You are here:

Double Feature

Name: Double Feature
Director: José Luis Garci
Released: 1984
Duration: 115 min

Representation Score

1.7/10

Minimal

1984

Director

José Luis Garci

Runtime

115 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film is a traditional character study focusing on the inner world of filmmakers. It emphasizes the internal obsessions of its male protagonists over broader social or identity-based themes. While the film provides a nuanced look at the sacrifices made in the name of creativity, it adheres to conventional social norms. Ultimately, it remains within the established demographic and social norms of its time.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Double Feature have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story focuses on the professional relationship between two male creators, without showing any non-straight or non-cisgender identities or same-sex intimacy.

How does Double Feature portray gender?

Limited

Male characters hold the main roles, while women are portrayed as secondary figures. Female characters are sidelined or abandoned due to the male characters' creative pursuits.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Double Feature?

Limited

The film is set in Madrid and shows a largely homogeneous social circle. It does not include diverse ethnic backgrounds or multi-layered casting.

How does Double Feature represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film explores the tension between art and social responsibilities. It depicts the abandonment of family and religion as a natural result of individualistic artistic pursuits.

Does Double Feature include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities. Characters are shown as able-bodied middle-class professionals.

Present on Screen

Offers a nuanced look at the human condition and the psychological costs of artistic dedication.
Provides a deep, atmospheric exploration of the creative process and professional obsession.

Limited or Absent

Lacks characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity and diverse ethnic or racial backgrounds.
Reinforces traditional gender hierarchies by treating female characters as secondary figures.
Does not engage with or subvert non-cisgender or LGBTQ+ themes.

Official Synopsis

Director José Luis Garci has turned his camera inward on filmmakers and screenwriters to portray them as so self-absorbed in the creative process that there is no other world, no other human relationship that can compete. As José (Adolfo Marsillach) and Federico (Jesus Puente) work together on a new screenplay, their interactions with their family (José's teen daughters, Federico's wife) disappear under the all-consuming task of creation. The daughters give up and go off on their own, and the wife joins a convent while Federico barely notices. And when the producer is interrupted by profound grief at the sudden death of his older son, he almost automatically returns to thinking about the film project when the funeral has ended. Garci honors many great directors at the beginning of this film, and the film continues to play out as an elaboration on this homage -- an illustration both of the dedication and the cost of filmmaking, no judgments given.

How are these scores produced? →