Narrative Tendencies in Latin American Fiction Cinema (1998-2008) Uses and Transgressions of the “Classical Model” Jose A. Fonseca H. Dissertation for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the University of Bergen Spring, 2009 2 Institutt for Informasjons- og Medievitenskap Det Samfunnsvitenskapelige Fakultet Universitet i Bergen 3 Contents CONTENTS ..........................................................................................................................................3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................................................7 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................8 1. THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................12 1.1 LOCATION WITHIN FILM STUDIES ...........................................................................................12 1.1.1 Traditions of “Grand Theory”....................................................................................12 1.1.2 Points of Convergence ................................................................................................15 1.1.3 Points of Divergence...................................................................................................16 1.1.4 Middle Level Research: The Third Option..................................................................18 1.2 THE NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF FILM ......................................................................................20 1.2.1 The Film Text ..............................................................................................................20 1.2.2 The Narrative Text ......................................................................................................22 1.2.3 The “What” and the “How”.......................................................................................23 1.2.4 The Semiotic Structure of Narrative ...........................................................................26 1.3 THE CLASSICAL MODEL OF NARRATION ................................................................................30 1.3.1 What is “Classic”? .....................................................................................................31 1.3.2 From the “Canonic Format” to the “Classical Model”.............................................33 1.3.3 Characteristics of the “Classical Model”...................................................................35 1.3.4 Narrative Schema and Viewer Activity .......................................................................39 1.4 THE HOLLYWOOD REFERENT: A BRIEF DISCUSSION................................................................41 1.5 “HIBRIDITY” AND ITS APPLICATION IN FILM STUDIES..............................................................44 1.5.1 Cultural Studies, Globalization and the “Hibridity Boom”........................................45 1.5.2 On Hybridity, Cosmopolitanism and other demons… ................................................48 1.5.3 “Hibridity” in this study: a personal commentary .....................................................54 1.6 SUMMARY..............................................................................................................................59 4 2. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 61 2.1 OVERVIEW............................................................................................................................. 61 2.2 THE CASE STUDY RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................... 64 2.2.1 Is it a “Case Study”? ................................................................................................. 64 2.2.2 What type of “Case Study” is it?................................................................................ 66 2.2.3 The Issue of Generalization........................................................................................ 67 2.2.4 The Issue of Subjectivity............................................................................................. 71 2.3 THE METHOD OF NARRATIVE ANALYSIS ............................................................................... 73 2.3.1 The Fabula ................................................................................................................. 74 2.3.2 The Plot...................................................................................................................... 78 2.3.3 Levels of Narration..................................................................................................... 80 2.3.4 “Narrators” or “Narration”?.................................................................................... 82 2.4 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 84 3. REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CONTEXTS....................................................................... 86 3.1 OVERVIEW............................................................................................................................. 86 3.2 CINEMA IN LATIN AMERICA: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES...................................................... 87 3.2.1 A Cinema of Subversion ............................................................................................. 88 3.2.2 From Ideology to Pratice: The NLAC........................................................................ 92 3.2.3 Third Cinema Today .................................................................................................. 94 3.3 CINEMA IN COSTA RICA......................................................................................................... 95 3.4 CINEMA IN COLOMBIA......................................................................................................... 100 4. FILM ANALYSES: COSTA RICA...................................................................................... 106 4.1 “ASESINATO EN EL MENEO” ............................................................................................... 107 4.1.1 Synopsis.................................................................................................................... 107 4.1.2 Plot Description ....................................................................................................... 109 4.1.3 Analysis .................................................................................................................... 110 4.2 “PASSWORD” ...................................................................................................................... 117 4.2.1 Synopsis.................................................................................................................... 117 4.2.2 Plot Description ....................................................................................................... 120 4.2.3 Analysis .................................................................................................................... 122 5 4.3 “MUJERES APASIONADAS”...................................................................................................128 4.3.1 Synopsis ....................................................................................................................128 4.3.2 Plot Description........................................................................................................131 4.3.3 Analysis.....................................................................................................................132 4.4 “MARASMO”........................................................................................................................138 4.4.1 Synopsis ....................................................................................................................138 4.4.2 Plot Description........................................................................................................140 4.4.3 Analysis.....................................................................................................................141 4.5 “CARIBE” ............................................................................................................................147 4.5.1 Synopsis ....................................................................................................................147 4.5.2 Plot Description........................................................................................................150 4.5.3 Analysis.....................................................................................................................151 5. FILM ANALYSES: COLOMBIA.........................................................................................158 5.1 “LA VENDEDORA DE ROSAS”...............................................................................................158 5.1.1 Synopsis ....................................................................................................................158 5.1.2 Plot Description........................................................................................................161 5.1.3 Analysis.....................................................................................................................162 5.2 “LOS NIÑOS INVISIBLES”......................................................................................................169