history 475- week 3

The film, La última Cena focuses on slavery in a Havana sugar mill and portrays the interactions between the slaves and their overseers. The dynamics of these relationships is interesting, and based on historical evidence the film shows accurate depictions of these slave and master relationships. While some slaves, like Sebastian, rebel and act upon their desire to be free, others accept their fate and play into the Count’s explanation that slavery can bring about happiness. While one of the main goals of the film was to convey an accurate depiction of the way slaves and their masters interacted on a daily basis, on a deeper level it aimed to show the submissive attitude some slaves had towards their situations. 

There are various elements at play throughout the film that aid in depicting these relationships. John Mraz stated: “critical reflection on classical historical portrayal in cinema also takes place in relation to various elemental issues: the relative importance of individuals and classes, and of religion and law in specific historical circumstances” (Mraz 108). We see these issues at play in the film, and they are critical to the historical significance of the film. The class divide between the slaves and the overseers is the most obvious issue at play. Through this class divide, individuals rise. Sebastian represents the unrest slaves had, through his constant rebellious nature he stands somewhat apart from the other submissive slaves. The Count also represents an individualistic nature, he aims to treat his slaves as “Christ-like”as possible and wants to bring Christ to them. However, the good nature he appears to possess diminishes by the end of the film, and he begins to treat the slaves the same way Don Manuel had. 

Religion and law is a vital element in understanding the film in its historical context. After the recreation of the last supper with the Count, he rewards the slaves by telling them they will not have to work on Good Friday. Through the Count’s religiously based generosity, he had aimed at giving them a break while actually having a higher purpose. Through that generosity he wanted to reiterate that the slaves could know happiness, and thereby reinstate the slave-master relationship at the sugar mill. Unfortunately, this act of kindness is undermined by Don Manuel. Don Manuel’s action brings about the slave revolt,and ultimately his death in an ironic sense.

       Don Manuel represents the law in the sugar mill while Don Gasper represents religion and in a subtle way takes the side of the slaves, as does the Count through the religious experiences he pursues. John Mraz’s critical analysis of La última Cena recognizes the importance religion had in the film. “Religion is a central element in The Last Supper. This film lacks the formal complexity of The Other Francisco, but it too uses a historical document as its catalyst” (Mraz 113). The film uses the “washing of the feet” and “the last supper” to foreshadow events taking place in the film. The film is very straight-forward and it is not hard to decipher through the relationships between the various characters and understand the differences in the social classes. 

Histoyr 475- Week 2 blog

The film, The Mission dealt exclusively with eighteenth century Latin America and the issues that plagued the time. The film was successful in communicating historical facts and interpretations, from both sides of the issue. The audience was able to relate and understand the perspective of the Jesuit's and the indigenous people, but at the same time the perspective of the conquestors of Spain and Portugal were also understood. The film surrounds the struggle between the Jesuits, who wished to turn the indigenous people into Christians and keep them free; and the Spanish and Portuguese who did not understand them, and therefore wished to capture them and turn them into slaves. 

The film did a sufficient job in separating the two groups being represented. “Winners and losers. Rich and poor. Conquerors and conquered. Masters and slaves. That is the old, old conflict at the heart of Latin American history” (Chasteen 19). This distinction between the indigenous people and those who came to conquer them made the issues between them easier to understand. Through the lack of understanding of the other, both groups experienced natural human reactions to the other. Their interactions represented differences and unfamiliarness, and that led the people to act accordingly. From a socially historic standpoint, this film captured the facts and gave accurate interpretations about human interactions. People react to foreign ideas and behaviors in different ways. For the indigenous people their reaction was categorized more as fear and rejection, and the colonizers reaction was one of domination. Another interesting fact to note is that the perceptions of the indigenous people are expressed indirectly through the actions of the Jesuits, unlike those of the Spanish. 

While there was a clear distinction to be drawn between the local inhabitants of the area and the colonizers, the role the Jesuits played in history was more complex and one that was conveyed through the film. They were Europeans, and therefore were under the scrutiny and authority of the Spanish Crown as well as the Catholic Church. However, they were also compassionate and accepting of the indigenous people and culture. The climax of the film concerns the issue of whether the Jesuits can continue their mission there, or not. Through the action of the film the emotions of the characters are understood, and give a deeper look into the real life conflict that effected these people. 

Through this film the effects of colonization are evident, and it gives a historical perspective of the conquest that is a very real part of Latin American history. “For Latin America, conquest and colonization by the Spanish and Portuguese created patterns of social domination that became eternal givens, like the deep and lasting marks of an original sin” (Chasteen 29). The film’s goal was to explain the issue surrounding the Jesuit’s mission in Latin America, and the decision to stop that mission. This goal, of expressing the events and the effects this decision had on the differing perspectives was achieved throughout the course of the film. The audience was able to understand the differing views, and grasp the effect during and after the mission in Latin America. 

history 475-The Mission

The film, The Mission dealt exclusively with eighteenth century Latin America and the issues that plagued the time. The film was successful in communicating historical facts and interpretations, from both sides of the issue. The audience was able to relate and understand the perspective of the Jesuit's and the indigenous people, but at the same time the perspective of the conquestors of Spain and Portugal were also understood. The film surrounds the struggle between the Jesuits, who wished to turn the indigenous people into Christians and keep them free; and the Spanish and Portuguese who did not understand them, and therefore wished to capture them and turn them into slaves.  The film did a sufficient job in separating the two groups being represented. “Winners and losers. Rich and poor. Conquerors and conquered. Masters and slaves. That is the old, old conflict at the heart of Latin American history” (Chasteen 19). This distinction between the indigenous people and those who came to conquer them made the issues between them easier to understand. Through the lack of understanding of the other, both groups experienced natural human reactions to the other. Their interactions represented differences and unfamiliarness, and that led the people to act accordingly. From a socially historic standpoint, this film captured the facts and gave accurate interpretations about human interactions. People react to foreign ideas and behaviors in different ways. For the indigenous people their reaction was categorized more as fear and rejection, and the colonizers reaction was one of domination. Another interesting fact to note is that the perceptions of the indigenous people are expressed indirectly through the actions of the Jesuits, unlike those of the Spanish.  While there was a clear distinction to be drawn between the local inhabitants of the area and the colonizers, the role the Jesuits played in history was more complex and one that was conveyed through the film. They were Europeans, and therefore were under the scrutiny and authority of the Spanish Crown as well as the Catholic Church. However, they were also compassionate and accepting of the indigenous people and culture. The climax of the film concerns the issue of whether the Jesuits can continue their mission there, or not. Through the action of the film the emotions of the characters are understood, and give a deeper look into the real life conflict that effected these people.  Through this film the effects of colonization are evident, and it gives a historical perspective of the conquest that is a very real part of Latin American history. “For Latin America, conquest and colonization by the Spanish and Portuguese created patterns of social domination that became eternal givens, like the deep and lasting marks of an original sin” (Chasteen 29). The film’s goal was to explain the issue surrounding the Jesuit’s mission in Latin America, and the decision to stop that mission. This goal, of expressing the events and the effects this decision had on the differing perspectives was achieved throughout the course of the film. The audience was able to understand the differing views, and grasp the effect during and after the mission in Latin America. 

hisotry 475- post for week 2

The film, The Mission dealt exclusively with eighteenth century Latin America and the issues that plagued the time. The film was successful in communicating historical facts and interpretations, from both sides of the issue. The audience was able to relate and understand the perspective of the Jesuit's and the indigenous people, but at the same time the perspective of the conquestors of Spain and Portugal were also understood. The film surrounds the struggle between the Jesuits, who wished to turn the indigenous people into Christians and keep them free; and the Spanish and Portuguese who did not understand them, and therefore wished to capture them and turn them into slaves. 

The film did a sufficient job in separating the two groups being represented. “Winners and losers. Rich and poor. Conquerors and conquered. Masters and slaves. That is the old, old conflict at the heart of Latin American history” (Chasteen 19). This distinction between the indigenous people and those who came to conquer them made the issues between them easier to understand. Through the lack of understanding of the other, both groups experienced natural human reactions to the other. Their interactions represented differences and unfamiliarness, and that led the people to act accordingly. From a socially historic standpoint, this film captured the facts and gave accurate interpretations about human interactions. People react to foreign ideas and behaviors in different ways. For the indigenous people their reaction was categorized more as fear and rejection, and the colonizers reaction was one of domination. Another interesting fact to note is that the perceptions of the indigenous people are expressed indirectly through the actions of the Jesuits, unlike those of the Spanish. 

While there was a clear distinction to be drawn between the local inhabitants of the area and the colonizers, the role the Jesuits played in history was more complex and one that was conveyed through the film. They were Europeans, and therefore were under the scrutiny and authority of the Spanish Crown as well as the Catholic Church. However, they were also compassionate and accepting of the indigenous people and culture. The climax of the film concerns the issue of whether the Jesuits can continue their mission there, or not. Through the action of the film the emotions of the characters are understood, and give a deeper look into the real life conflict that effected these people. 

Through this film the effects of colonization are evident, and it gives a historical perspective of the conquest that is a very real part of Latin American history. “For Latin America, conquest and colonization by the Spanish and Portuguese created patterns of social domination that became eternal givens, like the deep and lasting marks of an original sin” (Chasteen 29). The film’s goal was to explain the issue surrounding the Jesuit’s mission in Latin America, and the decision to stop that mission. This goal, of expressing the events and the effects this decision had on the differing perspectives was achieved throughout the course of the film. The audience was able to understand the differing views, and grasp the effect during and after the mission in Latin America.