It was a 2-hour entertaining and informative talk made more engaging by the generous sharing and animated movements of Prof. Nick.
Here are some of the most salient points from the lecture:
DEFINITION
Melodrama comes from the Greek Melos (song) and it denoted a stage play accompanied by music. It evolved to "drama with music (melos)," although in modern melodramas, music ceased to be an integral part.
Melodramas have stock characters (heroes, villains). Characters that are simply drawn, 1-dimensional or stereotyped.
Melodrama came to signify "a form of drama characterized by sensationalism, emotional intensity, hyperbole, strong action, violence, rhetorical excesses, moral polarities, brutal villainy, and its ultimate elimination, and the triumph of good." (Dissanayake)
POPULAR CHARACTERISTICS
-Woman's film
-Iyakan, Pang-aapi, Sampalan, Sabunutan, Tarayan, Higanti, Patayan, Ubusan ng lahi, Patawaran
-Pejoratively called tear-jerker
-Low form of entertainment drama
THREE ASPECTS TO FILM AND MELODRAMA
1. Melodrama gives prominence to the experiences, emotions, and activities of women. It provides a platform for women's voice.
2. Melodrama gives attention to fundamental issues of representation, role of ideology, and cultural construction.
3. Melodrama provides ways to illuminate the deeper structures of diverse cultures.
POPULAR EXAMPLES OF MELODRAMATIC FILMS
-Himala
-Bituing Walang Ningning
-Atsay
-Anak
-Brutal
-Hellow Soldier (Political Melodrama)
-Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon
-Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa
-The Flor Contemplacion Story
-Burlesque Queen
and a lot more (esp.from the 80s and 90s)
Visit this LINK to learn more about the upcoming talk of Prof. Nick in Ayala Museum. Trust me, listening to him is worth your while! :)
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