CMLIT 153

Viewing Questions for "Abre los ojos" ("Open Your Eyes")

1. What is César's life like before the accident? How would you describe his character?

2. Why does he wear the mask? What does the mask represent?

3. How does the film make the audience question what is real and what is illusion? Compare to "Brazil."

4. What various meanings does the title (and frequently used expression) "open your eyes" mean in the film?

5. What is the role of Nuria in the story? Sofia? Compare these two to various female characters we've encountered in the texts and films of this course.

6. How does the film reveal "the truth" of what is happening to César? What is wrong with him? Compare this revelation to the revelation that occurs near the end of Fight Club.

7. Why do you think stories (novels & films) about the confusion of dream and reality are so prevalent in the late 90s and early 21st century?

Fight Club (novel: 1996; film: 1999)

"The Matrix" 1999

"Abre los ojos" 1997

"Vanilla Sky" 2001