Thursday, 3 July 2008:

Film / video presentation: (option 2: satire): Adrian Hernandez

1 of 13 0:00 – 2:45 Old Mayor Killed

2 of 13 1:50 – 3:45 Arrives at town

3 of 13 0:00 – 2:45 Tries to negotiate the brothel to close; tries to bribe him but he refuses

3 of 13 7:40 – 8:55 Expresses ideas for improvements to the town but realizes no money

5 of 13 0:00 – 2:15 Tries to enforce the law and use force

5 of 13 3:15 – 5:10 Begin to see corrupt side take over

7 of 13 4:05 – 5:05 Gets humiliated by Dona Lupe

7 of 13 7:15 – 8:35 Gets revenge

11 of 13 0:00 – 3:40 Locks up the entire town on his made up laws

12 of 13 7:15 – 8:30 The town gets Vargas

13 of 13 0:00 – 2:06 The new mayor arrives

LA LEY DE HERODES - SATIRE

Plot Summary

After the corrupt former Mayor is killed by the peasants, poor janitor Juan Vargas is appointed new Mayor of a desert town in central Mexico. Although he tries to bring the motto of the ruling party to town (modernity, peace and progress) he realizes soon that there's nothing to do against corruption... except to become corrupt. Step by step, helped by his pistol, Juan Vargas becomes the law and the worst Major in the town's history.

(from Genres Handout)

Satire.  The word “satire” appropriately comes from the Greek for “mixed-dish,” as its story-line tends to be extremely episodic and opportunistic. In fact, the satiric narrative depends for its narrative integrity on the audience’s knowledge of the original story being satirized. (As a single-voiced example, an impersonator depends on his audience’s knowledge of a celebrity’s mannerisms and foibles.)  Structurally, the satirical narrative will end somewhat like the original narrative, but, in terms of tone, the seriousness or pretensions of the original narrative will be deflated.

THE audience must be familiar with the existing corruption found within the Mexican government during the time of the film. 

This example shows the corruption of the government with the use of exaggerated scenarios and comedy centered on the tragic fall of the honest politician.

Q1.      How does this movie qualify as satire?

Q2.      How is this film an example of the mixing of genres and how is satire different from the other genres?

Satire, being based on an original story, is forced to incorporate other genres but is given the opportunity to twist the story in a “satirical” fashion which often exposes the weaknesses or embellishments of the original story be it a tragedy, romance or mixture of the other genres.