Post 5

Ashley Green

Of the films we have viewed thus far, Frida is by far my favorite, which surprises me because I am such a fan of American Splendor. The film is nothing short of mesmerizing, with its use of decadent colors, creative transitions, pitch-perfect acting, and beautiful scenery. The performances in the film were all superb, especially those of Alfred Molina and Salma Hayek. Edward Norton appeared the greatest scene-stealer in the film however, with a smarmy Nelson Rockefeller played with smug perfection. While the acting was superb, the scene that defined the film for me was the stop-motion vignette after the bus accident. Masterfully done by animating wizards the Brothers Quay, the scene is both fascinating and disturbing. The figure that appears to be the lead doctor moves around his tongue in the creepiest of ways and at one point, after scratching his head with the pen, he scratches his tongue with it. The exact emotion those few frames evoked is indescribable still, but amazed would likely be a good start. Also particularly well done was the way the Kahlo’s paintings were interwoven within the story. Used as a means to transition from scene to scene, each piece tells a story almost separate from the film itself, but just as powerful. Julie Taymor, the films director is known for her bright colors and vivid imagery throughout her works, and she does not disappoint here. Every frame was absolutely captivating.

It is possible that because I am so enamored with the film, it will be hard to find fault with it. Though I do agree with Ortner’s assertion that women are often identified with nature and men with culture, it is difficult to weigh this within the context of the film because Kahlo is depicted as close to both. Though she is often depicted as being close to nature, particularly in the bus crash scene, with fruit and birds flying all around, she is never depicted as uncultured, and at times seems as or more cultured than her male counterparts. Also hard to swallow is Ortner’s assertion that even if women are depicted as both, they automatically assume a middle-ground which places them lower than men. I think this may be a little hasty and refuses to give any credit to critical viewers. My assertion could be incorrect, but one might assume most people find the greatest comfort within a middle-ground, and therefore, so long as she is also depicted as cultured, depicting a woman as with nature should not be a detriment.

The discussion of whether or not there is a gender bias in the popular depiction of Kahlo seems uneven. The assertion Mencimer makes is that Kahlo is treated differently because she is a woman, and people focus more on her life than her art. It would seem, though that any figure who enters into the popular culture risks their life coming under scrutiny and examination. The fascination with Kahlo’s life appears no more unique then the fascination with Pollock’s or Basquiat’s. People are interested in what influenced and inspired their favorite artists, and that often translates to a review of someone’s life. Further, the function of a biopic is to tell someone’s life story. The film Frida appeared to be just as concerned with her art as the other films were about their subjects, and if anything, the film displays a greater passion for the individual artist’s work than any other film we have viewed thus far.