spanish fly

A few months ago, I checked out Luis Bunuel's Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and Alfonso Cuaron's debut Solo con tu pareja. Both are Spanish auteurs. the look -- the dazzling textural grain that makes a picture pop -- immediately transfixed my eyes. Discreet Charm dropped in '72. Solo con tu pareja in '91. What is it about Spanish auteurs and their perspicacious photographic sense? Think Almodovar. Magnificent.

Both these works sported "looks" a decade before anyone else was even close. It took the later part of New Hollywood to get on Bunuel's level. Look what Cuaron/Lubezki did with Children of Men. Uncanny. One day 10 years from now our hindsight will confirm that Men is a masterpiece.

But, what about Italian Neorealism in the '60s. Fellini. Especially Antonioni's english-language debut Blow-Up. The same. Ahead of the curb. Thus, the eyes that understand "the look" reach beyond Spanish. It has something to do with Catholic states. Catholicism among the non-Anglos. The Spanish conquistadors, who were one of the mightiest empires ever, put those regions that adopted their Catholic doctrine ahead of the visual game. Consider all the great painters, all the glorified visual celebrations of Jesus, faith and miracle. The epic, grandiose imagery all in the name of the Catholic narrative. They jumped the game on constructing the esthetically romantic, the glorious spectacle.