María Candelaria (Emilio Fernández, director; 1943)
So I was going to compare this movie to Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but then I remembered that it's a Disney movie, and those are frowned upon in this class. (Except for Pocahontas.)
Instead, I'll discuss Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a novella published by Richard Bach in 1970. Hall Barlett directed a film adaptation which came out in 1973. (While the book was moderately successful (top of the NYTimes Bestseller List for 38 weeks), the movie was less so - the author sued the film company, and it's one of the few films that Roger Ebert has walked out of.)
I never read the book, but I saw the movie on my mission. (My mission president loves this movie - he had it on DVD and showed it to us.) It's a very spiritual/transcendental/metaphysical story about a seagull who savors the joys of flying instead of conforming to the trash-eating lifestyle of his flock. His flock eventually banishes him and treats him as an outcast because of his "radical" ideas. Similarly, María Candelaria is an outcast in her community. Unlike María Candelaria, however, Jonathan Livingston Seagull doesn't die. He sticks it to the man (who in this case happens to be a council of seagull "elders") by teaching the young seagulls how to overcome the mundane conformity of garbage-scavenging.
Through the symbolism in each story, it's pretty obvious that María and Jonathan are Christ figures. (Okay, so maybe María represents the Virgin Mary... In order to make the symbolism fit with the gender of the characters, La Virgen is the next best thing.) Just to make sure you get the connection, the dedication at the beginning of the film reads "To the real Jonathan Livingston Seagull, who lives within us all." From my point of view, María represents the 'redemptive' power of the Atonement; she suffered and died because of the sins of the people. Jonathan reflects the 'exalting' power of the Atonement, because he helps others reach their full potential and become like him.
Another interesting connection between the two is the symbolism of their names. Candelaria is Spanish for Candlemas, a Christian holiday celebrating the presentation of Jesus at the temple, and during which candles are blessed. (Candles... light... Light of the World... Christ.) As for Jonathan Livingston Seagull, is not the Savior referred to as a living stone (1 Peter 2:4-6)? His name in the Spanish translation is less discrete: 'Juan Salvador Gaviota.' For whatever reasons, artists have been employing Christ figure symbolism for centuries. What other examples can you think of?
So I was going to compare this movie to Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but then I remembered that it's a Disney movie, and those are frowned upon in this class. (Except for Pocahontas.)
Instead, I'll discuss Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a novella published by Richard Bach in 1970. Hall Barlett directed a film adaptation which came out in 1973. (While the book was moderately successful (top of the NYTimes Bestseller List for 38 weeks), the movie was less so - the author sued the film company, and it's one of the few films that Roger Ebert has walked out of.)
I never read the book, but I saw the movie on my mission. (My mission president loves this movie - he had it on DVD and showed it to us.) It's a very spiritual/transcendental/metaphysical story about a seagull who savors the joys of flying instead of conforming to the trash-eating lifestyle of his flock. His flock eventually banishes him and treats him as an outcast because of his "radical" ideas. Similarly, María Candelaria is an outcast in her community. Unlike María Candelaria, however, Jonathan Livingston Seagull doesn't die. He sticks it to the man (who in this case happens to be a council of seagull "elders") by teaching the young seagulls how to overcome the mundane conformity of garbage-scavenging.
Through the symbolism in each story, it's pretty obvious that María and Jonathan are Christ figures. (Okay, so maybe María represents the Virgin Mary... In order to make the symbolism fit with the gender of the characters, La Virgen is the next best thing.) Just to make sure you get the connection, the dedication at the beginning of the film reads "To the real Jonathan Livingston Seagull, who lives within us all." From my point of view, María represents the 'redemptive' power of the Atonement; she suffered and died because of the sins of the people. Jonathan reflects the 'exalting' power of the Atonement, because he helps others reach their full potential and become like him.
yes, Neil Diamond did the music for this movie
Another interesting connection between the two is the symbolism of their names. Candelaria is Spanish for Candlemas, a Christian holiday celebrating the presentation of Jesus at the temple, and during which candles are blessed. (Candles... light... Light of the World... Christ.) As for Jonathan Livingston Seagull, is not the Savior referred to as a living stone (1 Peter 2:4-6)? His name in the Spanish translation is less discrete: 'Juan Salvador Gaviota.' For whatever reasons, artists have been employing Christ figure symbolism for centuries. What other examples can you think of?
No comments:
Post a Comment