Der letzte Vorhang

This 1998 film is (or not) an allegory of the failure of the Argentinian nation, as told by the demise, and struggle to survive by a theater company. What makes the film a chilling prophecy of what was really in store for Argentina is its timing.

Released in 1998, when the country was still then the world darling and shining "successful" example of successful neo-liberalist economy policy (??!!), Argentina was entering recession. But it was NOWHERE close to the total debacle of January 2002, its effects still being felt in a country transformed by forever broken dreams, failure, and total bankruptcy. So, when filmed and released, whether this film's plot was or not a real allegory of the country's fate, was in the air. As it turned out, the messages in the film are almost 100% correct.

So the film today is actually more relevant than ever, and faithful to the real stories of those who lost everything, particularly the senior citizens. It's almost unbelievable how this film predicted, like a crystal ball, the events, the trials and tribulations of pensioners (retirees) since 2001 (still mostly unpaid or underpaid - as of June 2004. The dialogues of this film's characters of how they lose everything, or almost everything (clinging to one thing at least - in this film's case - a theater, and a 25 year old theater group), are almost verbatim quotes of Argentinians complaints right now, in the present time. You'll often hear them in the current President's speeches as he insists that his country, "raped by foreign investors," will at most pay a mere 25% of the country's debt to foreign debtors.

Yes, Argentinians have always been a melancholic, depressive, negative lot; singing the sad lyrics of the tango over loss of love, their European homelands, treason, treachery, the general rotten nature of the human race, suicide, and so on. This melancholic art form actually peaked during times when Argentina was one of the world's most developed, richest countries - the world's No. 2 for many years in several periods in the late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries.

It was (is) the only ethnically European country, and the only one with a middle class in the Americas, besides the US and Canada, but more ethnically homogeneous than either the US or Canada. Maybe even with better income distribution, as there was never a slave past (with Africans or Asians in any case) to speak of in Argentina, and most people are of pure European heritage. An African (black) person, or an Oriental is still a rarity in the country, a factor which aided in uniting the country for many years.

Remember the expression "as rich as an Argentine?" But they still whined when they were on top of the world; even after winning two World Cups, producing Nobel Prize Winners, and sport champions from tennis to car racing to rugby and cricket.

I think the reason this movie has a low rating is that at the time it was released, viewers thought it was one more "artsy" negative manifestation of the eternally "whiny" Argentines. How could something so gloomy and defeatist come out of a country which was still living a boom in the mid 90s? That's what I believe the earlier (and vast majority of) voters thought, when they evaluated this movie.

But see it now, and WITNESS just how true everything in the film turned out to be. It is really prophetic. And the movie itself, though too long, too "artsy" and pretentious (other attributes generally attributed to Argentinians), it is STILL worth seeing. Especially now, as one hears Argentinians legitimate complains since 2002 a full four years earlier, in 1998. The film presents an uncanny prophecy, and a great allegory of a country's decline and eventual nearly total economic and moral bankruptcy.

Regular readers of my comments know I celebrate Spanish-speaking filmmakers, pretty much as a class. Generally, they have good ideas for pushing the cinematic vocabulary. But oddly this is not true of Argentinians. I know of one film that was worth watching, and entire narrative comprised of tango. Part of the interesting thing 'was the mind who thought tango would be capable of such a thing.

This film is about the value of art in a society whose leaders don't value it — a condition that holds all over the world, the difference being that some regimes value what THEY think is art. I am writing this from a country I am visiting that has good funding for "traditional art" but discourages coloring outside the lines.

Argentines and others have had truly awful governments, but it is not the awfulness of the government that is the focus here, but the goodness of art — in particular performance art. We see much of this art. Its not plays but folks engaging in improv and social commentary.

And that's just what the movie is too. Normally, especially is a Spanish language film, I would suppose it is a clever folding of itself. But in this case, it is simply that the filmmaker didn't know better, I think.

Others may choose to watch it because it is a political cartoon that came true. But that is a poor excuse to spend time with something and accept it as art. I think perhaps I WOULD have considered tearing down their theater building.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

I came across this movie totally by chance during a very dark age of my life (trouble and strife at it's best, but whatever...) when sitting a bit stoned and quite drunk in front of my TV one night, watching Channel 1 (free public TV here in Germany) and then they showed this great story... i don't have that often, but this movie left me crying...

The first thing which really got under my skin is that everyone is this movie is running backwards, only the creative, the denying, the artists keep on moving forward.

The second thing was the underlying message of the movie and that is: Sometimes you gotta say NO, regardless of how much it hurts or what pains you might have to stand through for it, but for the sake of your soul and good conscious you sometimes have to say it, and stick to it.

A really great story, with impressing views and duologue's but really overwhelming monologues (the weekly pieces the protagonist writes and plays in front of the die-hard-audience that comes to his theater).