Cuban film the last supper

The last supper attempts to be witty, poignant, and smartly satirical, but instead its dull, uninteresting, and supremely stupid. May 05, 1978 the last supper is about death resurrection, not only about the death and resurrection of freedom, but also of repression. The last supper 1976, widely considered to stand alongside memories as gutierrezs greatest work, explores the complex power dynamics at play on a sugar plantation in the 18th century. Museum purchase from smithsonian institution collections acquisition program fund and through gift of anonymous donors,1994652. During this meal the count assumes the role of jesus christ and tells the slaves that they are his disciples the count asserts that the biblical disciples were jesuss slaves. Furthermore, he writes, the parallelisms with cubas first sugar boom in 1792 cannot have escaped alea, especially since the effect of the 1970 harvest on cuban marxism. Designed by paul rene azcuy cardenas cuban, 19392019. The plantation owner decides to recreate the biblical last supper. Besides the many who became victims of his oppressive regime, there are the artists who found every work a struggle with the government. This is especially true of filmmaking where more than a few films were censored. For this reason, alea turned to mapping out cuban history and made a cuban fight against demons 1972, a film in which he traced the precursor of the cuban revolution when, in 1672, cuba fought against spanish control. The brutality of the system of slavery did lead to slave rebellions as seen in the film.

The last supper 1976, directed by tomas gutierrez alea film. Alice okeefe on the cuban iconclast director tomas gutierrez. The last supper is set on a sugar plantation in late 18th century cuba. Although he started out to be a lawyer, he soon switched careers and in the early 1950s went to italy to study film. He was a founder of the icaic and the president of the section of cinema of the cultural society. Good movie, but in the middle of it, the scene of the last supper, there is too much for too long of a period. Cuban film industry bennito mussolini constructed cinecitta in 1938, the most significant film studio in europe. And numerous films in the early stages illustrated how relevant this was. The movies received a very positive reaction from the public.

Tomas gutierrez aleas the last supper plays as part of film forums ongoing series the hour of liberation. The plantation owner decides to recreate the biblical last supper using twelve of the slaves working in his sugarcane fields, hoping to thus teach the slaves about christianity. Set in the 18th century, this celebrated film from cuba is photographed with a lush color palette. Titon explores themes of hypocrisy, liberty, and religion. The last supper is set on a sugar plantation in late 18th century cuba during the easter holy week. These rebellions usually kept the slave owners and staff in a state of paranoia, ever worried by the fear of being killed in their beds. Jun 26, 2008 the last supper 1976, widely considered to stand alongside memories as gutierrezs greatest work, explores the complex power dynamics at play on a sugar plantation in the 18th century. With nelson villagra, silvano rey, luis alberto garcia, jose antonio rodriguez. Set just after the haitian revolution, as cuban slaveholders are both terrified of insurrection and set on intensifying their exploitation, count nelson villagra, invites 12 slaves to reenact the last supper, preaching the christian virtues and joy. A rich plantation owner decides to demonstrate his spiritual grace and his concern for his slaves by inviting 12 of them to dinner on the eve of holy week. A cuban filmmakers brutal satire of religion and colonialism. The last supper 1976 directed by tomas gutierrez alea. The script is written with liberal cliches galore, with a.

The last supper is about death resurrection, not only about the death and resurrection of freedom, but also of repression. Both set in spanish colonial cuba, the films study contradictions and hypocrisy in cuba s past of imperialism, religion, and slavery. The film is also available on netflix, although not streaming. Gutierrez alea usually made contemporary films that addressed. Like the earlier film, it seems to say more than one ever expects to. Based on a true incident from 18th century cuban history, this film is a moral tale of a pious. Aleas earlier landmark film, memories of underdevelopment the first post revolution cuban film to be screened in the united states utilizes a number of techniques to create an open, discursive cinematic experience opposite the homogeneity of hollywood fiction. The directors earlier films include a cuban struggle against the demons, the last supper, survivors and letters from the park. A spanish count is celebrated for his devotion to the faith, and sincerely believes he is a. The movie the last supper provides audiences an excellent opportunity to truly understand the. This all relates very directly to aleas film, which takes full advantage of the baggage of the last supper image in the context of an anecdote from 18th century cuban history. The last supper 1976 directed by tomas gutierrezalea. In the opening remarks, cubas ambassador to denmark, yiliam gomez sardinas, highlighted the validity and importance of the messages that this.

The last supper is nor more neither less, a parable. It was curiously structured over the course of the holy thursday, good friday, and easter saturday. Allegra sees nothing wrong or unusual about keeping slaves, but he does worry about his status in the next world. Screening of the cuban film the last supper at the. A startlingly beautiful masterpiece that is based on an incident from cuban history. The film tells the story of a pious plantation owner during cubas spanish colonial period. The films didactic function was noted by another cuban director. During easter, the plantation owner, a pious, guiltridden count, decides on a halfcocked gesture of christian charity. The film s centerpiece is the extraordinary last supper presided over by the count, who begins by washing and kissing the feet of the 12 slaves while each, in turn. In this way it recalls the kind of contradictions that made memories of underdevelopment so.

Allegra sees nothing wrong or unusual about keeping. Sep 10, 2017 the last supper, a new cuban film by tomas gutierrez alea, the director whose memories of underdevelopment was one of the critical hits of 1973, is a fine, cool, almost detached political parable told entirely in religious terms. Juan peron and mao zedong shared the fascination, they both married actresses. Watch the last supper a dark, compelling 1976 cuban drama. A pious plantation owner attempts to teach christianity to 12 of his slaves by inviting them to participate in a reenactment of the last supper. The count is worried after he learns that soon he will have to acquire more slaves to run his plantation which would result in more slaves on the island than whites. The movie, of course, exposes the brutality of the system of slavery and the role of christianity in justifying slavery in order to keep the slaves passive and working. Gutierrez alea was born in havana and came from a wealthy cuban family. By the end, its liberal heroes are arguing about whether theyve killed and buried 10 or 11 rightwingers in their back garden, but the movie isnt about left and right, its about those on any side who do not. Great illustration made by silkscreen printing features red wax dripping from candles in a black and white candlestick standing on the table against black background with stylised lettering above. The film tells the story of a pious havana plantation owner in the 1790s, during cuba s spanish colonial period. In the last supper 1976,alea also portrayed cubasambivalent attitude toward slavery.

This breaking down of the barriers between fiction and reality was widely exploited in the cuban film industry, and was to have a wide influence on world cinema when it was finally shown in america and france in 1973 and. Good condition, creases on margins, water stain on the upper right corner. Based on a true incident from 18th century cuban history, this film is a moral tale of a pious slaveholder who decides to improve his soul and instruct his slaves in the glories of christianity by inviting 12 of them to participate in a reenactment of the last supper. A brilliant godardian parable, reflecting the contemporary cuban situation through a tale of a slave revolt on a sugar plantation in late 18th century havana historically, the moment when the old. The last supper 1976 tomas gutierrez alea synopsis. In the first part, we glimpse the world of the plantation owned by a count nelson villagra. The movie revolves around an 18th century cuban plantation that is being run by an aristocratic and overlyreligious count. Tomas gutierrez alea, cuban film maker, 69 the new york.

Among the actors slated for the film is the well known cuban actor tito juneo, who has a lot of experience in cuban theatre and is one of the actors in the. Based on a purportedly true incident, the film stars. Tomas gutierrez alea, cuban film maker, 69 the new york times. Cuban cinema and latin american films communicate many different meanings, messages, and focuses. Francisco franco was said to have a fantasy of being a movie writer. The screening of the cuban film the last supper, directed by the filmmaker tomas gutierrez alea titon, 19281996 was held on june 21 at the cinematheque cinemateket in copenhagen. A new series of recent and distinguished foreign films opens with a richlyphotographed and compelling cuban film, an award winner at chicago and biarritz film festivals.

Schroeder asserts that the last supper is a reaction to the cuban sugar harvest of 1970, which was to be the basis for cubas great leap forward into the developed world90. Yet, such actions although apparently eccentric are also an attempt to quell the passions of slaves by allowing them to have a moment of freedom. Cuban film director julio garcia espinosa was well known in the 1960s for his contributions to cinematography and culture. Jun 04, 2019 from the last supper 1976 courtesy film forum. Based on a purportedly true incident, the film stars nelson allegra as an 18th century cuban landowner. The last supper 1976, tomas gutierrez alea this film, set in 18thcentury cuba, tells the purportedly true story of a slave owner who one day decides to instruct his slaves on the ecclesiastical codes of christianity by inviting twelve of them to a reenactment of the last supper. Concerned with the recent slave rebellions in nearby haiti, the count decides to reenact the biblical last supper in order to teach the slaves their place in society. Last supper, the on dvd 717119389741 from new yorker. Apr 30, 2008 the last supper is set on a sugar plantation in late 18th century cuba during the easter holy week. As fidel castro steps down, it is hoped that there is hope for the country and its future. This previously unacknowledged story centers on a count who supposedly gathered twelve of.