclusion.
...ighted by the director’s choices in cinematic elements. Although food and cooking are often associated with the oppression and generalization of Hispanic women, Like Water for Chocolate captivates an empowering view of women using intimate elements such editing, lighting, and setting in order to bring focus to the power of the food. The editing constantly brings attention back to the food. The setting reminds the viewer that the food impacts every aspect of the film. The lighting highlights the importance of the food over every other element. Every aspect of this film is aimed to show that the Hispanic woman, even in her typical role is a strong and central figure in the Hispanic culture. There is power in her life and everyday jobs that has a great impact on everyone around her, which is the precise thought that this film conveys and makes apparent to each viewer.
Stanley Kubrick is infamous for his witty films that satire governmental and societal actions though history. In this film, Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), Kubrick is once again directing a film that is a biting, sardonic comedy that pokes fun at the nuclear fears of the 1950s. The screenplay for the movie was written by Stanley Kubrick and Terry Southern, and was based on the novel Red Alert written by Peter George. In this film, which is classified as a black comedy/fantasy, technology runs amok and takes over society and mankind. The irony of the situation, however, became apparent when shortly after the movie was produced, the nuclear fears became an actual world scenario among events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, The Bay of Pigs, and the assassination of President Kennedy. It was this last event that actually delayed the release of the movie from 1963 to 1964. In this film, Kubrick attempts to give his opinion about the situation the world was in through his mocking of certain societal values, his purposeful distortion of history, and his manipulation of the viewer's sentiments.
His presence in this scene is pivotal for educating the audience about the prejudice and misrepresentation of Mexican-Americans in court at the time.... ... middle of paper ... ... Without El Pachuco’s presence in these scenes, the clarity of the issues would not have been put at the forefront of the play.
This movie is based on changing the lives of Mexican Americans by making a stand and challenging the authority. Even when the cops were against them the whole time and even with the brutal beatings they received within one of the walk out, they held on. They stuck to their guns and they proved their point. The main character was threatened by the school administrators, she was told if she went through with the walkout she would be expelled. While they wanted everyone who was going to graduate to simply look the other way, the students risked it all and gave it their all to make their voices
One of the issues that was raised is the idea of the relationship between femininty, technology and sexuality. The relationship between all of these qualities converse in one character, Maria. The real Maria has many roles thoughout the movie, including one who cares for the workers children, a preacher of peace for the workers, and one who loves Freder. The machi...
Also, as immigrant this affects Zainab and Mauna, because it allows them to see the injustice and the oppression in immigration system. The film illustrates how society labels illegal immigrants as outside the norm, marginalized Tarek. Immigrant are being deported and exposed to the injustice system.
Upon finishing my interview with Fernando Lopez it occurred to me that there are three key elements of Mexican culture: friends, family, and religion. Although these may all be very closely related within the daily lives of Mexican people they each add a significant and unique piece to what makes up Mexican culture as a whole.
The struggle to find a place inside an un-welcoming America has forced the Latino to recreate one. The Latino feels out of place, torn from the womb inside of America's reality because she would rather use it than know it (Paz 226-227). In response, the Mexican women planted the seeds of home inside the corral*. These tended and potted plants became her burrow of solace and place of acceptance. In the comfort of the suns slices and underneath the orange scents, the women were free. Still the questions pounded in the rhythm of street side whispers. The outside stare thundered in pulses, you are different it said. Instead of listening she tried to instill within her children the pride of language, song, and culture. Her roots weave soul into the stubborn soil and strength grew with each blossom of the fig tree (Goldsmith).
The emotional letter that Juan left for his mother might be one of the most emotional scenes in the documentary. The pure emotions that the letter was written by Juan to her mother leaves the audience with the bonds and emotions felt between the kids and families. Juan Carlos’s father abandoned the family years ago and left to New York, consequently Juan believe it is his responsibility to provide for his family. He also wants to find his father in New York and confronts him about why he has forgotten about them. The story of Juan is not just about migration of children, but also the issue of family separation. The documentary does not dehumanize but rather bring the humane and sensitive lens to the story of Juan where the human drama that these young immigrants and their families live. Juan Carlos is not the first of Esmeralda’s sons to leave for the United states, his nine-year-old brother Francisco was smuggled into California one month earlier. Francisco now lives with Gloria, his grandmother, who paid a smuggler $3,500 to bring him to Los Angeles, California. Once Juan Carlos is in the shelter for child migrants his mother eagerly awaits him outside. After she sees him she signs a paper that says if Juan Carlos tries to travel again, he will be sent to a foster home.
When considering a source to consider, when looking for films that portray Latin American lifestyle or values, I choose one film in particular. A Walk in the Clouds, directed by Alfonso Arau came to mind. When one watches this film, it is plain to see the interaction and struggles between a traditional Mexican family and the lifestyle of a United States California lifestyle. I have watched this particular film in the past, but now with a different pair of lenses to watch through, it became more exceedingly distinguished to my new found perception of Latin America. Unknowingly to myself, I did not know that the director was the same who directed Like Water for Chocolate. One review describes it as follows, “Alfonso Arau has a somewhat easy time of it in A Walk in the Clouds. The Mexican filmmaker who made kitchens look like boudoirs in Like Water for Chocolate transports that same fairy-tale feeling to this romance set in Northern California.”. With further reflection I can see the connection now after watching the later.