Magical Realism

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  • Magical Realism

    I'm interested in finding other examples of magical realism in films. For those unfamiliar, or not aware that you're familiar, magical realism is a literary style in which the magical, supernatural, or surreal is incorporated into a realist narrative structure - as if they were a normal part of everyday life. This distinguishes the genre from science fiction or horror, because the unknown is accepted by the character and left unexplained to the audience.

    Some examples from cinema include:

    Jean-Pierre Jeunet - City of Lost Children, Amelie, A Very Long Engagement

    Tim Burton - Big Fish in particular, but also elements of Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

    I'm sure there are plenty of others that I'm not remembering right now.

    As I gear up to direct my first short film, which is strongly magical realist in style (I'm using City of Lost Children as a template), I'm interested in finding other movies that fit this genre that I may not have seen.

    So let's hear them.
    http://confoundedfilms.com

    http://www.myspace.com/confoundedfilms

  • #2
    Re: Magical Realism

    does Who Framed Roger Rabbit count?
    "If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you"
    "If I didn't have inner peace I'd totally go psycho on you guys all the time." - Carl Carlson

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    • #3
      Re: Magical Realism

      Ghost comes to mind. City of Angels, another, I think.

      Chocolat, maybe?

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      • #4
        Re: Magical Realism

        Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants?
        "Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.-
        ― Ray Bradbury

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        • #5
          Re: Magical Realism

          The Bishop's Wife
          Field of Dreams
          The Natural
          It's a Wonderful Life
          Miracle on 34th Street
          Harvey
          The Green Mile
          Always
          Angel on My Shoulder
          Bruce Almighty
          What Women Want
          Bell Book and Candle
          Big
          Hudsucker Proxy
          Liar Liar
          Secret of Roan Inish
          The Fisher King
          Pleasantville

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          • #6
            Re: Magical Realism

            Maybe I should have prefaced this with good movies.

            Seriously though, these are excellent suggestions. Keep 'em coming.
            http://confoundedfilms.com

            http://www.myspace.com/confoundedfilms

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Magical Realism

              like water for chocolate
              in america
              purple rose of cairo
              many fellinis
              If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed. -- Stanley Kubrick

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              • #8
                Re: Magical Realism

                Originally posted by Hairy Lime
                Maybe I should have prefaced this with good movies.

                Seriously though, these are excellent suggestions. Keep 'em coming.
                Pen Dragon's list doesn't have any good movies on it? Oh, dear. I guess my tastes are shallower than I thought. I thought most of them were rather good, myself.... (for me, however, it would be the original Cary Grant version of The Bishop's Wife. The remake - feh.).

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                • #9
                  Re: Magical Realism

                  Hairy always spits in my face. But I just keep trying to please him.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Magical Realism

                    Buñuel, Fellini come to mind. Magical realism in the novel is all too often a lazy writer's device: when in doubt, make someone fly. It can get tired really fast in a movie, too. How about "The Wizard of Oz" as an earlyish example of it?

                    And, Hairy, check out the photography exhibit at the Met. I was there on Tuesday--it's magical realism taken to an extreme: faked spiritualist photos from fifty to a hundred years ago.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Magical Realism

                      Originally posted by TDWoj
                      Pen Dragon's list doesn't have any good movies on it? Oh, dear. I guess my tastes are shallower than I thought. I thought most of them were rather good, myself.... (for me, however, it would be the original Cary Grant version of The Bishop's Wife. The remake - feh.).

                      You'll see that pen's post was just one minute before mine. I was composing mine as he posted his. I did like several on his list.

                      Jake, I'll check it out.
                      http://confoundedfilms.com

                      http://www.myspace.com/confoundedfilms

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Magical Realism

                        Originally posted by cluckyburger
                        many fellinis
                        Specific examples, please?
                        http://confoundedfilms.com

                        http://www.myspace.com/confoundedfilms

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Magical Realism

                          Being John Malkovich
                          Barton Fink
                          Deja Vu (Henry Jaglom)
                          Cries and Whispers
                          The Seventh Seal
                          Whale Rider

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                          • #14
                            Re: Magical Realism

                            I knew I could count on you, Jar. You even named a couple I haven't seen.

                            I don't remember any magical elements in some of these movies, but it makes me think maybe I need to go back and look at them again.

                            Also, I'd prefer not to lump movies with contrivances such as Big or Liar, Liar in with stories that don't use something magical as the central conceit. I'm more interested in the latter.
                            http://confoundedfilms.com

                            http://www.myspace.com/confoundedfilms

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Magical Realism

                              The Disappearance of Hairy Lime

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