Nicolas Echevarria's Cabeza De Vaca

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The massive silver cross being carried by Native Americans in the closing of this movie sensationalize the way in which the Europeans conformed the 16th century world to Christianity. Cabeza de Vaca directed by Nicolas Echevarria gives insight into what was Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca’s extraordinary journey. Europeans wanted to explore distant lands to spread their beliefs and they needed explorers to do the job. Cabeza stepped up and the experience he got was life altering. When he returned to Spain his ideas of the Roman Catholics would never be the same. Nicolas Echevarria does an adequate job in on behalf of Cabezas story. His strong suits were taking the viewers back in time however he lacked the entertainment value that would allow more …show more content…

The sorcerer and the fellow tribesmen humiliate Cabeza. Initially, Cabeza does not know why he is being held under their power until it becomes clear to him that he is being coached into the tribe. The sorcerer takes away an Indian’s eyesight in an odd, ritualistic way and is able to give the man back his sight. This is forthcoming for Cabeza to see and during this time he realizes his own healing powers. After performing this miracle he is set free from being enslaved. He luckily meets up with some of his shipmates and heads west to Mexico. After a never-ending journey through unbearable conditions he finally found his way back to Spanish …show more content…

The nudity in the film made it more realistic seeing as though that’s how the Indians actually were. The lack of subtitles for the tribesmen reenacts the displacement Cabeza felt, for ourselves. He is in a world previously unknown to him surrounded by barbaric people. The only thing that gets him through this hardship is following the routine set out for him. Nicolas Echevarria focuses a lot on the cultural habits and rituals of the tribe, which seem factual to what we have learned in history. Overall, with bloodshed and nudity being abundant we are able to sense his pain and discomfort. The documentary-like filming helps let us us absorb the reality of his situation. By the time the movie ends you’ll feel like you’ve traveled with de Vaca. The movie isn’t Hollywood standards by any means but it does a good job showing the Native Americans in their natural state before any European

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