Bunuel

Started by Ghostboy, March 25, 2003, 11:14:07 PM

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Ghostboy

I don't think there's been any discussions about this guy yet, and seeing as how my avatar is a frame of his, I'd figure I'd start one. Who else loves him? I do, but it is an incomplete affection because I've only seen three of his films -- Un Chien Andelou, Belle De Jour and The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgouisie. His brand of surrealism is beautiful, and often hilarious, and it clicks with me in a way that makes me think I'd probably have gotten along with him really well.

I remember when Belle De Jour got re-released about ten years ago...I was too young to go see it, so I got the screenplay out of the library. Needless to say, it had a pretty big impact on me.

Cecil

unfortunately ive only seen belle de jour. but i think its remarkable.

From Buñuel's My Last Sigh
"I feel it necessary to say here...that the 2 basic sentiments of my childhood which stayed with me well into adolescence, are those of a profound eroticism, at first sublimated in a great religious faith, and a permanent consciousness of death."

On Surrealism:  "All of us were supporters of a certain concept of revolution, and although the surrealists didn't consider themselves terrorists, they were constantly fighting a society they despised. The principle weapon was not guns, of course, it was scandal. Scandal was a potent agent of revelation, capable of exposing such social crimes as exploitation of one man by another, colonialist imperialism, religious tyranny—in sum, all the secret and odious underpinnings of a system that had to be destroyed."

"For the 1st time in my life, I'd come into contact with a coherent moral system that, as far as I could tell, had no flaws. It was an aggressive morality based on the complete rejection of all existing values. We had other criteria: we exalted passion, mystification, black humor, the insult, and the call of the abyss."

On religion: "If someone were to prove to me -- right this minute -- that God, in all his luminousness, exists, it wouldn't change a single aspect of my behavior."

"I'm still an Atheist, thank God."

Pedro

Oh man....Discreet Charm Of The Bourgouisie is near perfect.  How I love it.  He's a great director.  Care do discuss Discreet Charm anyone?  It seems to be his most seen film from the people I've met.  Any thoughts?  Personally...I love it love it love it.  Un Chien Andalou was also great...TOTALLY surreal but in that beautiful sort of Dali way (but he worked with Dali on that film right?)

Ghostboy

Yeah, he did collaborate with Dali on that. A match made in heaven.

'Descreet Charm' is just wonderful. It's one of those films that you wish you could re-experience for the first time, because its so consistently surprising. I watched it expecting a sort of upper class drama, but to see that genre get so totally stripped and satirized was a wonderful jolt. I didn't completely catch on to what Bunuel was doing until the scene in the diner (that is out of tea, coffee and water) where the soldier relates his story. The dream logic of the film is perfect.

The repeated motif of the main group of friends walking down a deserted country road, in the context of the movie, is hilarious. Seeing these pretentious rich people totally out of their element is a cruel delight.

Pedro

Quote from: GhostboyYeah, he did collaborate with Dali on that. A match made in heaven.

'Descreet Charm' is just wonderful. It's one of those films that you wish you could re-experience for the first time, because its so consistently surprising. I watched it expecting a sort of upper class drama, but to see that genre get so totally stripped and satirized was a wonderful jolt. I didn't completely catch on to what Bunuel was doing until the scene in the diner (that is out of tea, coffee and water) where the soldier relates his story. The dream logic of the film is perfect.

The repeated motif of the main group of friends walking down a deserted country road, in the context of the movie, is hilarious. Seeing these pretentious rich people totally out of their element is a cruel delight.

Defenitely...that soldier scene where the guys are all smoking pot...it's just hilarious.  I especially enjoy

SPOILER!
.The scene where a character is eating dinner...and the curtain opens and it's a stage play.  Wow that totally got me...
END SPOILER

Anyone who hasn't seen this should certainly check it out, total surreal hilarity bliss

Ghostboy

I also love how he has loud noises like typewriters or airplanes randomly drown out seemingly important dialogue. I might have to 'steal' that someday for one of my films...

Ravi

Quote from: GhostboyI also love how he has loud noises like typewriters or airplanes randomly drown out seemingly important dialogue. I might have to 'steal' that someday for one of my films...

Who was the first to do this?  The earliest example of this I've seen is in North by Northwest.

I recently saw Discreet Charm of the Bourgeousie, and I had no idea what the movie was about before I saw it.  I heard a little about Un Chien Andalou, but I didn't know much about Bunuel.  DCB is filled with such humor and fun with filmmaking that you can't help but love this film.

KingBlackDeath

I REALLY want to see 'Phantom of Liberty'. It sounds exactly like what
I want to see. It's like 35 on ebay, that makes me SO MAD.
Do you see what happens...when king black death breathes on you with his breath?

cine

I've also seen "Un chien andalou", "Belle de Jour" and "Discreet" but I've also seen that lesser known "Age of Gold"...
I want to buy "the Exterminating Angel" but I fear it'll leap to DVD the minute I purchase it on VHS. That's my luck.
No one director living today is as surreal or subtle as Bunuel was. Most of us saw "Belle de Jour".. who didn't love the meowing cat?

cowboykurtis

have any of you seen That Obscure Object of Desire? it was a remake of the Josef Von Sternberg film The Woman and the Puppet. its excellent -- i believe it was Bunuel's last film.
...your excuses are your own...

cine

I haven't seen it.. heard a lot about it and plan to buy it on DVD sometime soon.

tpfkabi

i just read Ebert's The Great Movies, and i think he had 3 Bunuel movies (and not even the ones Criterion has)......also, i remember Wes Anderson mentioning it on the Royal T DVD.

someone explain to me his films......are they mostly just shocking / weird images one after the other........are there actual plots or does it just kinda float along?? i don't know.........anything you want to say about him
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

ono

You have to see his films to believe them, because there's always so much going on.  I should qualify, as I'm only referring to the only one I've seen as of yet: That Obscure Object of Desire.  I've heard The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise is the same way.  For TOOoD, though, be prepared to be reminded of -- or continue to hate -- women who have screwed you over, or just women in general.  It's a really funny film in a vicious kind of way, and you'll see where the comparisons Lynch's works bring about are rooted as well.

And oh yes, for anyone interested in surrealism, Un Chien Andalou is required viewing.

Also, the first film to do the "dialogue-drowning" technique was On the Waterfront.

Ghostboy

ONMPT (I give up on the vowels), you need to check out The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgouisie ASAP. It's his best film (of the three I've seen/own, not counting the Andelusian Pup, which needs to be released on DVD because I'm tired of rewinding it). You know the train scenes in That Obscure Object Of Desire? It's very reminiscent of that all the way through. Very concerned with the superfluousness of etiquette and social life. It's one of the best satires I've ever seen, and the surreal stuff is pulled of so beautifully, it almost took my breath away the first time I saw it. You'll also see in this film how Wes Anderson was infuenced by Bunuel -- it's not so present in his other work, but defintely in this one. The Criterion 2 disc set is great.

Those of you who haven't seen his films should get those two and of course Belle De Jour.

mutinyco

Check out Land Without Bread. I know there's a video that bundles it with Un Chein. It's a short documentary about peasants living in Spain's mountains. It's completely pitiless in its depiction. Completely removed on any emotional level from their suffering to the point that I was rolling with laughter. They're reduced to objects. And the final image is pure genius.
"I believe in this, and it's been tested by research: he who fucks nuns will later join the church."

-St. Joe