Luis Bunuel's L'Age d'Or
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Movie Reviews of Luis Bunuel's L'Age d'Or
Movie Review: Again: No, NOT just for arty types....
Summary: 5 Stars
L'Age D'or is one of the supreme surrealist films, but it's actually surprisingly accessible for Bunuel. In fact, one of his most accessible. That's not to say that you don't have to work a little, but far, far less that you would for, say, Brakhage or even some Fellini.
The film actually works on several levels, many of which offer Bunuel's often biting commentary on various aspects of life, including the blind acceptance of organized religion (for which the film was banned by the Catholic church for decades, and Bunuel was excommunicated), love and sex, human tolerance, class distinction (short but brilliant), and more. To be honest, to describe the various areas of the film is to pretty much ruin it for anyone who's never seen it. It's really best going in totally unexpectant. Again, though, remember that it's not going to unfold in a logical pattern, and will likely require a few watchings to catch it all. It's just that kind of film. In addition, the things that were absolutely appalling then may not be so much so today, or at least not to the same degree.
Still, it's a genuine work of genius, done for far, far, far many more reasons than just to stir things up. (And hopefully Amazon won't pull my review again because I dared to offer a contradicting opinion to someone else)
Absolutely a must-see for serious film-lovers, and probably a must-own, too. It's a serious work of art and nothing about it -- nothing -- is random. Oh... to clarify one thing: Yes, the film opens with a French documentary on scorpions. But as the narrator notes, the scorpion's tail has five segments, the last one containing the sting. L'Age D'or also has five segments; and the last one most definitely contains the sting.
Movie Review: Special Surreal Classic-See This!
Summary: 5 Stars
Bunuel and Dali's surreal visions of tireless yet unfulfilled lovers through time imposed upon by "polite" society and driven to (in his case) madness and atheism and (in her case) nymphomania and desperate debauchery is a wild and amazing work of art.
The constant animal imagery, from the opening scorpions to a beetle, dog, cow, flies, a giraffe, horses, feathers and eggs underscores the minor differences between humanity and the base world.
The shocking visions of the Pope and his Cardinals stranded on the beach, eternally shipwrecked, and Christ's image as an orgiastic, brutal mystic, ecstatic and indifferent to purity and virginity also express the little differences between the common man, the purely instinctual animal, the bourgeois and the spiritually mighty (whoever they may be).
Lastly, the music which drives this short avant-garde wonder is fabulous, whether it be Bunuel's own score or the works of DeBussy, Mozart, Wagner, Beethoven, Mendelssohn or Schubert.
Highly recommended for those who can see passed the derisions of Christianity and "polite society," and recognize the artistry and magical, ironic, subversive subconscious milieu of Bunuel and Dali.
Movie Review: Archtypal Surrealism
Summary: 5 Stars
There is a history of important art creating strong outrage when debuting in Paris. Coletrane and Dolphy earned derision, and Stravinsky's Rites of Spring generated general unrest. The screening of L'Age D'Or engendered direct assaults on the theatre and even rioting on the street.
Bunuel was a self-cenfessed atheist (though much of his body of work examined the spiritual) and there are many images in this film that mock church heiarchy. However, these blows seem more a humorous critique of the authority of beauracracy, that match well a total effort to turn the constraints of societal norms on its ear.
It's doubtful that some 70 years after the fact that viewing this movies will induce riotous outrage. But the dreamy, surprizing images continue to amuse and stimulate an out-of-the-box viewpoint. Not as jarring as the Andelusian Dog, it is perhaps the stronger of the two and absolutely requisite viewing for Bunuel afficianados.
Movie Review: L'age D'or
Summary: 5 Stars
The mesmerizing "L'Age D'Or," a collaboration between young Spanish surrealists Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, contains no traditional plot but instead a series of striking dream-like images: a cow on a woman's bed, a large, formal delegation arriving on a barren island for no apparent reason, a vision of fully bedecked cardinals arrayed there on a craggy rock, and amidst all the pomp, a couple rolling around lustfully in the dirt. Billed as a "madman's dream," the film became a scandal, reviled in particular by the emerging Fascist movement. Today, it's revered as a cinematic landmark, skewering what Buñuel saw as oppressive, outmoded societal forces. Pure gold!Movie Review: Outstanding
Summary: 5 Stars
Although L'Age D'Or is around three times as long as Bunuel and Dali's earlier film, Un Chien Andalou, I find this almost three times as entertaining as well. That's not to say Un Chien Andalou is boring either, L'Age D'Or is simply a brilliant work of cinematic surrealism. It wasn't nearly as provocative as I expected, except for a few scenes, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. A must-see for those interested in surrealism and classic or cult cinema.
As for the actual dvd...I paid $25 for it, and although it was worth it, I feel Kino could have provided better packaging at the very least. Worth it either way, though.