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March 12, 2007

Two things impressed me greatly this last weekend: a scene from El laberinto del Fauno and a Crucifixus Dolorosus at the exhibition of medieval art from the National Museum in Warsaw. And in a way they're related, being Jesus Christ the rebel par excellence.

The crucifix was hanging on the last room I visited. It's life size and dramatically lit. The Y cross somehow makes it look more real to me. And so does the position of the body and head: the crucified eventually would die suffocated as he wouldn't be able to exhale for his body's weight was suspended from his arms, the nailing of the feet being an extra aid to prolong the agony as he would be able to rise and breath from time to time. The Crucifixus Dolorosus was supposed to make the bystander meditate and this one worked for me. Whether Jesus lived or not, the capacity of some to die or withstand pain for their beliefs and as martyrs of causes is something that I have an immense admiration for.

(this painting came to my mind as one of the scenes unfolded and, sure enough, I find that Guillermo del Toro claims Goya to have been an influence in this movie).

And so, despite the dedication of the heroes in El Laberinto del Fauno and the sacrifices and readiness to die they showed throughout the movie, the bit where the doctor kills the tortured republican out of mercy by giving him an overdose of painkillers - although the orders of the Capitán Vidal were precisely the opposite, he should make him stay alive so that he could torture him more - will be the one scene I know will stay in my mind:

Vidal: Dígame, porqué no me obedeció?
Doctor: Es que-

Una larga pausa.

Doctor: Obedecer por obedecer - Así, sin pensarlo...

Vidal aprieta las quijadas, tienso.

Doctor: Sólo lo hacen gentes como usted, Capitán.

And Vidal shoots him in the back as he walks away.

******

It is better to die standing than to live on your knees. -- Emiliano Zapata or was it Che?

******

Des idées réclamant le fameux sacrifice
Les sectes de tout poil en offrent des séquelles
Et la question se pose aux victimes novices
Mourir pour des idées, c'est bien beau mais lesquelles ? ---Georges Brassens

Posted by claudia

Comments

Más vale morir de pie que vivir de rodillas. 1910 - Práxedis G. Guerrero. Mexico. Interesting that you've end this post (with Christ in the cross) with this remark. Was it intentional? Since Jesus Christ advocated a life on its knees before God and Love... Well, we bend our knees if we're flexible. We bend our knees if we're humble. Aren't we all on our knees for the women we love anyway? You certainly bend your knees (physically) if you're nailed to a cross, gushing blood and having your own weight crushing you. Well, Zapata cared more about pride and glory than the life of its people. Che cared more about its ideals. If they've used this expression they borrowed it from Praxedis that was actually trying to start a revolution himself. Either way, the most memorable knee bending event for me (its a only a movie but...): Empire of the Sun, Steven Spielberg movie based on a autobiographical novel: Japanese POW camp commander runs into the POW quarters after an american air raid hits the japanese quarters with a few bombs. Enraged, the commander exacts revenge by breaking the windows of the POW's infirmary. The British doctor tries to stop him by fighting him. The commander begins beating him with a stick. Jamie, the boy in the camp, runs towards him and prostrates on his knees and begs with his forehead against the ground. The commander accepts the show of apologies and submissiveness and stops the beating. Jamie had just saved the japanese commanders face in front of the POWs. Fight the battles than you can win. If you can't win avoid confrontation at all cost. - Sun Tze Being alive is better than being dead. - A thinker.

Posted by Filipe Felix Ling at March 30, 2007 05:51 PM