The Hilltop Review

Volume 5
Issue 1 Fall 2011

Article 10

2-24-2012

La Noche de los Mayas: A Misunderstood Film

and its Music
Abderrahman Anzaldua
Western Michigan University, a.e.abderrahmanbenmohammad@wmich.edu

Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/hilltopreview

Part of the Film and Media Studies Commons, Music Commons, and the Other Languages,
Societies, and Cultures Commons
Recommended Citation
Anzaldua, Abderrahman (2011) "La Noche de los Mayas: A Misunderstood Film and its Music," The Hilltop Review: Vol. 5: Iss. 1,
Article 10.
Available at: http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/hilltopreview/vol5/iss1/10

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks at
WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Hilltop Review by an
authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information,
please contact maira.bundza@wmich.edu.


55

LANOCHEDELOSMAYAS:AMISUNDERSTOODFILM
ANDITSMUSIC

ByAbderrahmanAnzaldua
SchoolofMusic
a.e.abderrahmanbenmohammad@wmich.edu

Introduction

MyinterestinLaNochedelosMayasbegantoformwhenIreadCartasntimasy
escritos.1ThisisarecompilationmadebyRosauraRevueltasoflettersandwritingsbyhis
brotherSilvestreRevueltas.ThebookmadeeverybibliographicalresearchonRevueltasbe
fore1982meaninglessanditisreferencedinnearlyalloftheresearchconductedonRevueltas
today.InhislettersandwritingsRevueltasfreelydescribeshisthoughtsandemotionswith
incredibledetail.TheycontainfirsthandproofofhowRevueltascomposedhismusicandin
somecasesthereasonsforit.ItisonlyrecentlythatscholarssuchasEduardoContrerasSoto,
RobertoKolbandRobertParkerhaveworkedmeticulouslyondocumentinghislifeandworks
toprovideafreshunderstandingofthemindofSilvestreRevueltas.TodaysresearchofRe
vueltasmusicpointstothesamedirectionRevueltaspinnacleofcompositionaltechnique
wasinhisfilmmusic.
TheintentionofthisstudyistoexploreandevaluatethefilmLaNochedelosMayas.
Iwillresearchthemakingofthemovieandwhatsurroundedtheproductionin1939.Inaddi
tiontothis,IwillseekaperspectiveofthemusicofRevueltasanditsrelationwiththefilm.
WiththisresearchIintendtoacknowledgetheimportancethatthisfilmhadinitstime,and
expectantlydeciphertheenigmathatimpedesitspopularitytodaycomparedtootherfilmsof
theGoldenAgeofcinemainMexico.
SilvestreRevueltaspathtoFilmMusic

SilvestreRevueltasoncewrote,ThespiritofMexicoisdeepwithinme."2Historical
lyRevueltaswasmistakenforacomposerwhowouldincorporatetraditionalfolktunesinto
hismusic,buttodaythishistoryiscorrected.Unlikeothercomposersofhistime,Revueltas
didnotexploitMexicanfolkloreandmusic,butinsteadsubtlyformedacompositionalstyle
thatiscomparabletoanationalisticcompositionalmannerlikethatofSergeiProkofievor
DimitriShostakovichtoRussia.Hismusichasgainedvastpopularityincontemporarymusic
society,anditisthesubjectofresearchformanymusicologistsandmusiciansaroundthe
world.
SilvestreRevueltas(18991940)livedalifefilledwithemotions,passionandtrage
dy.KnowntotheworldasalmostcertainlythegreatestcomposerMexicohasproduced,Re
vueltaswasalsooneofthefinestviolinplayersofhistime.Ataveryyoungagehistalentwas
noticed,andeventuallyhewassentabroadtonourishhisevidenttalent.Revueltascompleted
mostofhisstudiesoutsideMexicothankstohisfatherwhowantedonlythebestforhisson.
HethenspenthisyouthinChicagowherehewasacceptedtostudyviolinandcompositionat
theChicagoMusicalCollege.Tothisdayamedalisheldatthecollegeinhishonorforhis
achievementsinexcellence.
1SilvestreRevueltas,Cartasntimasyescritos.1aed.Mexico:FondodeCulturaEconmica,
1982.
2ElespritudeMxicoestmuydentrodem(Alltranslationsinthisarticlearemadeby
meunlessotherwisenoted.)

TheHilltopReview,Fall2011

LaNochedelosMayas56

Revueltascamefromapoorfamilyandstruggledallhislifewiththisissue.Hehad
tojugglehisscholarlypursuitswithaworkinglife.Becauseofthis,Revueltasplayedinmany
orchestrasforfilmtheaterstomakeendsmeet.Theexperiencethatthisprovidedwasdirectly
influentialonhiscompositionalcareer.Fromhisfirstknownmusicalwriting,thereexistsan
airofimageryandmovementthatwouldlaterinhisliferepresenthismusicalformofcompo
sition.InthetextMexicanMoviesintheUnitedStates:aHistoryoftheFilms,Theaters,and
Audiences,19201960RogelioAgrasnchezdescribeshowRevueltasmovedfromplayingin
thesetheaterstobeingcommissionedtocomposethemusicforthem.Mostofhisfilmswere
laterpresentedinthesametheaterswereRevueltasonceperformed.3

Inhislifetime,hecomposedeightfilmsscoresinaperiodoffiveyears.Hisfirst
commissionedscorewasforthefilmRedesin1935.4Therapidsuccessthatthefilmattracted
incombinationwiththequalityofthemusicquicklyprovidedRevueltaswithacareerinthe
filmindustry.Revueltaspatriotismdrewhimtothenationalistthemesthatthefilmsofthis
periodevoked.AllthefilmscoresthatRevueltascomposedwereformoviesthatservedas
governmentpropagandaorfilmswithasenseofpatriotismandnationalisticprideforMexico.
Revueltasgreatestachievementasacomposercamefromhisabilitytocomposenewmusic
thatevokedtheMexicanspiritwithoutusingfolksyorclichtunes.Inthecourseofthenext
fewyears,Revueltasrapidlybecameknownforhisfilmscoresandwasaskedtowritethe
scoresformanyofthenewfilmsbeingproduced.TheseincludeVmonosconPanchoVilla!
(1936),FerrocarrilesdeBajaCalifornia(1938),LaBestiaNegra(1938),ElIndio(1938),La
NochedelosMayas(1939),BajoelSignodelamuerte(1939),andQuevienemimarido!
(1940).InhistextLaMsicadeSilvestreRevueltasparaCineyEscena,EduardoContreras
SotoprovidesadiscussiononhowRevueltassufferedfromseveredepressionresultingfrom
thedeathofhismother.5ForRevueltasthisdepressioncameatthepeakofhiscompositional
careerinthefilmindustry.Eventhoughhisfinalfilmscoresproducedincome,heannounced
hisretirementfromfilmcomposing.Notlongafter,acomplicatedcaseofpneumonia,incom
binationwithhisalcoholism,tookhislifeinOctoberof1940attheageof40.

1939:TheFilmIndustryinMexico

Between1935and1938workintheMexicanfilmindustrygrewintensely.Thiscon
stantgrowthcametoahaltin1939whentheindustrygrewtoapointatwhichitcouldno
longersupportitself.Basedontheindustriysgrowthinpreviousyears,itwasexpectedthatat
least100movieswouldbeproducedin1939alone.Therealitywasthatin1939only39mov
ieswereproducedandmostofthesefilmswerenotreleased.Thefilmsproducerswerehesi
tanttopresentthefilmintheatersalongsidethefilmsbeingbroughtinfromHollywood.The
sefilmshadanadvantageoverthefilmsbeingproducedbytheMexicanfilmindustryandthe
producersofthefilmwereconcernedaboutrecoupingtheirinvestmentsintheoversaturated
market.Tocompensateforthis,formerpresidentLzaroCardenasobligedeverycinemain
MexicotoexposeatleastoneMexicanmoviepermonth.

3RogelioAgrasnchez,MexicanMoviesintheUnitedStates:ahistoryofthefilms,thea
ters,andaudiences,19201960.(NorthCarolina:McFarland&Co.,2006),2334.
4SilvestreRevueltascomposedthescoreforthefilmRedesin19341935.Itwasreleased
intheUnitedStatesasTheWaves.
5EduardoContrerasSoto,LamsicadeSilvestreRevueltasparacineyescena,Hetero
fonanos.11112(July1994June1995):514.

TheHilltopReview,Fall2011

57AbderrahmanAnzaldua

WiththeexcessfilmsfromtheHollywoodindustryhittingMexicoattheirpeak,only
twofilmsconservedanationalistthematicpride.ThesetwomovieswereChanoUruetasLa
NochedelosMayasandLosdeabajo.Uruetawasindisputablythemosttalenteddirectorin
theindustryatthattime.Whileotherdirectorsproducedmoviesofforeigninspiration,Urueta
dideverythinginhispowertodetachhimselffromthegreatforeignproductionsandcreatea
grandMexicantradition.

1939wasdefinitelyaveryhardyearforthefilmindustryinMexico.WhileCardenas
wouldtrytosatisfythecommonpeopleaswellastheproducers,thefilmindustryinMexico
plunged.Theeffectwasalarming.Producerswereunabletofinancetheirindependentproduc
tionstothesameextentasthefilmindustryinothercountries.Atthattime,Argentinarosein
thefilmindustryforitsabilitytofinancetheirproductions.Thisperiodproducedover50
movies,givingthem,forthefirsttime,thereinsintheproductionofSpanishlanguagefilms.
Meanwhile,theendofthewarinSpainin1939leadtotherevivaloffilmmanufacturingand
gaveSpainacorneronthemarket.In1939Mexicoproducedmostlylowbudgetmovies.This
leftastigmaonMexicancinemaoftheperiodshadowingmostofthemoviesproducedthis
year.

EmilioRierasHistoriadocumentaldelCineMexicano19381942meticulouslycata
logstheeventsoftheMexicanfilmindustryandprovesthatalthough1939wasadevastating
yearfortheindustry,MexicosNationalFilmCommittee,ComiteNacionaldeCineenMexico
(UTECM),stillsawtheimportanceofanumberoffilmsfromtheyearandacknowledged
themwithhighhonors.ThesehonorsincludedtheawardsforbestmovietoLaNochedelos
Mayas,bestdirectortoFernandodeFuentesforLaCasadelOgro,bestactresstoIsabelaCo
ronaforLaNoche,bestphotographytoGabrielFigueroaforLaNoche,bestmusictoSilvestre
RevueltasforLaNoche,besteditiontoEmilioGomezforLaNocheandbestsceneryJose
RodriguezGranadaandRobertoMontenegroforElCapitnAventurero.6

LaNochedelosMayas

ConductorJoseIvesLimantourarrangedRevueltasfilmscoreintoanorchestralfour
movementsuiteandpremiereditwiththeGuadalajaraSymphonyOrchestraonJanuary30,
1961.ManyscholarswhoresearchRevueltasmusicquestiontheauthenticityofthework,
thoughinessenceitstaysverymuchattachedtowhatthefilmreflected.Iwillmentionsome
audioexamplesandmakereferencetorecordingsofthisarrangementwhichistheversion
mostoftenperformedinconcerthallstoday.7LimantourarrangedthesuiteusingRevueltas
originalscore.Thisexplainswhythereissomuchmaterialcontainedinthesuitethatisnot
usedinthecontextofthefilm.Limantoursarrangedsuiteisdividedintofourparts,justasthe
originalfilmscore.ItisimportanttomentionthatRevueltasdidnotnamethesefourparts,
ratherLimantournamedthembasedonhisjudgmentofwhatwashappeningduringthefilm.
Revueltasactualdistributioncontainsonlycuespotsandscenesmarkings.Thefirstmove
mentofLimantoursarrangementistitledLaNochedelosMayas(NightoftheMayans),the
secondNochedeJaranas(NightofRevelry),8thethirdNochesdeYucatn(NightsofYuca
tan)andlastmovement,NochesdeEncantamiento(NightsofEnchantment).Themusicthat
6EmilioRiera,HistoriadocumentaldelCineMexicano19381942,(Mexico:Universidadde
Guadalajara,1992),89107.
7ApercussioncadenzawasaddedinthefinalmovementbyEnriqueArturoDiemecke,the
conductoroftheNationalSymphonicOrchestraofMexico15yearsagowiththepermis
sionoftheRevueltasfamily.
8ThewordJaranaalsoreferstothenameofatraditionaldancewhichblendtraditionaland
nativeinfluences.

TheHilltopReview,Fall2011

LaNochedelosMaya

58

appearsinthefilm,mostlywithoutanyedition,isgenerallycontainedwithinthefirstandse
condmovementsofLimantourssuite.Thethirdmovementisincludedwithinthecontextof
thefilm,butisheavilyeditedbyLimantourtoproduceacohesivestandalonemovement.The
fourthmovement,however,isnotheardwithinthefilmitself.Thereasonfornothearingany
ofthethemesofthelastmovementisbecausethemusicwasintendedtohighlightthenative
percussionmusicofthefilmwhich,intheend,UruetaleanedmoretowardstheuseofCor
nelioCardenasMayanMelodiesinamorediageticfashion.Theendofthelastmovementis
arestatementofthethemeofthefirstmovement.ThisadditionmadebyLimantourwasto
highlighthowRevueltasrepeatsthefirstmovementtoendthemovie.
Theremainderofthisstudywillfocusmainlyonthefirstandsecondmomentsof
Limantourssuite.Thereasonforthisisthatthefirstandsecondmovementscontaintheleast
editorialwork,leavingthemtheclosesttotheoriginalfilmmusicofallofthemovements.
ThestoryoftheLaNocheissetinaMayantribewhichsubsistswithverylittle
awarenessoftheoutermoderncivilization.AhunterinthetribenamedUz(ArturoCordoba)
isinlovewithLol(EstelaInda),abeautifulindigenousgirlwhoseemstoloveUzuntilthe
intrusionofawhiteexplorernamedMiguel(LuisAldas).Miguelsellsthechicletreeswhich
growaroundthevillagethatheandhisenvoydiscover.Thisiswherethelovetrianglehap
pens.MiguelwantsLol,thoughthereisneverasenseoffallinginlove.Incontrasttowhatthe
movieportrays,itseemsthatherapesheranditisntuntilthispointthatshefallsinlovewith
him.Thisprofanerelationshipprovokesthewrathofthegods,whichinthemovietranslatesto
draughtsandhungerforthevillage.Oncetheeldersbecomeawareofthisrelationship,they
determinethattheonlylogicsolutionistosacrificeLolinordertokeeptheGodscontent.
ThemovieconcludeswithUzkillingMiguel.LolcommitssuicideafterwitnessingMiguels
deathandmagically(orcoincidental)itbeginstorain,endingthecurseofthevillage.
InEduardoContrerasHistoriadeLaNochedelosMayasydesuMsica,weun
derstandtheimportanceofLaNochedelosMayasbeingfilmedintheunpopularYucatanof
themid1930s.9TheimportancethatthefilmhadoverthepeopleinMeridawasoverwhelm
ing.ThemakingofLaNochewasprobablythemostimportanteventthathadhappenedinthe
city.Everythingsurroundingthefilmatthetimewaspublishedandsometimesexaggeratedin
thelocalmedia.Oneofthemostinterestingheadlinesnotedthatthemusicforthemuchantic
ipatedfilmwaswrittenbylocalcomposerCornelioCardenas.Moreimportantlyitstatedthat
themusicwasalreadyrecordedandreadytosendtotheeditingdepartments.Despitethese
headlines,UruetahadalreadyaskedRevueltastowriteascoreforthefilm.Attheendofthe
production,Cardenasmusicplaysadifferentroleinthefilm.Cardenasmusicisusedstrictly
inadiegeticrole.Twoveryclearexamplesofthisappearwithinthefilm.Thefirstat(min.
00:51:13to00:54:25)werethevillagersareplayingthedrums.Thissceneisdesignedtoap
pearimprovised,thoughitwaswrittenbyCardenas.ThemusicthatRevueltaswroteforthis
momentcanclearlybeheardinLimantoursarrangedsuiteatthebeginningofthevariations
ofthelastmovement(min.1:20andfollowing).10ThesecondiswhereLolissingingtoMi
guelinhernativelanguagealthoughMiguelseemsnottounderstandwhatshesings
(min.00:36:15to00:36:34).Thisscenealsoplaysasignificantconceptualrolewithinthecon
textofthefilm.UruetasuseofaMayanfolksongisrelatedtothecodicesleftbytheMayas
thatemphasistheimportanceofvoiceinMayanculture.

9EduardoContrerasSoto,HistoriadeLaNochedelosMayasydesuMsica,Camino
blanco:arteycultura,(SeptemberNovember2002):4752.
10SilvestreRevueltaswithWDRSinfonieorchesterKlnSemyonBychkov,Nochede
Encantamiento.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6BM32A_9OU&feature=related
(AccessedApril2010)

TheHilltopReview,Fall2011

59AbderrahmanAnzaldua

Tohighlighttherealityofanundiscoveredindigenousland,languageplaysavital
functioninthenarrativeofthefilm.ThewholemovieissetinSpanish,thoughwhentheMa
yansspeaktheydosoinapoeticform.Whenthewhitepeopleenterthevillagethereisa
translatorfrompoeticSpanishtoSpanish.Atfirstthisseemsslightlyconfusingbecausethe
firsttimethisissueisencounteredonedoesnotrealizethattheMayansareactuallyspeaking
Mayan.Asthemoviemovesforward,thistheatricalapproachtothelanguagecontrasts
greatlywhenthecameraisfocusingonthevillagersorthewhitemen.AntonioMedizBollo,
whowrotethenovelforwhichthemovieisbasedon,playedanimportantroleinthecircum
stanceofthedialoguesanduseoftheatricalgestureswithinthemovie.
TheopeningcreditsfeatureanorchestralintroductionbyRevueltas.Whileithasbe
cometraditionaltoopenafilmwithagrandfanfare,Revueltaschoosestoopenthefilmwitha
dramaticintroduction,butheavoidsthesenseofafanfareormarchaltogether.Example1
demonstratestheequalimportanceofboththestringsandthebrassintheopeningofthefilm.
Thecreditsemphasize,MusicalIllustrationbySilvestreRevueltasMayanmelodiesby
CornelioCardenas(min.00:02:1500:02:26)Bothnamesappearinthesameshot,sideby
sidetodaythemusiciscreditedmostlytoRevueltas.Cardenasscoreseemstohavebeenlost
withintheproductionofthefilm.Cardenasscorewasalmostcertainlyneverfullycomposed.
Potentially,thiscouldhaveevenbeensetupasapublicitystunttosignifythelocalcommuni
tyanditsrelationtothefilm.DuringallthecommotioninMerida,Revueltaswasnevermen
tioneduntiltheendoftheproductionofthefilm.ThereisnorecordofRevueltasactuallybe
ingintheYucatanduringthefilming,andcertainlynoheadlinesinanynewspaperacknowl
edgedhimasthecomposerforthefilm.TheonlyactualproofisaletterfromUruetatoRe
vueltasaskinghimifhehadreceivedthematerialtocomposethescoreforLaNoche.IfRe
vueltaswasmentionedmoreoftenthanCardenas,thecommunityintheYucatanwouldnt
havesupportedfilmingintheancientruins.Itwasveryimportantthatthelocalentitiespermit
tedtheshootingintheactualsitesbecausetheyplayamajorroleinthefilm.

Example1.LaNochedelosMayasbySilvestreRevueltas.Movment1,mm1411

11ExampletakenfromDissertation:JonathanBorja.SilvestreRevueltassLaNochedelos
Mayas:HisMusiconFilmandontheConcertStageMastersdiss.,UniversityofMis
souriKansas,2002.

TheHilltopReview,Fall2011

LaNochedelosMayas60

Oneofthefewprizesthefilmdidnotwinwasforscenery.Thiswasbecausethesets
wereallgenuinelandscapes.12GabrielFiguerodevelopedthephotographyofthefilm.The
majorityofthefilmgivesthesensethatthespaceusedisverywide,thoughinrealitymostof
theimportantscenestakeplaceinclosedspaces.
Aftertheopeningcredits,themusiccontraststothemajestyoftheopeningtoamelo
dioustuneemphasizedbytheflueandtheviolinsection(Example2).Atthismomentinthe
film,thecameraispanningscenesoftheYucatanPeninsula.Thisistrulyapreciousmoment
intheMexicancinematictraditionasthescenesoftheruinsofYucatancanneveragainbe
shotinsuchavirginstate.Uruetasgoalinthefilmsintroductionwastobeabletoportray
theinnocenceofthecommunityoftheMayanvillage.Revueltaswritesinhiscuenotes,
HistoricinnocenceofthenativepeoplesofMesoamerica.13

Example2LaNochedelosMayasbySilvestreRevueltas.Movement1.mm2933.14

ArguablythemostimportantmomentinthefilmiswhenMiguelisallowedinthe
villageforthefirsttime.MiguelgivesLolaglancethatisnoticedbyUzfromthebackground.
Thisatfirstseemslikeaninnocentscenedespitethefactthatinthemusiciscontrastedwitha
dissonantinterjectionbythetubaexactlyinthemomentthatUzsacknowledgesthemoment
occurred(min.00:17:2000:18:13).Thisisakeypointinthefilmbecauseitforeshadowsthe
eventstocome.Forexample,twoofRevueltasNochedeJaranasscoreexamplescontrastthe
upbeatcheerymusicofthestringswiththedescendingsecondintervalinthetuba.Mostre
cordingsofNochedeJaranasdonotmakeabigdealoutofthismoment,yetinthefilm,the
tubacanclearlybeheardoverpoweringthestrings(min07:0507:11).15
12TheshootinginthefilmtookplacesintheactualMayanruinsinthepeninsulaofYucatan
Chechenitza,TulumandCob.
13inocenciahistricadelosindgenasdeMesoamerica.
14ExampletakenfromDissertation:JonathanBorja.SilvestreRevueltassLaNochedelos
Mayas:HisMusiconFilmandontheConcertStageMastersdiss.,UniversityofMis
souriKansas,2002.
15SilvestreRevueltaswithWDRSinfonieorchesterKlnSemyonBychkov,NochedeJara
nas.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTEh1A9Ur8E&feature=related(AccessedApril
2010).

TheHilltopReview,Fall2011

61AbderrahmanAnzaldua

Revueltassensitivityinbringingoutparticularmomentsinhisfilmscoresisfascinat
ing.DespitehavingonlyashortperiodoftimetocompletethemusicforLaNoche,hewas
abletocreateanatmosphericblendthatallowedforthediageticsoundsofthemovietobe
carefullybalancedwiththesensationoforiginalityinthescore.Althoughthemajorityofthe
film`smusiciscontainedwithinthefirstthirtyminutesofthefilm,itsmasterfulcraftsmanship
begsforfurtheranalysis.
Conclusion

ThefilmLaNochedelosMayashasbarelysurvivedtheoverwhelmingattacksfrom
theinternationalfilmindustry.DespiteitspopularitywhenitwaspremieredonMexicosInde
pendenceDay,thefilmhasbeenreducedtojustamemoryofitsmusic.Whilethefilmonly
persistsoutsideoftheMexicanmainstream,itsmusicisgainingincrediblepopularityworld
wide.ThefilmLaNocheistrulyanundiscoveredworkofartwaitingforitsremastering.
Thoughthefilmhaslostmuchofitsattractiveness,thesecondfilmpremieredthatsameyear,
BajoelSignodelaMuerte,hassurvivedtimeandindustryattacksalike.BajoelSignodela
MuertewasalsodirectedbyUruetaandthemusicwasalsowrittenbyRevueltas.Twothings
madethisfilmmorepopular.ThebudgetusedforthismoviewasfarhigherthanthatofLa
NochedelosMayas,allowingtoimprovesomeinfluentialaspectsofthefilm.Forinstance,the
soundrecordingandmusicianqualityinLaNochesufferedfromaverylowbudgetandis
greatlyreflectedinthequalityofinterpretationofRevueltasscore.Secondly,LaNochesuf
feredfromalowcastingbudgetandcouldntcomparewiththesuperstarlineupusedinBajoel
SignodelaMuertethelaterincludinglegendslikeMarioMorenoCantinflas.ThoughEstela
IndasparticipationinLaNochewasformidable,shewasstillnotrecognizedasatreasureof
Mexicancinemauntillaterinhercareer.

LimantoursworkwiththemusicofRevueltasispivotaltothesurvivalofthismusic.
Ifitwasntforhisgenuineinterestinpreservingthefilmmusic,muchofthematerialgathered
byLimantourwouldhavebeenlost.HindemithwrotehisownarrangementofLaNoche,but
thisisjusta15min.arrangementofthefilmscore.StillLimantoursstudyonLaNocheis
muchmorefocused,roundingupmoreofthevisualcontentofthefilm,ratherthanjustthe
musical.
Itrulybelievethatthefilmwillnevergainapopularityafterlosingitsmomentumin
theearly1940`sthoughIstillthinkthatLaNocheisanessentialpartofMexicanfilmsandits
researchwilllead(andhaslead)furtherresearchintheareaofcinematography.Thelegacyleft
bythecombinationofUruetaandRevueltastothefilmsceneisuniqueandplaysandoutstand
ingroleinfilmstudies.
Bibliography

Agrasnchez,Rogelio.MexicanMoviesintheUnitedStates:aHistoryoftheFilms,Theaters,
andAudiences,19201960.NorthCarolina:McFarland&Co.,2006.
Borja,Jonathan.SilvestreRevueltassLaNochedelosMayas:HisMusiconFilmandonthe
ConcertStageMastersdiss.,UniversityofMissouriKansas,2002.
ForoVirtualForoVirtualSilvestreRevueltas,UniversidadAutonomadeMexico.http://
www.fororevueltas.unam.mx/.(AccessedMar.12,2011).
Monsivis,Carlos,andCarlosBonfil.AtravsdelEspejo'ElCineMexicanoysuPblico'.
Mexico:ElMilagro,1994.
Mora,CarlJ.MexicanCinema:ReflectionsofaSociety,18962004.3rded.Jefferson,N.C.:
McFarland&Co.,2005.
NeuhausRoberto,SilvestreRevueltas,PeerMusicIndependent.http://
www.peermusicclassical.com/composer/composerdetail.cfm?detail=revueltas

TheHilltopReview,Fall2011

LaNochedelosMaya62

(AccessedMar.11,2011)
Parker,Robert.RevueltsinSanAntonioandMobile.LatinAmericanMusicReviewVol.23,
no.1(SpringSummer,2002):114130.
Parker,Robert.Revueltas,theChicagoyears.LatinAmericanMusicReviewVol.25,no.2
(AutumnWinter2004):180193.
Rodrguez,Rafael.SplendorsofLatinCinema.SantaBarbara,Calif.:Praeger,2010.
Riera,Emilio.HistoriadocumentaldelCineMexicano19291937.Mexico:Universidadde
Guadalajara,1992.
Riera,Emilio.HistoriadocumentaldelCineMexicano19381942.Mexico:Universidadde
Guadalajara,1992.
Riera,Emilio.HistoriadocumentaldelCineMexicano19431945.Mexico:Universidadde
Guadalajara,1992.
Revueltas,Silvestre,RosauraRevueltas,comp.Cartasntimasyescritos.1aed.Mexico:Fon
dodeCulturaEconmica,1982.
Revueltas,Silvestre.Revueltas.CarlosPrieto,XalapaSymphonyOrchestra.Urtext,JBCC150.
Compactdisc.
Revueltas,Silvestre.LaNochedelosMayas.Ed.JoseLimantour.NewYork:SouthernMusic
PublishingCompany,Inc.,1977.
Soto,EduardoContreras.LamsicadeSilvestreRevueltasparacineyescena.Heterofona
nos.11112(July1994June1995):514.
Soto,EduardoContreras.HistoriadeLaNochedelosMayasydesuMsica.Caminoblan
co:arteycultura(SeptemberNovember2002):4752.
Urueta,Chano.LaNochedelosMayas.VHS.CallStateSanMarcosInterlibraryLoan.Call
numberPN1997.N7571996.

TheHilltopReview,Fall2011