I would like to discuss the Magical realism depicted in the film Like Water for Chocolate. At first I could not really figure out how magical realism would fit into this movie. Then after Nacha dies she re-appears to tell Tita how to use the flowers that Pedro gave her to make a dish that is described as 'Nectar of the gods' by Pedro this is the first taste of Magic the viewer gets. Another scene were magical realism is shown is when Tita's love is put into her cooking which causes everyone to become unbearably horny, this happens again at her nieces wedding. Then towards the end of the movie the mother dies and comes back to haunt Tita. The mother curses her own daughter and the unborn baby that she carries. Later the died mother comes back to haunt Tita again but Tita cast's her off by saying that she hates her. The mother then takes her evil out on Pedro by setting him on fire. The biggest portrayal of magical realism has to be where in the middle of the movie the Doctor talks about how everyone has matches inside them and these matches must be lit one at a time and can get damp and can dry out and blah blah but the main point emphasized was that the matches must never all be lit at one single moment of immense emotion.. but it turns out in the very last scene where Pedro and Tita finally get to have each other, Pedro dies after orgasm, symbolizing that all his matches went up in flame at the same time from having to wait so long for this moment, causing him to die. In an act of passion Tita chews up match ends causing her to burn alive from the inside and dieing along side her true love.
I thought this movie was great. It kept my attention the entire time and at one point i honestly forgot that I was watching a subtitled movie because I was so caught up in each scene.
Daniel, I too was captivated by this movie. Maybe it's a guy thing due to all of the sexual scenes throughout the movie. Magical realism is evident throughout the whole movie and I believe there may be more to see if I could view the movie again. Remember when the mother was about to give birth and her water broke ? The water flowed like a river, yes a little over the top, but it set up the whole movie with things that could happen. I would have to say that this was by far the best movie that we have viewed so far. I would like to find a version without subtitles because I feel as though I loose some of the movie every time I look down to read the script.
ReplyDeleteGary Brown