Teacher
A Spanish Teacher at my school was nearly fired for showing this in school. Thoughts?
That's frightening. Was it in a high school, college or university? I could understand if it were in a high school.
I have shown this film to students at my university (usually the students themselves request it), but it is always voluntary and I give them a warning first about the content.
A couple of years ago I heard about a college instructor being severely chastized for showing AMANTES. The students liked it, but one of them told their parents and the parents complained to the Dean. Another co-worker of mine was disciplined for teaching the swear words in Spanish. He claimed he gave students ample chance to leave the room first, but one student held that it would have stigmatized her to leave and so she felt forced to stay and hear them.
You just never know what is going to offend people; it's unpleasant to be "nearly fired" for this kind of silliness but it happens all this time in this puritanical country.
Yes, this is a highschool. I wasn't in his class, but many of my friends were. I've also never seen the movie, but on several occasions I've said in disbelief something like, "oh it could NOT have been that bad." Always they come back with something like "....you have no idea..." Basically, I thought it was BS but I wasn't about to defend the teacher since he is a huge *beep* Also, I think that showing the movie was sort of the last straw since said teacher is not so mentally stable and likes to violently spew horrible epithets at kids.
Well I think the content is too strong to show in high school. Some individual students might be ready for it, but it would not be wise to show it to a whole class.
It has a kind of violence, accompanied by extreme cruelty, that really sticks in your memory. Also, it has some very realistic elements that make it more terrifying.
It was filmed at the director's university in Spain, where he was still a student (it is his "thesis"; the first victim was his professor in real life). I've heard that now some students refuse to walk down hallways where some of the scenes were filmed.
Save it for when you are 18, 19 or 20 is my advice.
I've since watched the movie, and I thought it was pretty good. I now understand why some people were majorly upset but, all together, I think people need to realize that this movie is a movie. A movie that's pretty damn good. Also, I understand now why people shiver and look at me funny whenever I mention a saw of any sort.
shareBklyn4ever, is it true that it was Amenabar's thesis? O.o
I agree with you, Tesis is a great movie, but not for high school at large. Although, that depends on the country. We watched pretty disturbing movies in History class last year, but nobody complained (considering I was the only one who got violently sick after the teacher explained WWII, I think teenage sensibility greatly suffers in Spain).
I think it's the realistic elements that stick to memory, not the gore or the violence. Making the spectator feel like movie situations can happen is what makes a horror movie scary, in my opinion.
Anyway, great movie. Enjoyed it, mainly because it keeps you guessing *nod nod*
The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference
Yes shadow I think I read somewhere the film was his final project or thesis for his degree at the Madrid School of Communication, where the university scenes were shot.
The first victim was played by Miguel Picazo (no relation to Picasso), a renowned director in his own right (EXTRAMUROS, LA TIA TULA) who served as Amenábar's advisor. The young girl, Ana Torrent was a child actress during the 1970s (CRIA CUERVOS, EL ESPIRITU DE LA COLMENA) and this film marked her comeback as an adult.
The actors Fele Martínez and Eduardo Noriega would become major actors of their generation and join forces with Amenábar again for ABRE LOS OJOS, which you should see if you enjoyed this one. Martínez is also great in Medem's AMANTES DEL CIRCULO POLAR ARCTICO and Almodóvar's HABLE CON ELLA and LA MALA EDUCACION.
I'm already set on seeing "Abre los ojos", but those are great suggestions. Thank you ^_^
The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference