Search

This article examines the use of the traditional ballad form known as the corrido in Felipe Cazals' Canoa (1975). Although rock music dominated the soundtracks of features made by directors like Cazals in 1970s Mexico, who sought to break away from a formulaic cinematic tradition upheld by a repressive government, Cazals adapts this traditional form to a contemporary setting, reclaiming it for a new generation as a fitting vehicle for a countercultural protest. Cazals' use of the corrido in this film is examined with reference to his celebrated filmic trio produced from 1975 to 1976 and against the backdrop of the tumultuous events leading up to the staging of the Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968.