Citation

Craig L. Bull. Latin Am. Res. 2008; 27(4): 519-533.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Society for Latin American Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1470-9856.2008.00283.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Death of a Bureaucrat (Alea, 1966) has never received the recognition or in-depth study that it deserves, yet this is a key film that marks Cuban film’s early success in addressing both local and global concerns. While remaining steadfastly Cuban, the film borrows knowingly from many sources, from Hollywood comedies to Buñuel. Crucially, it has a Brechtian note, and an eclectic use of montage is clearly informed by Eisenstein. Together, these approaches lead to an inventive, imaginative work. The film heralds a radical style of filmmaking that emerged precisely from Cuba’s revolutionary political culture.