From Cinema, about Cinema, against Cinema: The Revista (revue) Plastic-Films (1915), by Vives, Jordá and Soler
Abstract
The always spongy curiosity of Spanish musical theatre soon looked to the new developments of cinema. The revista (revue) Plastic-Films (1915) succeeded in bringing together elements from the género chico with characters, settings and an aesthetic derived from cinema. Through elaborate pantomimes and a complex staging, the work represented an evolution in regard to the allegorical or merely anecdotal nature with which the seventh art was presented in earlier sainetes and revistas. Cinema was no longer a space nor a metaphor, and although fashionable elements were alluded to, the overwhelming illusion that could and should provide, recreate and even improve theatre prevailed. The conclusion of Plastic-Films was significant: the true spectacle of those years were the Ballets Russes. Theatre, therefore, had to prevail. This article seeks to explore this rivalry between the two mediums, analysing the visual and rhetorical elements revista took from cinema in its quest to demonstrate that its magic could be transferred to the stage.
Downloads
Article download
Crossmark
Metrics
License
In order to support the global exchange of knowledge, the journal Cuadernos de Música Iberoamericana is allowing unrestricted access to its content as from its publication in this electronic edition, and as such it is an open-access journal. The originals published in this journal are the property of the Complutense University of Madrid and any reproduction thereof in full or in part must cite the source. All content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 use and distribution licence (CC BY 4.0). This circumstance must be expressly stated in these terms where necessary. You can view the summary and the complete legal text of the licence.
