Abstract

In this article we investigate the astonishing variety of emotions evoked by filmic melodramas. Closely analyzing a deeply moving scene from Alejandro Gonzáles Grams, we criticize the limited view of the emotional effects of this genre. We show that melodramas elicit more than just sadness or pity; they cannot be reduced to their tear-jerking potential. Melodramas move their viewers precisely because they send them on a rollercoaster ride with ups and downs of very different emotions.