MADRID,1987 (2011): A Teacher's [Gorilla] Seduction of Student

I used to peruse the now defunct Village Voice every Wednesday to see if there were any films that were showing in Manhattan that are relevant to this blog. A review of Madrid, 1897 (2011) was written in America's former largest weekly.

Here's the IMDb plot summary: Two characters: old and young; teacher and pupil; man and woman. Four walls within which they conjure intellectualism, relive the profession (journalism), explore politics and discover each other.

In the Spanish film, Miguel (José Sacristán), a married journalist, takes Angela (María Valverde), a young journalism student, back to his artist friend's apartment for a game of seduction.

Miguel used the Gorilla approach, which is an aggressive style of seduction where the seducer unabashedly commands his subject to submit  to his commands. For example, instead of asking Angela to take off her clothes, Miguel told her, "I'd like you to take off your clothes [...]"

And Miguel wasn't needy (i.e., He didn't allow Angela to use him for his knowledge and not expect something in return.) For instance, he asked, "We are gonna fuck, aren't we?" 

Miguel's behavior was unlike many men who would be happy to just be in the company of a nymphet and wouldn't have the wherewithal to even attempt to seduce her. However, Angela asked Miguel, "Are you ashamed of being seen with a young girl? People would think I'm your granddaughter."

However, Miguel committed a seduction faux paus when he used the pronoun "I" too much in his desire to share his views on literature, writing, art and politics. Some would opine that Miguel should have been more charming and used the Bounce Back Technique that Cabane related in The Charisma Myth, which would have allowed Angela to share her views.

Bounce Back Technique:

1. Answer any question with a fact
2. Add a personal note
3. Redirect the question

For example:
Angela:
[Question] "Do you like museums?"

Miguel:
[Fact] "I hate museums."
[Personal Note] "They don't let you touch the art."
[Redirection] "How do you feel about museums?

The international premiere of Madrid, 1897 (2011) was at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.