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Associative montage as a tool of the author’s intention in the film “Water-Mirror of Granada” (1955) by J. Val del Omar

https://doi.org/10.28995/2073-6401-2022-3-135-152

Abstract

The article analyzes how the Spanish film director J. Val del Omar, with assistance of associative montage of symbolic and allegorical images, created a complete narrative with a specific storyline in the film “Water-Mirror of Granada” (1955). The storyline is interpreted by the author of the article as a visualization at the figurative and metaphorical level of the initiatory spiritual path of human being. It is noted that such an approach formally unites the montage method of J. Val del Omar with principles of the Soviet montage school of the 1920s and 1930s. In contrast to the clearly expressed political and ideological orientation of Soviet cinema, the content of the works of J. Val del Omar has an ambiguous religious and symbolic character, due to both the personal preferences of the film director and the censorship requirements of the era of the authoritarian Franco regime. The article also analyzes the role of the systems of film sound accompaniment and multi-screen film projection invented by J. Val del Omar, which allow to “wake up” the viewer’s personal memory, providing with possibility to supplement the author’s semantics with own interpretation, thereby enhancing the effects of associative montage.

About the Author

O. V. Kolotvina
Russian State University for the Humanities
Russian Federation

Ol’ga V. Kolotvina

bld. 6, Miusskaya Square, Moscow, 1259047



References

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3. Haemmerling, K. (2015), “Películas culturales de todo el mundo”, Duque, E. (ed.), Val del Omar Mas alla de la orbita terrestre, Ministerio de Cultura del Gobierno, BAFICI, Buenos Aires, Argentina, р. 171.

4. Kolotvina, O.V. (2021a), “Immersive technologies of J. Val del Omar’s media art (‘apanoramic image overflow’, ‘diaphony’, ‘tactile vision’) as an expression of his concept of ‘mechanical mysticism’”, The Art and Science of Television, no 17.1, pp. 5171, DOI: 10.30628/1994-9529-2021-17.1-51-71.

5. Kolotvina O.V. (2021b), “The key features of the aesthetic of J. Val del Omar’s author cinema (on the case study of the film trilogy “Elementary Triptych of Spain”)”, Articult. no 1(41), pp. 49–58, DOI: 10.28995/2227-6165-2021-1-49-58.

6. Kolotvina, O.V. (2021c), “The poetics of the city in the film “Vibrations of Granada” (1935) by J. Val del Omar”, Articult, no 2 (42), pp. 57–68. DOI: 0.28995/22276165202125768.

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11. Val del Omar J. (1958), Bruselas 1958 – Aguaespejo granadino. Un film experimental por excelencia, 1958 Valdelomar website, available at: http://www.valdelomar.com/cine3.php?lang=es&menu_act=5&cine1_cod=6&cine2_cod=11&cine3_codi=66&cine4_codi=186 (Accessed 31 May 2022).

12. Val del Omar J. (2015b), El homаbre está en una jaula, Duque E. (ed.), Val del Omar Mas alla de la orbita terrestre, Ministerio de Cultura del Gobierno, BAFICI, Buenos Aires Argentina, р. 170

13. Val del Omar J. (2015c), Nota de presentación de Aguaespejo granadino. Festival de Cine de Berlín, 1956. Duque E. (ed.), Val del Omar Mas alla de la orbita terrestre, Ministerio de Cultura del Gobierno, BAFICI, Buenos Aires, Argentina, pp. 168–169. Vogel, A. (1974), Film as a Subversive Art, Random House, New York, USA.


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For citations:


Kolotvina O.V. Associative montage as a tool of the author’s intention in the film “Water-Mirror of Granada” (1955) by J. Val del Omar. RSUH/RGGU BULLETIN. Series Philosophy. Social Studies. Art Studies. 2022;(2):135-152. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.28995/2073-6401-2022-3-135-152

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