Pedro Almodóvar is considered to be one of the most provocative directors of modern Spanish cinema. His style is complex, and tend to be a break from the conventional concepts and norms associated with filmmaking. According to Mikaila Weaver, every film that Almodóvar directs highlights issues of sexuality and gender, and "creates an arena for the negotiation of these culturally constructed labels and categories" (4). One of the key elements associated with Almodóvar films is that of formalism. Formalism is a specific type of film study theory that involves heavy editing or the ways in which certain scenes are shot and how they work together to create a certain theme within the film. One film that Almodóvar directed that utilizes formalism is Volver. A story that follows the story of a family of women in Madrid, the main character Raimunda is depicted as going to extensive lengths in order to ensure her daughter, Paula, is protected. Addressing a variety of themes, the formalist approach that Almodóvar uses is impactful and allows each of the themes to show through in a clever way.
What is Volver Exactly?
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian states that the film is wonderfully crafted and illustrated the warmth and richness of women in their moods. It is not the first film by this director to showcase the passionate aspects of the gender. Bad Education and Talk To Her also impressively and notably captured the gripping nature of women. The audience is given a realistic portrayal by the lead actress, Penelope Cruz who plays Raimunda. The intensity of the film lies in the design of the narrative, which is Raimunda having to tirelessly work to ensure that her daughter is protected from the dramas of life. The film touches upon the death when Raimunda's mother returns from beyond the grave in order to try and make contact with her (1). Much of the formalism approach by Almodóvar is captured in the close and tightly knit shots of the astonishment of Raimunda, and her sisters as their ‘dead’ mother tries to make contact with them.
Weaver comments that Almodóvar attempts to force the audience to identify with the people in his films. He wants the generalized stereotypes associated with Spanish women, and sexuality to be different from what the audience sees about his films. His ability to both relate to the audience on a multicultural level, while simultaneously rendering the stereotypes null and void is what ultimately has made his work less conventional among other Spanish directors. His shots tend to be very visually sophisticated (6-8). This is evident from the title sequence and the opening scene where Raimunda is shown to be dusting off her mother, Irene's grave. The wind plays a significant role here in making the scene as realistic as possible. There is a sense within the audience (even without knowing where the storyline is going) that the grave site will play a unique role in Raimunda's life simply because of the escalation of the wind. At the start of the scene, Almodóvar shows the wind to be somewhat harsh, and it picks up intensity as the scene progresses.
Weaver writes that the formalist approach by Almodóvar offers a depth that other directors do not offer. There is a profundity in each scene, even with the most delicate or humorous of subject matter. He does not attempt to shock audiences or scare them. "His ultimate intention [may] not always be understood," (9) but ultimately, the audience understands what he is trying to relay to them after it has long finished. There is a believability in each of the characters and stories within his films because there is an elaboration of melodrama. From the colors, movements of the characters to the music, Volver, captures this essence similar to Bad Education and Talk To Her, which also take viewers into the intricate world of Almodóvar.
Jonathan Holland of the Directors Guild of America conveys that Volver is quite possibly one of Almodóvar most intense films. Raimunda's dead mother communicates with them in ways that she was not able to when she was alive. Specifically, the film is drenched in an autobiographical asceticism and is markedly different from other films that he is associated with (1). This is evidenced by the scene where Paula's father, Paco attempts to rape her and she subsequently stabs him in self-defense, as well as the scene where Agustina is informed that she has to go to Madrid to treat her cancer diagnosis. The realism in the shots provide a more aesthetic view of the characters and their feelings. Almodóvar is a master in this regard. Holland continues by stating that the film is "an attempt to tell an apparently ridiculous, grotesque, melodramatic story with the greatest possible simplicity" (1). Other than the simple shots of the wind and the acting by the individuals in the film, there are no overwhelming shocks or tactics that are often used in films, about the supernatural. Holland notes that Volver is quite restrained in this area. The narrative - whether it is the emotional aspects of the characters being shown in a melodramatic light or the naturalness of the scenery, the film is definitely Almodóvar, even though it does not appear that way on the surface. He leaves nothing to chance in the film, and he considers Volver one of his more challenging works because it is less complex than Bad Education or Talk to Her (1).
The Relevance of Formalism and Realism in Cinema
Jesse Prinz discusses the importance and relevance of formalism in the article, When is Film Art? One of the most important parts of the artistic performance of film is in the photography. The director has to be able to maintain the status of the film in terms of how the events are depicted and illustrated in order to make the claim that the piece is aesthetically real. It does not matter whether the film is dramatic, comedic or romantic, there must be evidence of a sufficient condition or reason for the audience to accept what they are being shown in order for it to work as formalism. Formalist works push the boundaries of film in terms of their approach. They are often simple, but profound and extend the narrative in a way that influences how the audience views prior works of that director, or the works that follow (1-3). This is what Volver does.
Where Bad Education and Talk to Her tend to be more formulaic or mainstream in terms of the subject matter, Volver, dives head first into the idea of the supernatural - and does so with a small amount of effects. The audience is meant to understand what is happening through the dialogue and expressions on the faces of the cast members as they discuss the situation s they find themselves in. Conversely, in Bad Education, the audience is shown the themes of transsexuality and metafiction in stylized scenes. Volver does not provide any kind of real stylized formats. The production is done in such a way as to be thought-provoking rather than shocking as in Bad Education.
Even in Talk To Her, the women are definitively shown to be in their comas and the audience can extensively see the intimate nature of their friendship in spite of this. With Volver, its formalist nature explicitly intends to be radically different from prior films. Holland comments that the film is heavily based in the characters rather than other aspects that often accompany other films that Almodóvar does. "His continuing enthusiasm speaks [volumes] in the shooting of the lengthy motivations and minds of the characters" (1). In other words, he wants the audience to see Paula, Raimunda and even, Irene as real people that are relatable. The technicality of the shots such as the tango that Raimunda dances in the film, is done in such a way where the specificity of the cultural history is also illustrated. There is an immense Spanish expression in Volver, that does not show up in prior works.
Prinz considers that it is easy to characterize films as art forms, especially when they break away from the traditional mold of Hollywood mainstream, or even the typical cultural elements. What most viewers and critics call classic films are just presentations of traditional forms of art. A film is only formalistic and deemed worthy enough to be considered a classic when it defies the facets that are typically woven in the genre. For example, with director, Mario Bava who is known as a horror master, some of his films are presented in an honorific fashion where the verdict on it being fine art is easy to observe. There is a provocativeness to certain ones that is absent in others (1-2). With Almodóvar, his films tend to be provocative, but what makes Volver so different is that it does not really showcase anything provocative. While the supernatural can be considered provocative in its interpretation by the viewer – when compared to his other works, the subject pales in comparison.
This is evident in All About My Mother, especially which deals with a variety of issues like existentialism and homosexuality. These are provocative subjects because they bring up different perspective in the viewers. For Volver, the realism is found in the supernatural – and Irene’s determination to communicate with her daughters from beyond the grave. As noted earlier, Almodóvar does not use the cheap tactics that are often conveyed and illustrated in films about the supernatural. David Bordwell finds the showing of the supernatural difficult to do in film without the scare tactics. Popular culture is so wrapped up in seeing everything from possessions to movements of objects and the like that something minimally distinctive or subtle is often seen as unfavorable. The success of the Paranormal Activity movies is evidence of this. Yet, audiences tend to find novelty in the cinematography of supernatural films through the storytelling as opposed to the noticeable coaxing from cheap editing or constructed formulas (1). In essence, while audiences have come to understand the need for movies like Paranormal Activity and others like it that outright show the supernatural, they appreciate films like Volver that are much subtler in their approach.
Why Volver Works?
Given the simplistic nature associated with the formalist approach that Volver takes, the question might be asked as to how it works as an entertaining film. Holland comments that "narratively and visually [the film] is a much more classical work than that of the stylistically flamboyance [that other films show]. It is a combination of kitsch and culture. The simplicity comes in renouncing artifice, in avoiding shots that try to be strange" (1). Essentially, the brilliance is in the aesthetics of the actions, the actor's faces, etc. rather than the silliness that is often connected to films with a similar construct. Holland continues by noting that the strengths and weaknesses of Raimunda are shown in less bright, saturated tones which is a departure from the conventional Almodóvar movies. Instead, they are replaced with blacks and grays and the backgrounds announce her feelings (1). The selection of actress, Penelope Cruz to play Raimunda is also another reason the formalistic nature of the film works so well.
Cruz is slow and visceral, taking time to connect to the audience, and not just be another character to them. She works to ensure that audience is not a spectator of the story of Raimunda, but rather finds themselves engrossed in what is going to happen to the characters that Raimunda knows. There is a determination in both Cruz and Almodóvar's shots of her against certain backdrops that move the story along in a realistic fashion (1). Arguably, there are points in the film where the viewer may forget that they are watching fiction. This is particular reflected when the audience learns that Raimunda's daughter, Paula is both her sister and daughter. Cruz works to make sure that the audience can fully see the profound nature associated with this revelation as does Almodóvar in the shots associated with this scene. There is a tenseness that is conveyed by Cruz to the point that the audience can understand her emotions and the lack of relationship that Raimunda has with Irene.
Prinz suggests that formalist and realistic films work well because of their psychological tone. There should be an innovation within the director to show the plot, form and intentions of the characters over the course of the film. "A film is art when it affords and aesthetic stance" (7). The film essentially should elicit emotions and feelings within the audience. The bolder, the better. Prinz continues by stating that the cinematography must be able to declare this representation of realism and emotional evocation. The film does not have to be a blockbuster in order to effectively present an aesthetic stance, it just must be more than general in its precision of emotional evocation. Moreover, the director must beautifully challenge the audience in an overt manner that does not fail (8). This is why Volver works on multiple levels. First, Cruz’s portrayal of Raimunda provides a sophisticated believability when compared to prior works by Almodóvar. The writer is not by any means suggesting that other Almodóvar works are not believable, but rather is asserting that Volver is in a class all by itself in terms of believability. Since the film is meant to be simplistic, the use of the backgrounds to convey emotion and the lack of cheap tactics to reveal Irene’s attempts to reach her children from beyond the grave, offer a unique, depth to the work that other films by Almodóvar do not.
Prinz comments that the attempt by the director and cinematographer should be stunning enough to be intriguing, but not overwhelming. There is a subtlety to formalism in film. The strong the aesthetics, the better the story is embraced by the audience. The audience cannot at any time feel as if they are being made to empathize with the characters without some emotion being depicted in an overt way (8-9). In other words, the emotions should be overt without being overly dramatic, or seen as cheap. The audience should be able to tap into both the story and the characters immediately without being to a certain extent, told to become immersed in them. This is why the characters in Volver work so well because the simplistic nature of the direction and cinematography are not forced. The audience is made to feel at home within the story. The credibility factor is illustrated through the relatable characters, the acting and the lack of cheap shots and tactics that are often present in films that encompass supernatural melodrama.
Conclusion
Mikaila Weaver finds that Almodóvar is an architect of film aesthetics, propelling a sophistication in his characters that hints at subtlety, while not overly distressing audiences to where they cannot champion the characters (8). The basis for Volver is in depicting the familiar attributes and situations that a family might encounter across cultures. The audience is meant to view the film and see their family within it as opposed to being detached from the plot. Almodóvar shoots the scenes in such a way where the viewer cannot help but become immersed in what will happen next and identify a realism within a rather simplistic, directed film. The power and potency behind Volver is in its minimalism, and lack of complexity in tactics – defying the conventional film tricks. Volver is indeed anything but simplistic once it finishes, but because of Almodóvar’s directing, this is not discovered until well after it concludes.
Works Cited
Bordwell, David. "Return to Paranormalcy." David Bordwell's website on cinema, 2012. Web. 2 May 2016. <http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2012/11/13/return-to-paranormalcy/>.
Bradshaw, Peter. "Volver." The Guardian. 24 Aug. 2006. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/aug/25/drama.pedroalmodovar>.
Holland, Jonathan. "All About Almodóvar." DGA, 2015. Web. 1 May 2016. <https://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/0603-Fall-2006/Director-Profile-Pedro-Almodovar.aspx>.
Prinz, Jesse J. "When Is Film Art?." 2007. Web. 2 May 2016. <http://subcortex.com/WhenIsFilmArtPrinz.pdf>.
Volver. Dir. Pedro Almodóvar. Sony Pictures Classics, 2006. Film.
Weaver, Mikaila. "The Films of Pedro Almodovar: "It Costs a Lot To Be Authentic, Ma'am"." American University, 2012. Web. 2 May 2016. <http://aladinrc.wrlc.org/bitstream/handle/1961/10715/Weaver,%20Mikaila%20Spring%2012.pdf?sequence=1>.
