The Cinema of Víctor Erice: An Open Window - Softcover

Ehrlich, Linda C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0810858843 ISBN 13: 9780810858848

Publisher: Scarecrow Press, 2007

Synopsis

To coincide with the recent DVD release of The Spirit of the Beehive, this paperback collection of essays focuses on the work of acclaimed Spanish director, Víctor Erice. Originally published in hardcover under the title An Open Window, this expanded edition draws on original essays, reprints, and new translations from an international group of writers.

New to this edition are four essays from noted film scholars―including editor Linda C. Ehrlich―as well as three added essays from the filmmaker himself. Both the original and new material provide a deeper appreciation of Erice's three feature-length films―The Spirit of the Beehive [El espíritu de la colmena] (1973), El Sur (1982), and Dream of Light [aka The Quince Tree Sun, El sol del membrillo] (1992), as well as his shorter works, including his most recent accomplishment, La morte rouge (2006).

This anthology examines the aesthetic, historical, and sociological forces at work in Erice's films and includes an extensive interview with the director. This broad array of writings provides insight into not only three unforgettable films, but also into twentieth-century Spanish society, as well as world cinema. The Cinema of Víctor Erice: An Open Window will serve as an important resource to measure the career of this director who―along with Buñuel, Saura, and Almodóvar―has helped show the world the creative range of Spanish cinema. With additional essays, translations, and illustrations, this paperback edition explores new avenues of expression pursued by one of the most poetic of modern filmmakers.

About this title

About the Author:

Linda C. Ehrlich, Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve University, has written extensively on art and cinema in such journals as Film Quarterly, Cinema Journal, Cinemaya, and the Journal of Film and Video. She coedited (with David Desser) Cinematic Landscapes: Observations on the Visual Arts and Cinema of China and Japan, Revised Edition (2000). Her commentary on The Spirit of the Beehive [El espíritu de la colmena] appears on the new Criterion DVD of the film.

Review:

This paperback update of the 2000 anthology titled An Open Window: The Cinema of Victor Erice, the first to appear in English on the award-winning Spanish film director, coincides with the DVD release of The Spirit of the Beehive ( El espiritu de la colmena , 1973), his first feature film. Ehrlich (Case Western Reserve U.) introduces critical essays, an Erice interview and commentaries, and reviews of his works since 2000. Known for quality rather than quantity, his poetic films focus on survivors: e.g., of Franco's regime, time. The book features movie stills, a filmography, and reference list including essays by Erice and critical writings in several languages. (Reference and Research Book News, May 2007)

About this edition

• Publisher: Scarecrow Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0810858843
• ISBN 13: 9780810858848
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400