Spain Made Flesh: Reflections and Projections of the National in Contemporary Spanish Stardom, 1992-2007 Rebecca Claire Naughten A thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Modern Languages Newcastle University August 2009 ABSTRACT This thesis uses Higson’s (2000) approach to national cinemas (that they look inward and outward to define their boundaries) to investigate how Spanish stardom interacted with the national between 1992 and 2007. The thesis examines four specific stars as case studies, and finds that there is a correlation between the cinema produced and the stars created, and that stars are as reflective of their national cinema as they are of current cultural perceptions and conceptions of nationness. The thesis therefore provides a detailed investigation of contemporary Spanish stardom within the framework of the interrelations between Spanish cinema and the four chosen stars in their reflections and projections of the national. Perriam (2003), Babington (2001), and Vincendeau (2000) show that the relationship between stars and the national informs the shape and content of their stardom, but this thesis argues that stars negotiate industrial imperatives as well as the cultural contexts of their nation; the national, cultural, and industrial converge in the star image. In investigating the stardom of Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Eduardo Noriega, and Paz Vega –who emerged at different points during the period– this thesis finds that the manner in which Spanish stars interacted with the national onscreen gradually changed owing to factors specific to the Spanish film industry in this era. Textual analysis of star images and performances and cultural contextualisation are employed to argue that as the influences within Spanish cinema have become more culturally diverse, and the boundaries of ‘Spanish cinema’ have expanded, newer Spanish stars are less obviously ingrained with Spanishness and their reflections and projections of the national become less overt. Although this is suggestive of a gradual dilution of national characteristics within Spanish cinema and stardom, this thesis finds that the newer stars nonetheless still reveal something of their changing Spanish culture and society. 1 CONTENTS Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………..1 List of Illustrations ………………………………………………………….................4 Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………7 INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………….….9 LITERATURE REVIEW: STARS, CINEMAS, AND THE NATIONAL …………..…...22 • Production – Content – Circulation…………………………………………..23 • Production and Industry……………………………………………………...24 • Star Content…………………………………………………………………..30 • Nation and Culture…………………………………………………………...34 • National Cultures……………………………….……..……………………..38 • National Cinemas………………………………………………………….…40 • Cultural Circulation………………………………………………………..…45 • Conclusion………………………………....…………………………………49 THE INDUSTRIAL CONTEXTS OF SPANISH STARDOM, 1992-2007 ……….…....52 • Spanish Cinema in the 1980s…………………………………………….…..53 • New Stars…………………………………………………………………….57 • Spanish Cinema in the 1990s and Beyond: Renewal…………………….…..62 • Spanish Cinema in the 1990s and Beyond: Crisis……………………………68 • Box Office Stars………………………………………………………….…..71 • Conclusion…………………………………………………………………....80 JAVIER BARDEM ……………………………………………………………....……83 • What’s in a Name?...........................................................................................84 • Beginnings………………………………………………………………..…..88 • Machos in Madrid…………………………………………………….…..….99 • Local Perspectives…………………………………………………..…..…..104 • Conclusion…………………………………………………………………..115 2 PENÉLOPE CRUZ ………………………………………………………....…….…118 • Lolitas and Virgins……………………………………………………….…119 • ‘La Niña’ Gets Political………………………………………………….….129 • Majas and Remakes…………………………………………………………137 • Pedro Rescues Spain’s Sweetheart (With a Little Help From Italia)……….142 • Conclusion……………………………………………………………….….149 EDUARDO NORIEGA ……………………………………………………….….….153 • Alienation and Fragmented Identities in a New Spain………….….….……154 • Spanish Stories…………………………………………………….….….…162 • Representing Spain’s Past: Part One………………………………….…….171 • Representing Spain’s Past: Part Two……………………………………….174 • Conclusion………………………………………………………………..…185 PAZ VEGA ……………………………………………………………………….….188 • An Independent Woman?...............................................................................190 • Silent Women……………………………………………………………….195 • Funny Girl……………………………………………………………….….201 • Stories of Spain………………………………………………………….….208 • Conclusion…………………………………………………………….…….220 CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………………...223 Appendix ……………………………………………………………………………234 Filmography ………………………………………………………………………...245 Bibliography …………………………………………………………………….…..249 3 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The Industrial Contexts of Spanish Stardom, 1992-2007: 1. Mar adentro poster (Ministry of Culture database www.mcu.es/cine/index.html ) 2. Los lunes al sol poster (Ministry of Culture database) 3. Carne trémula poster (Pedro Almodóvar’s website http://www.clubcultura.com/clubcine/clubcineastas/almodovar/esp/home.htm ) 4. Entre las piernas poster (Cartelmania www.cartelmania.com ) 5. Perdita Durango poster (Cartelmania) 6. Todo sobre mi madre poster (Pedro Almodóvar’s website) 7. La niña de tus ojos poster (Cartelmania) 8. Volver poster (Ministry of Culture database) 9. Belle epoque poster (Cartelmania) 10. Abre los ojos poster (Eduardo Noriega’s website www.eduardonoriega.com ) 11. Alatriste poster (Ministry of Culture database) 12. Abre los ojos poster (Eduardo Noriega’s website) 13. El Lobo poster (Ministry of Culture database) 14. Nadie conoce a nadie poster (Eduardo Noriega’s website) 15. Cha cha chá poster (Eduardo Noriega’s website) 16. El otro lado de la cama poster (Ministry of Culture database) 17. Carmen (2003) poster (Ministry of Culture database) 18. Nadie conoce a nadie poster (Eduardo Noriega’s website) 19. Hable con ella poster (Ministry of Culture database) 20. Lucía y el sexo poster (Ministry of Culture database) Javier Bardem: 1. Javier and Pilar Bardem at the Oscars in 2001 (http://film.guardian.co.uk/pictures/0,,463199,00.html ) 2. Bardem an anti-war demonstration in Madrid 5 th February 2003 (Associated Press - http://www.elpais.com/fotografia/espana/Bardem/Congreso/guerra/elpfotnac/2003020 5elpepunac_31/Ies/) 3. Pablito the pig, Jamón jamón (DVD screen capture) 4. Raúl mirroring Pablito, Jamón jamón (DVD screen capture) 5. Huevos de oro poster (Cartelmania) 6. Víctor as his true self, Boca a boca (DVD screen capture) 7. Víctor’s knowing performance of the caricature Spaniard, Boca a boca (DVD screen capture) 8. Bardem / David re-inscribes the disabled body representing his country at an international level, Carne trémula (DVD screen capture) 9. As an example of admirable achievement, Carne trémula (DVD screen capture) 10. Bardem representing an older man (note paunch and receding hairline), Los lunes al sol (DVD screen capture) 11. Physically imposing but still needing to bolster self-confidence (conveyed via body language), Los lunes al sol (DVD screen capture) 12. A still image of Ramón’s former active life, Mar adentro (DVD screen capture) 13. A still image of Ramón’s former active life, Mar adentro (DVD screen capture) 4 Penélope Cruz: 1. Cruz’s Spanishness is emphasised via differences in physical appearance (for example, skin tone) with Anna Galiena, Jamón jamón (DVD screen capture) 2. Silvia’s mini-dresses draw attention to Cruz’s body, Jamón jamón (DVD screen capture) 3. L’Oreal Elvive advertisement 4. L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara advertisement 5. The girlish Luz is contrasted with her sisters via costume and hairstyle, Belle epoque (DVD screen capture) 6. The girlish Luz is contrasted with her sisters via costume and hairstyle, Belle epoque (DVD screen capture) 7. The ‘Los piconeros’ sequence, La niña de tus ojos (DVD screen capture) 8. The ‘Los piconeros’ sequence, La niña de tus ojos (DVD screen capture) 9. The ‘Los piconeros’ sequence, La niña de tus ojos (DVD screen capture) 10. The ‘Los piconeros’ sequence, La niña de tus ojos (DVD screen capture) 11. Cruz stands out via dress and colour, La niña de tus ojos (DVD screen capture) 12. Cruz stands out via the circulation of star images, La niña de tus ojos (DVD screen capture) 13. Goya’s painting La maja desnuda , Volavérunt (DVD screen capture) 14. Cruz as Pepita Tudó posing for Goya, Volavérunt (DVD screen capture) 15. Depiction of Sofía, Abre los ojos (DVD screen capture) 16. Depiction of Sofia, Vanilla Sky (DVD screen capture) 17. Silvia carrying shopping home, Jamón jamón (DVD screen capture) 18. Raimunda carrying shopping home, Volver (DVD screen capture) Eduardo Noriega: 1. Angela caressing the video image of Bosco (Noriega), Tesis (DVD screen capture) 2. An image of physical disfigurement, Abre los ojos (DVD screen capture) 3. An image of physical disfigurement and psychological alienation, Abre los ojos (DVD screen capture) 4. ‘La mirada de Noriega’, Nadie conoce a nadie (DVD screen capture) 5. One of the multiple shots of Seville’s cityscape, Nadie conoce a nadie (DVD screen capture) 6. Alonso’s troubled look after the minefield, Guerreros (DVD screen capture) 7. The troubled look and psychological unravelling of Alonso after the minefield, Guerreros (DVD screen capture) 8. The Conde, Alatriste (DVD screen capture) 9. The Cantabrian common man, El invierno de las anjanas (DVD screen capture) 10. Violent caresses (Jacinto and Carlos), El espinazo del diablo (DVD screen capture) 11. Violent caresses (Jacinto and Conchita),