Date of Award

Spring 5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Film Studies

First Advisor

Erica Aguero

Second Advisor

Nam Lee

Third Advisor

Rubén Espinoza

Abstract

Kalimán is a Mexican superhero whose adventures, along with his sidekick Solín, take them around the world and across various media platforms: radio, comics, and cinema. The cinematic tales of Kalimán reflect significant changes in Mexican cinema, society, and culture. The two Kalimán films, El Hombre Increíble and El Siniestro Mundo de Humanón, occupy a unique liminal position in Mexican National Cinema, capturing the transformations that took place during the early 1970s until 1976, a time now known as the Prodigious Decade.1 The Kalimán films also draw inspiration from “churro” films, particularly from the Luchadores genre, films often considered excessive lowbrow entertainment. However, a closer examination reveals how both Kalimán films showcase the advancements and growth experienced during this period, with many elements reflecting the political interests of the official party, Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI). This thesis will explore how both films mirror their social and political contexts and bridge two distinct periods: the 1960s, characterized by camp and kitsch, and the 1970s, which emphasized innovation and experimentation, aspects often neglected by academia’s account of Mexico’s Film History.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Available for download on Saturday, May 10, 2025

Share

COinS