TESIS

Spain, 1996, 125 minutes, Colour.

Ana Torrent, Fele Martinez, Eduardo Noriega, Xabier Elloriaga, Miguel Picazo.

Directed by Alejandro Amenebar.

For almost 30 years, writer-director, Alejandro Amenebar, has made quite a number of striking films, beginning with this film. Other films include Open Your Eyes, The Sea Inside, The Others, Agora, and the imagined Cervantes’ story, Cautivo.

The star of this film is Ana Torent, who became famous as a child actor in The Spirit of the Beehive, now playing a woman who is researching violence in films which leads her to a fascination and the viewing of snuff films. She is helped by her Professpr who dies. Then guided by his successor, but also friendly with a man who has made a huge collection, then suspicious, the death of a woman, further threats and the making of exploitation films.

While there are many grim aspects of the screenplay as might be expected, the film is interestingly written, well-acted, and takes the audience into a world of pornographic violence to which they are not accustomed. So, the film is psychologically and emotionally challenging as well as raising moral issues.

1. The title and the world of academia, students, research, professors?
2. The university setting, rooms, libraries, audiovisual research? Homes, ordinary, sinister? The musical score?
3. Angela, personality, the background of her family relationships, visit home, her interest, audiovisuals? Working with Professor Figueroa? The episode on the train, the suicide, her wanting to see the body?
4. Her interest in violence, on-screen violence, the guidance of the Professor, the suddenness of his death?
5. Her working with Chemo, his knowledge, interest in violence, his collection of videos, violence and pornography? Sharing with Angela? The new professor and his influence?
6. The research, the snuff movie, identification of the victim, Vanessa, the information about her, the violence of the death, the location for the death? The garage?
7. The character of Bosco, at the University, suspicions, personality, interaction with Angela, wanting to interview him, the visit, the seduction, her resistance, the nightmare reenacting the violence and sexuality?
8. Bosco visiting the family, the threat to her sister, Angela’s reaction?
9. Chemo, his collaboration with Angela, his interests, the death of the professor, suspicions on Chemo? Angela wary?
10. The further investigation, fascination with the violence, the sexuality, the buildup to a climax, Bosco, considered a psychopath, confrontation with Chemo, his going to hospital?
11. The buildup to the confrontation with Angela, Bosco, the revelations about Castro, his taking Angela, wanting to torture, make the film? His death?
12. The aftermath, a kind of sinister catharsis for Angela, and for the audience interested in snuff movies, audiovisual violence, pornographic violence?