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Yanqui Walker and the Optical Revolution
Yanqui Walker and the Optical Revolution, an excerpt

by Mary Iannone

In the mid nineteenth century, a man named William Walker invaded Nicaragua with the goal of turning the Central American region into slave states over which he could rule.  Yanqui Walker and the Optical Revolution, an experimental essay-style documentary, travels to the country to show how the averted revolution has still had its effects.  Nicaragua’s culture is on full display – poetry, music, dance, and art are all pastimes that would never have evolved if Walker’s attempts had succeeded.  It must be noted that the film itself is an art form.  Director Kathryn Ramey used optical printing and post-production effects to make the archival and educational footage seem pristine, while her own footage has a vintage look, making the film almost feel like it’s from Walker’s point of view.  His vision for the area was clear; what actually happened was barely a fuzzy thought.

This month’s installment of 90 Second Cinema begins with a clip from an educational video.  “Man extended his vision with magnifying lenses,” the narrator says.  “Now, even the far corners of the universe can be inspected.”  Ramey’s decision to include this video shows how clinical Walker’s decision to invade Nicaragua was – like many imperialists, Walker’s actions were based in scientific beliefs.  The main concept was “manifest destiny,” the belief that Americans were destined, based on superior genetics, to expand into other territories.

The video is juxtaposed with footage Ramey shot on her own trip to Nicaragua, a place many may think of as a far corner of the universe.  “Rivas, Nicaragua,” Ramey says in her halting, travelogue-like narration, “is where Costa Ricans pushed Walker back.” The city still holds monuments to Jose Santamaria, whose last act of burning down an enemy building was the turning point in the Second Battle of Rivas.  “Bells ring all the time,” Ramey narrates.  We hear the harsh bell, reminiscent of a warning during battle.

At the end of the film, Ramey admits she has a clichéd interest in filming butterflies and flowers.  The bell in this clip peals over a shot of one of those flowers, reminding viewers that there is no war here anymore; instead, there is plenty of time to embrace the surroundings.

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