You can't film a "Mexico"

In the 1991 Ridley Scott film Thelma and Louise, the film's narrative and aesthetics try to envision a third space in terms of gender. By tweaking and playing with the ideals of man and woman and how the two cross paths. While trying to achieve this by combating the inherent patriarchy the film runs into a problem; just as Thelma and Louise can not escape to the country of Mexico the film can not envision their view of this world and conceive it upon the physical screen.

One of the key moments of the film is when Louise is sitting in the T-Bird convertible as Thelma goes to rob the store. As she sits in the car the film pans over to two older women looking at her. Louise becomes confused and begins to try to put on make-up but rejects it. It is only when Thelma returns do they speed off into the dusty road.

What becomes important here is that Louise is rejecting not only the image of femininity; that its the woman behind the glass, but the patriarchal tools to enforce it. Patriarchy is defined as the dominated ,while, heterosexual male world and how they control the world and its inhabitants. Patriarchy privileges white, heterosexual men and views women not as fellow agents but rather objects as Harlan viewed Thelma. What one does not consider is that the makeup and the old woman enforce the ideas of patriarchy. When Louise tries to put on the make-up she views the woman, who is covered in make-up, as a object preserved behind the glass of the male world.

Yet Thelma and Louise begin to use the tools of patriarchal power against the power. Both begin to gain more male-esque clothing and tools. Both begin to loose their passive stances. Yes they have used violence, but it would cause a physical reaction of regret within the characters such as Louise's vomiting after she shoots Harlan. When they encounter the sexist and objective truck driver they demand he apologize. Upon his leaving and cursing they exact a violent revenge and blow up the truck driver's truck and continue a western movement something akin to the male dominated western genre film.

Yet the Thelma and Louise still feel weighed down by their feminine traits and by the male gaze of film. The infamous kiss as they drive towards their ultimate demise comes under the question of is it a moment of friendly passion or a sexualized lesbian kiss. This is the culmination of the “third area” that Thelma and Louise strives for. It is an ambiguous moment with no realization that leaves the viewer questioning. However it comes wrapped up in the male, patriarchal view for some and thus the film can not achieve a fulfilled “third area.”

For the “third area” to exist Thelma and Louise must make it to Mexico ad yet they can not. The patriarchy, fulfilled by the police army, prevents them in both directions. By their deviance, one deemed by violence and the patriarchy for being objects that deemed to fight back, they can no longer exist.

“Mexico” has become just as unachievable as the old woman in the window. Neither the characters nor the film can figure out what to do besides to keep going. Just as Thelma and Louise have driven off the cliff to a still shot, unfulfilled ending the film has done just the same; their vehicle for the “third area” between feminine and masculine has driven into the canyon and asks the viewer to decide. 

The Ideology of Escape

The Ideology of Escape

The world of Sin Nombre is a world presented, through the focused lens of Hollywood, of the Mexican gangs and immigrants. Not only does this present the true idea of escape from the life of poverty but the actions taken by the characters within the film.

In the beginning of them film, from :30 , the viewer is invited to gaze upon the image of an open field. While we feel as if this image is real we cut to the image Willy gazing into this image as if he is escaping into this world. Yet we come to see that is is within his own mind. To the viewer we being to see this as the form of escapism. This teenager is living within poverty , his imagines a field of lush wealth.

Yet when the camera cuts to Willy stands we see the image of a tattoo and the letters “SM”. Now we shift. The sympathies have changed. A viewer's shift. Without seeing any of the other points of the film we assume that he is a person with less of a good reputation. No words have been said, only music and cutting back between Willy and the image upon the wall.

This image becomes the symbol for escape, a theme of the film. Escape comes not only in the physical form; running, killing, diving and avoiding capture, but in the escape of the mind. Much of the beginning of film focuses on bringing people into the world when it comes to Willy and the gang. We see the images of violence, of corruption of the young. Yet the mind goes back to the image of the field. This is due to the counter balance of the first part of the film.

Willy is actively trying to keep his love life and gang life. His life with Martha is an escape much like the field, from the actions of the gang. His relationship is the field within his mind. The relationship is sexual, loving and fertile; it becomes the escape that he can rely on.

However he looses this escape. For as much as Willy tries to escape, how much he tries, he is forever tattooed by the gang both literally and metaphorically. The tattoos on his back give the physical icon of his status; his life belongs to the gang. His actions have also tied to him the gang life. Yet Willy still has the image of the field reoccur again when he is on the train.

This represents the chance still exists for Willy to escape this life. Though he is marked the ideology Willy creates still exists. The paintings are all within his head and not the physical realm. The idea is within his head to escape, the idea of a carnival is still there. Though Willy is an individual the ideology of escape is still existing. The viewer. now knowing Willy is a product of his location and situation have become sympathetic. Our own view has shifted; we desire to see Willy escape and make it into his field.

By using the ideology of escapism, Sin Nombre uses a shift in the paradigm. By shifting this we gain a new understanding of the character Willy and the dynamics of the film's narratives; the story of escape and survival.

Sin Nombre, the 2009 film by Cary Fukunaga, presents a look at the journey of immigrants and the life of the Mexican gangs and how the intertwine with one another. Just as the stories of the gang and immigrants meld and weave with one another so do the themes of relationship and how they create family.

The story of Sin Nombre begins with the initiation of a young boy, eventually named El Smiley, to the Mara Salvaturcha gang of Mexico. Quite quickly the viewer is invited into the gang through his initiation as much as the boy is. Yet being beat is not what allows him into the gang, it is the murder of a rival gang member is what brings the boy into the gang fully.

However Smiley is still an innocent. In the scene where he, and our lead Willy aka Casper, kill the rival gang member we see a dynamic of relationships. In the gang family is not determined by the blood in the veins but rather the blood split to or for the gang. Before Simely kills the man we see Lil' Mago using a very fatherly gestures towards the boy. For the gang the gestures of family fill all the roles. Mago is the father, Willy the elder brother.

Yet we do not see this transferred to anyone outside of the gang. We learn Willy has a girlfriend and she is not welcomed in as a person, but rather as a communal object for the family to use. She is not given the familial agency that Smiley is.

In the scene where they kill the rival member we see that not only is Willy indoctrinated but also plays along. His role to Smiley is the big brother. His hands are the ones holding Smiley's stable and giving advice. Yet we see Willy is not completely immune to this. Just as Smiley winces so does he. A connection is there, one of family, with out being blood. There seems to be a want of an innocent relationship. Earlier , when Smiley is being kicked to be considered part of the Mara we see that Willy hesitated.

What the film grasps at; family is made by the bonds of the collective. Family for Willy and Smiley is not created by the blood the bore them but rather the blood that they spill for one another. They form into a collective family circuit with their gestures and movements. Mago becomes not only leader but father, his power in words. It infects the rest of the gang to become a twisted sense of family. Willy becomes the big brother who lures in Smiley's to become little brothers. Once he kills the gang member Smiley becomes woven into the gang. He intern, becomes an older brother once he goes after Willy later in the film.

In the world of Sin Nombre family becomes everything. By examining the gestures of character we see how family unfolds as a unit. When one examines the relationships of family we see how the film's narrative unfolds along these familial built lines.