Carmen (1983/I)

Director:

Carlos Saura

Writers:

Prosper Mérimée (novel)
Carlos Saura (scenario) ...

Release Date:

6 May 1983 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Never before has the art of flamenco dance been so pulsatingly sensual. Or a love so treacherously obsessive. In this explosive interpretation of the classic opera "Carmen", the lines between passionate illusion and real life become intricately entwined. Your senses will be aroused like never before. And never again will you see anything like it.

Plot:

A group of flamenco dancers are rehearsing a very spanish version of the Prosper Merimee's drama. Antonio...

Plot Keywords:

Jealousy | Opera | Flamenco | Ménage À Trois | Spain

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 10 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Antonio Gades	...	Antonio
Laura del Sol	...	Carmen
Paco de Lucía	...	Paco
Marisol	...	Pepa Flores (as Pepa Flores)
Cristina Hoyos	...	Cristina
Juan Antonio Jiménez	...	Juan
José Yepes	...	Pepe Girón
Sebastián Moreno	...	Escamillo
Gómez de Jerez	...	Cantaores
Manolo Sevilla	...	Cantaores
Antonio Solera	...	Guitarristes
Manuel Rodríguez	...	Guitarristes
Lorenzo Virseda	...	Guitarristes
M. Magdalena	...	Artistas invitados
La Bronce	...	Artistas invitados

Also Known As:

Carmen: Inspirada en la novela de Merimée y la ópera de Bizet (Spain) (complete title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Australia:M (DVD rating) | West Germany:6 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | UK:15 | USA:R

Company:

Emiliano Piedra

Movie Connections:

Version of Carmen nue (1984)

Soundtrack:

Deja de llorar

Carmen reclaimed for Spain, but not for the 20th century

On the face of it, Carlos Saura's 1983 Carmen is simply yet another version - to join dozens of others - of Bizet's world-famous opera, using flamenco music and dance, and a modern story-line, alongside elements of the opera. Following in the footsteps of many a Hollywood musical, Saura sets his story in the period of rehearsal before a new production, except in this case there is no successful opening night as the climax of the movie, but a tragic death echoing the opera. The music and dancing are dramatic, passionate and exciting, especially for those of us who love flamenco; and the weaving together of the modern characters and plot with those of the opera is effective, if somewhat contrived.

There is, however, an ironic aspect to the film. Possibly no country in the western world has a stronger culture than Spain. Spanish food, drink, language, literature, music, dance and much else are unique and immediately identifiable. Yet one of its national icons - the free-spirited gypsy Carmen, who seduces and abandons men at will - is a totally French creation. Bizet, who never set foot in Spain, based his 1875 opera on a story by Prosper Merimée, also a Frenchman; and no matter how Spanish his music sounds, it is merely imitation. So for Saura to base a film on Carmen has a significance not shared by the other two films in his "flamenco trilogy" - Blood Wedding and Love the Magician - where the originals are quintessentially Spanish.

It is tempting therefore to regard the film as a kind of reclamation for Spain of Bizet's pseudo-Spanish Carmen. And certainly in the adaptation for guitar of some of Bizet's music, and in the translation to flamenco dance of some of the action of the opera, such a reclamation or reconciliation has taken place. But I for one wish that Saura had gone further; had deconstructed the original stereotypes; and had shown that by the late 20th century José had grown up, and could refrain from knifing Carmen, no matter how Spanish he might feel and how free-spirited she might be. In other words, perhaps a happy Hollywood ending would not have been such a bad idea!