The process of creating a work of art can be extremely complex, and each one is unique and irreplaceable. But can something be considered a work of art if it is also derivative?
The Carlos Saura (director)-Antonio Gades (choreographer, dancer, actor) dance film version of Prosper Merimee's classic novel Carmen provides a perfect example to resolve this question. It draws much of its power and beauty from the famous Georges Bizet opera of the same name, whose libretto is cleverly positioned into the film's narrative. Yet the Saura-Gades film also borrows ideas from still other works of art: Can the passion involved in bringing life to an artistic creation supplant normal human love (The Red Shoes 1948)? And what happens when the creative process takes over and controls the artist's life to the point that he/she can no longer distinguish fantasy from reality (A Double Life.1947, itself derived from the earlier British film Men Are Not Gods 1936)?
In Carmen, Saura and Gades took Merimee's timeless story of love, jealousy, betrayal and doom and transposed it into a remarkable dance synthesis that manages to be both dramatically interesting and sensually passionate at the same time. In addition to a gorgeous sound track featuring generous portions of Bizet's glorious opera, Carmen's creators have given us an outstanding visual treat. The dance sequences are astonishing in how well they are integrated into Carmen's narrative--again reminiscent of The Red Shoes. For all its artifices, Carmen grabs its audience into a world that still manages to be both believable and arresting.
It is difficult to make a realistic yet theatrical movie about the creative process. Even the most acclaimed such ventures sometimes seem to be unable to totally escape from their artificial roots (cf. All About Eve 1950). This makes Carmen a very special achievement, one that excites and thrills us even with repeated viewings.
Carmen may be derivative, but it is undeniably a work of art as well as an entertainment landmark. Very highly recommended.
The Carlos Saura (director)-Antonio Gades (choreographer, dancer, actor) dance film version of Prosper Merimee's classic novel Carmen provides a perfect example to resolve this question. It draws much of its power and beauty from the famous Georges Bizet opera of the same name, whose libretto is cleverly positioned into the film's narrative. Yet the Saura-Gades film also borrows ideas from still other works of art: Can the passion involved in bringing life to an artistic creation supplant normal human love (The Red Shoes 1948)? And what happens when the creative process takes over and controls the artist's life to the point that he/she can no longer distinguish fantasy from reality (A Double Life.1947, itself derived from the earlier British film Men Are Not Gods 1936)?
In Carmen, Saura and Gades took Merimee's timeless story of love, jealousy, betrayal and doom and transposed it into a remarkable dance synthesis that manages to be both dramatically interesting and sensually passionate at the same time. In addition to a gorgeous sound track featuring generous portions of Bizet's glorious opera, Carmen's creators have given us an outstanding visual treat. The dance sequences are astonishing in how well they are integrated into Carmen's narrative--again reminiscent of The Red Shoes. For all its artifices, Carmen grabs its audience into a world that still manages to be both believable and arresting.
It is difficult to make a realistic yet theatrical movie about the creative process. Even the most acclaimed such ventures sometimes seem to be unable to totally escape from their artificial roots (cf. All About Eve 1950). This makes Carmen a very special achievement, one that excites and thrills us even with repeated viewings.
Carmen may be derivative, but it is undeniably a work of art as well as an entertainment landmark. Very highly recommended.