Publication: Cine popular español y feminidades envejecientes: una aproximación a la tipología de la "graciosa madura"
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2020-02-28
Defense date
2020-01-22
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Abstract
Pese al creciente número de estudios académicos sobre cine español desde una perspectiva de género, son todavía escasos aquellos trabajos en los que se tiene en cuenta la intersección con la categoría edad. Este estudio se propone analizar la representación de las feminidades envejecientes en el cine popular español. Para ello, se establece como objeto de estudio aquellos personajes–tipo recurrentes en la cultura popular española –tanto en cine como en otros medios– interpretados por actrices cómicas y que solían estar relegados a funciones de soporte.
La investigación pretende arrojar luz sobre una tipología poco explorada que denominamos «graciosas maduras» y que abarca un amplio abanico de «suegras», «tías excéntricas», «esposas dominantes», «vecinas cotillas» o «chachas», entre otras. Si bien suelen aparecer representadas como figuras grotescas, ridículas o abyectas en relación con las feminidades juveniles, la inadecuación o la transgresión de las expectativas de género y edad en la que se basa su comicidad puede ser releída desde el feminismo.
Este trabajo se adentra en la herencia teatral que recibe el cine a través de unas actrices características que replicaban su estilo interpretativo forjado en las tablas y que echan mano de los recursos cómicos de gran efectividad ante el público en directo. A su vez, el análisis de los textos fílmicos nos permite comprender cómo la comedia abre espacios ideológicamente ambiguos en los que coexiste la posibilidad de una risa punitiva que se mofa de las «graciosas maduras» por su condición abyecta y la posibilidad de una risa liberadora y cómplice con las irreverencias de los personajes.
Despite the increasing amount of academic research on Spanish cinema from a feminist perspective it is still quite unusual to find studies in this field focused on the intersection of gender and age. The main purpose of this work is to analyse representations of ageing femininities in popular Spanish cinema. Therefore, we focus on stock characters that are ubiquitous along Spanish popular culture, as much in cinema as in other media. In general terms they are played by character actresses who specialise in supporting roles. This thesis aims to shed some light on a rarely studied tradition of typified characters that we name “ageing comic female characters” and encompasses “mothers–in–law”, “extravagant aunts”, “dominating wives”, “nosy neighbours” or “housemaids”, among others. Broadly depicted as grotesque, ridiculous, or abject figures, their transgressions and inadequacy to meet gender and age expectations can be read from a feminist perspective. Firstly, we examine how these character actresses recycle from their stage background a theatrical acting style and comic routines of proven success in front of live audiences. Secondly, film analysis of different movies helps understand how the mechanisms of comedy open ideologically ambiguous spaces where a punitive laugh that mocks abject “ageing comic female characters” can coexist with a more liberating view that laughs with their transgressions of the “natural order”.
Despite the increasing amount of academic research on Spanish cinema from a feminist perspective it is still quite unusual to find studies in this field focused on the intersection of gender and age. The main purpose of this work is to analyse representations of ageing femininities in popular Spanish cinema. Therefore, we focus on stock characters that are ubiquitous along Spanish popular culture, as much in cinema as in other media. In general terms they are played by character actresses who specialise in supporting roles. This thesis aims to shed some light on a rarely studied tradition of typified characters that we name “ageing comic female characters” and encompasses “mothers–in–law”, “extravagant aunts”, “dominating wives”, “nosy neighbours” or “housemaids”, among others. Broadly depicted as grotesque, ridiculous, or abject figures, their transgressions and inadequacy to meet gender and age expectations can be read from a feminist perspective. Firstly, we examine how these character actresses recycle from their stage background a theatrical acting style and comic routines of proven success in front of live audiences. Secondly, film analysis of different movies helps understand how the mechanisms of comedy open ideologically ambiguous spaces where a punitive laugh that mocks abject “ageing comic female characters” can coexist with a more liberating view that laughs with their transgressions of the “natural order”.
Description
Mención Internacional en el título de doctor
Keywords
Actrices características, Cine popular español, Comedia, Estudios de la Edad, Estudios de género, Feminidades envejecientes, Feminismo, Personajes de reparto, Age studies, Ageing femininities, Character actresses, Comedy, Feminism, Gender studies, Spanish popular cinema, Stock characters