Category: Audio + Video

Previously known as Ciudad Abierta, the tv network Canal de la Ciudad has been financed & operated by the Buenos Aires city government since 2003. Programs produced by the channel typically focus on cultural aspects of the city as well as daily life in BA. In November 2023, a new documentary series debuted titled “La vida secreta de los cementerios” which explores the two most famous cemeteries in Buenos Aires: Chacarita &, of course, Recoleta.

Over the course of eight episodes, viewers learn progressively about what characteristics make these two cemeteries unique… not only for the city but also in the world. Episodes run between 20-25 minutes in length with a standard interview format on location. Presenter Nadia Baalbaki walks through both cemeteries either alone or often accompanied by Eduardo Lazzari in Recoleta & Hernán Vizzari in Chacarita. Also, the current directors of both cemeteries —Sonia Del Papa Ferraro & Gonzalo Lasschar— make appearances along with a few academics & other specialists.

Following is a list of episodes, all available for viewing on YouTube & linked below. English subtitles are auto-generated but are pretty good if you need them.

• Chapter 1: La Geometría de la Memoria
• Chapter 2: Código de Tiempo
• Chapter 3: Monumentos y Rituales Funerarios
• Chapter 4: Joyas de la Arquitectura Universal
• Chapter 5: Arte Funerario, Guardianes de las Cúpulas
• Chapter 6: Tumbas de la Gloria, Primera Parte
• Chapter 7: Tumbas de la Gloria, Parte II
• Chapter 8: Último Tango en Chacarita

Interesting bits: You can fit 17 Recoletas inside Chacarita… never thought of it that way before ● Lazzari puts the total number of plots/tombs/niches in Recoleta at 4,970 which is not far off my count of about 4,700. I doubt we’ll ever know exactly. Under 5,000 is always a good way to express it ● Interviews with tourists visiting the tomb of Eva Perón

I think a series that highlights both cemeteries has been long overdue, & I’m very glad this initiative was taken. The information is well presented for a tv audience. However, one suggestion to make the series better: include more voices & other experts. Interview the restoration team, asking them about their training & methods, instead of merely showing them cleaning the statue of Pablo Riccheri. Or perhaps talk with the caretakers… because ultimately they are responsible for the day-to-day upkeep of both cemeteries. Not a major point but something interesting. Great work overall & a wonderful way to spread the word about both cemeteries!

Leave a Comment

Chano Moreno Charpentier —the music world knows him as just Chano— headlined the popular Argentine group Tan Biónica from 2002 until their break up in 2016. For over a decade they have released hit after hit, enjoying phenomenal success. Chano publicly distanced himself from the group & embarked on a solo career but has been surrounded by scandal. Among the more publicized cases are: physical & psychological abuse of an ex-girlfriend, attempted robbery, car accidents & being shot after attacking police with a knife under the influence of drugs. Quite the role model.

Chano recently turned 40 & is making a comeback once again. YouTube algorithms picked up on this & have been showing me older videos of Tan Biónica when then it appeared… our second music video filmed in Recoleta Cemetery. Although just a lyric video, all scenes for “Víctimas” were shot with a hand-held camera inside the cemetery & highlight some of the more famous sculptures:

Leave a Comment

Although not fans of Phil Rosenthal, we’re very pleased he took time to visit Recoleta Cemetery. As part of the Netflix series “Somebody Feed Phil”, episode 3 of the second season took him to Buenos Aires. The cemetery even becomes the main image of the city on Rosenthal’s website:

This travel & food show often takes a break to show some of the city they are featuring. In between eating all manner of choripan with Allie Lazar & a Perón-worshipping steak feast —roughly after the 10:30 mark— Rosenthal strolls inside the main entrance gate of Recoleta Cemetery:

As he ponders the cemetery’s beautiful character, he also visits the mausoleum of Eva Perón. No singing of musical songs fortunately:

Next, someone off-camera recounts an abbreviated version of the tragic story of Rufina Cambacérès… which he finds particularly depressing:

Finally, Rosenthal himself tells viewers about the trials & tribulations of the Del Carril family. Hoping his wife does not wish to turn away from him when they pass away, the visit to Recoleta Cemetery ends.

First aired in July 2018, we would have liked more screen time for Recoleta Cemetery. Naturally. But in a program about food, two minutes of a 55-minute program is very generous & serves to introduce more people to this fascinating place. Thanks, Phil!

Leave a Comment

Filmed almost exclusively in Argentina, Highlander 2 might be the worst movie of all time. The general public wasn’t ready for a climate-disaster science fiction film in the 1990s, nor did they approve of making Immortals from the first movie into aliens. Sets resemble copies of Ridley Scott productions (think Alien or Blade Runner) & the special effects… well, they aren’t that special. Recoleta Cemetery gets a cameo though, so we’ll have to sit through a few minutes of footage.

At 1:02 in the director’s cut, Connor MacLeod (played by Christopher Lambert) visits the grave of his wife, Brenda, who died from solar radiation exposure. No ozone layer = millions of deaths. A flashback scene then shows Connor at Brenda’s bedside in a makeshift hospital. Just before she dies, Brenda makes Connor promise to do something to end humanity’s suffering. End of flashback. As Connor talks to Brenda’s grave, General Katana (played by Michael Ironside) appears & congratulates Connor for talking to the dead.

After kissing a statue of an angel on the tomb of Virgilio M. Tedín, Connor & Katana do a bit of verbal sparring that does not turn into a fight… because their “golden rule” is not to fight on holy ground. On cue, a priest followed by a funeral procession interrupts their conversation & drives the point home:

Katana’s advice to Connor before disappearing is: “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. If you don’t take it out & use it, it’s going to rust.” His sword, that is. Connor then walks off screen.

Filmed in the back section of the cemetery, set designers came up with an interesting way to hide adjacent apartment buildings: tarps covered with extra plant life. Bizarre but effective. They’ve added quite a bit of greenery to the surrounding tombs as well to provide a bit of atmosphere. Otherwise we’d see windows & endless air conditioning units:

Brenda’s tomb —which Katana steps on & damages— is a prop set in front of the Art Deco grave of Rufino de Elizalde. Location scouts did a good job in selecting this spot… Art Deco fits in the movie’s aesthetic, & this is one of the few spots in the cemetery that has perspective. The white sculpture at the very end on the right belongs to Juan Alberto Lartigau.

Some blame the economic situation of Argentina in the early 1990s for the film’s failure. Investors took creative control of the film to save money, introduced random changes & broke continuity with the previous movie’s story. Whatever the reason, at least we have one more moment of time in Recoleta Cemetery captured on film forever.

Leave a Comment