Erendira

Read Eric's review again. He perfectly described my own feeling for this film so more eloquently than I ever could. I'm only writing here to further encourage you to look for and see it.

I saw it many years ago on TV, the IFC I think. It is such a unique film I hesitate to make comparisons. It was filmed in northern Mexico, somewhere in the relentless badlands of Coahuila/Zacatecas/San Luis Potosi. This isn't the Sedona-like Durango,Mexico (of the John Wayne films) but a truly stark and wild place. I have to find the novel now to check on the original location of the story. Like the location, this movie is strange and wild and wonderful and weird and absolutely not for everyone. It is the kind of production that almost motivates me to study film.

I hadn't actually forgotten this movie, it is indelible. Yet, over the years, I had forgotten of its existence. I know nobody who has seen it, had never read of it, nor seen any reference to it. Erendira is such an unusual name, I'd even forgotten the title. Well, I'll be looking to buy a copy now.

**I have since the above posting become a huge fan of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and so regret not having read him before.

Relative to MsMyth's comment below; the movie was filmed in Mexico but the author is Colombian and was not commenting on Mexico or Mexican history in any way, although Marquez now lives in Mexico for "political" reasons. This story is universal.

I am still trying desperately to find a copy of this film for my library. Liked the movie? You have to read the story and then everything else Garcia Marquz wrote. And, by the way, the original location in the story was Colombia.

Eréndira is a dark fairy tale covered in the blanket of magic realism that has become Gabriel García Márquez's trademark. Director Ruy Guerra has devoted a lot of attention to upholding the surrealistic undertones of the novel. The story itself unfolds like a bizarre daydream that follows a 14 year old Eréndira as she is plagued by the "wind of her misfortune." It is the wind that causes Eréndira to burn down her grandmother's lavish villa. Upon seeing the ruin and ashes the Grandmother informs Eréndira that "it would take a lifetime to back the debt you owe me." And so begins the young girl's life of prostitution. In order to earn back her money, the Grandmother sells Eréndira to countless men, day and night. It is only when Eréndira meets angelic Ulysses that her tortured life seemingly begins to change. Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of this movie is the role of the Grandmother, played by Irene Papas. She is carried around on a throne-like chair, wears grotesquely gaudy dresses and devours cake by the handful; all while dispensing cryptic advice to Eréndira. The power that the Grandmother has over the life of Eréndira is shocking yet morbidly interesting, as is she. This strong presence is the reason that her character commands the most attention in the film. Her greed and apparent indestructibleness is quite possibly representative of the many corrupt and powerful organizations and politicians that are present in Latin America and throughout the world.

Eréndira is a compelling movie to say the least. It is funny yet eerie, intriguing yet grotesque, and I thought it was amazing. Everything from the sound effects to the costumes work together to create the web of magic realism that dominates the film. If you like slightly dark stories of Latin American culture with a magical twist, Eréndira should be your first choice.

"The Incredible and Sad Story of the Innocent Eréndira and Her Heartless Grandmother" is my favorite work of all the literature by Gabriel García Márquez. This is an abysmal version of the (long) short story, told without imaginative resources and the special effects it begged for. For once, I would concede to green juices and gore effects of cheap Hollywood movies: that is what was precisely needed when that bitch of the grandmother dies. Tobe Hooper would have been a much better choice as director than Ruy Guerra, who went to make other poor adaptations of García's work. And the terrible casting of bland Oliver Wehe as Ulises, competes with that of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. No wonder he did not make another film.

"Erendira" is a film from Mexico that is rarely talked about. The film only exists in a low quality VHS format. It's a shame this film hasn't been given a DVD release. "Erendira" is stunning and gorgeous with its magic-realist images. "Erendira" is based on a short story from the novel "100 Years of Solitude". Erendira is constantly daydreaming and accidentally burns down her grandma's house. Her evil grandma, played by Irene Papas, forces her into prostitution to pay for the damages. The whole town gets a piece of Erendira, so to speak. Although the subject matter sounds harsh, the film doesn't exploit sexuality. It's done in a mature artistic manner. The film also has some amazing costumes. Some of the more surreal aspects of the film that stand out the most, are the origami birds that morph into real birds, and a golden orange with a diamond in the center. Erendira is an amazing film, that even manages to throw in humor. This is definitely a film that deserves a special DVD release. As they'd say in espanol, "Es muy muy bien !!! Excellente!

Although this lovely work of art does use some of the cinematic vocabulary of surrealism, it is in fact nothing of the sort. It is a political and cultural allegory of Mexico's post-Columbian odyssey, as even a passing glance at Mexico's history will attest.

In contrast to "Like Water for Chocolate," "Erendira" expects the viewer to meet it at least half way so that understanding it takes a little work. (A good starting point is to see the grandmother character as Spain: proud, aloof, sorrowful and, above all else, weighed-down-with-history.)

The ultimate actions of the heroine are obscure because the "outcome" of history (i.e. the present) is always obscure, since we are too close to it for honest evaluation. Refusal to neatly tie up loose ends is the only real choice available to the director, given the ambitions of the film.

"Erendira" is gorgeous. A big-screen experience would be ideal, if you can catch it at a local art house or university screening. But if not, VHS is better than never seeing it at all.