Hanna Vance

Carolina Bloem

SPN 2020

Abre los Ojos/Vanilla Sky

1. Identify 3 cultural elements in the Spanish movie. Are these elements a simplification

of a cultural aspect? Do these elements provide appropriate complexity and context

for their cultural practice? In which ways? Please provide specific examples.

The three main obvious differences between the two movies, Abre los Ojos and Vanilla Sky

were based off of the cultural differences that they had. The three elements in Abre los ojos were

the language, economy, and values. I think that these three elements could have been expressed

more throughout the film. In abre los ojos, the places that the movie was filmed seemed to be

less nice as the ones in Vanilla sky. They had different decorations and emphasis on different

parts of the home. In the spanish version, Cesár seems to be more humble as well. He doesn't

seem as vain or take so much pride in his materials which I noticed to be the main difference

between the two movies. I also think that the values of the spanish culture were implemented in

the film by the way that characters who would talk about each other and the way they would say

things to one another.

2. In which ways are these elements adapted or omitted from the English version?

Please elaborate in your answer: Do you consider it feasible to adapt these cultural

practices? Do you think the movie in English was right to translate it/omit it? Would

a monolingual audience, without knowing any context in Spanish, know about that

cultural practice or appreciate its value for the local culture?

 The houses were different and the cars they drove. In Vanilla Sky, David the main

character, he is a lot more vain and more playboy like in this interpretation of the film. In my

own interpretation I think that people would think that the english version is represented in a way

that is more self centered and that the spanish version is different. There were parts from the

movie where they tried to translate it word for word and i think that they didn't translate anything

offensive. I think they did a good job trying to keep somewhat of the spanish movie having the

main actress play in both films (Penelope Cruz).

3. Before you watched both movies, in what ways were you expecting those cultural

elements from the Spanish version to be adapted to English speaking audiences in the

new version of the film? Were you already aware of those cultural practices? Did you

learn about new cultural practices because of this assignment?

I think that the main thing for me that I was expecting was that they would include more about

the main character. The difference in the films is that she is a mime in the first and then in the

second she is a dancer. I think that mimes are part of that culture and so to take it out may be

offensive to some. I was expecting her to have that correlation in the movie but there was no

mention of it. I wasn't aware that mimes were popular in spain and so I learned a little bit more

about that. I had already known that kissing on both the cheeks is a custom in spanish culture, so

when they took it out of the film that was a difference as well. I don't think I learned about any

other cultural practices other than what I have written.

4. In what ways is your own cultural experience similar or different to the cultural

experiences shown in the English version of the movie? Please elaborate.

Just being part of the American English culture made me realize how much more our culture

cares about our image. We want to look good and appear like we are successful, beautiful, etc. In
the spanish movie he was rich, but he drove a buggi, and in the english version he was rich, but

he drove a ferrari. His house was also way bigger and he has handmade paintings hanging up in

his house lit to say that “Im rich and successful”. I think that that was the main key factor that I

could relate to the film and say, yes that is part of my culture even though I may not support it of

participate in it.

5. Now, please analyze those cultural aspects in different levels: What are these cultural

practices by name? How do you explain those cultural practices? How would a local

Spanish speaker explain the cultural value of these practices? When thinking about

the English version, Which cultural aspects are included? What are the dimensions or

values of the values portrayed in the English version? Are they geared toward the

monolingual English audience? Who is the intended audience? How do you reach

that conclusion? What about the movie tells you that?

The first practice I will talk about is the spanish custom of kissing each other on the cheek. You

do this when you greet someone and if you don’t do it it can be seen as rude. Now in the english

one they just shake hands to greet. But something that is a custom in the english version is trying

to maintain youth and stay young. David the main character turns 33 and as he wakes up he

plucks a grey hair from his head. This to me just shows how concerned english culture is with

how they look. I think that they portray the main character in the english version and more of a

playboy and rich and shallow. I think that they did this intentionally trying to engage the

audience, and I think that the audience would be adults who are wanting a better life for

themselves. The reason why I say this is because in Vanilla sky and Abre los Ojos, the main

character finds out he has been dreaming(or really having a nightmare) and he in the end decides
he wants to just live his own life even if it means he returns to being not as attractive or

successful etc, and he chooses to end the lucid dream.

6. Final analysis: In what ways do you consider that the English version does a good

job, or not, of facilitating a cultural context and translation faithful to the depth of the

cultural value expressed in the Spanish version?

I think that overall they didn’t overstep and completely take out the spanish culture from the

movie. They kept Penelope Cruz as the main character Sofia in both films where she was able to

speak spanish in both. Although she only said phrases in Vanilla Sky, she still kept her accent

and partially her culture. I think that the settings and the types of people who are in the film are

represented to be more americanized and are always busy and working. So overall they didn’t do

an awful job in recreating the film, but I think they could have included more of the spanish

culture, whether it was by food, music, or setting, etc.

7. How did this course help you gain a bilingual and bicultural appreciation for local

cultural values?

Overall, this spanish course has definitely made me appreciate the differences of each culture. I

think it is so interesting to find out what each culture values and it makes me want to create my

own and just take the good parts of both cultures. I love learning about and participating in

different customs and I will continue to keep an open mind even after this class is over to all the

many different values that each person in a different culture has.

8. In what ways did this assignment make you be aware of any biases you might have?

How was that experience of self-awareness?

This assignment made me realize just how different the cultures can be but also how similar we

all really are. I think that my bais before was that the cultures are completely opposite, just
because I have even lived in a spanish country. But it honestly depends on what part of each

culture you compare because in both movies they were trying to keep everything almost similar

and they did a good job in doing so. I feel more self aware too, because I now realize that

cultures don’t separate people, people do. We have more in common with each other than we

know.