Three Films by Lios Bunuel: The Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review

PLOT SYNOPSIS

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) — The ambassador of the Latin American republic of Miranda (FERNANDO REY), M. Thevenot (PAUL FRANKEUR), his wife Simone (DELPHINE SEYRIG) and her sister Florence (BULLE OGIER) arrive for a dinner party at the house of Alice Sénéchal (STEPHANE AUDRAN) and her husband Henri (Jean-Pierre Cassel), only to learn that they were mistaken about the date. In director Luis Buñuel’s surreal fantasy, the six bourgeois friends repeatedly gather for a dinner that never quite arrives.

The Phantom of Liberty (1974) — This Surrealist Spanish film, with a title referencing the Communist Manifesto, strings together short incidents based on the life of director Luis Buñuel. Presented as chance encounters, these loosely related, intersecting situations, all without a consistent protagonist, reach from the 19th century to the 1970s. Touching briefly on subjects such as execution, pedophilia, incest, and sex, the film features an array of characters, including a sick father and incompetent police officers.

That Obscure Object of Desire (1977) — After dumping a bucket of water on a beautiful young woman from the window of a train car, wealthy Frenchman Mathieu (FERNANDO REY), regales his fellow passengers with the story of the dysfunctional relationship between himself and the young woman in question, a fiery 19-year-old flamenco dancer named Conchita (played alternately by CAROLE BOSQUET and ANGELA MOLINA). What follows is a tale of cruelty, depravity and lies — the very building blocks of love.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 4/5

This 3-disc collection are each housed in their own fold-out digipak, the first one contains a removable 56-page booklet. For those interested, the collection numbers on these are 102, 290 and 143 respectively.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie:

• The Castaway of Providence Street — From 1971, an homage to Luis Bunuel by his longtime friends and fellow filmmakers Arturo Ripstein and Rafael Castanedo
• Speaking of Bunuel — Documentary from 2000 on the director’s life and work as told by Jose Luis Lopez-Linares and Javier Rioyo.
• Once Upon a Time: The Discreet Charm of Bourgeoisie — 2011 television program about the making of the film.
• Episode of “Pour le cinema” — 1972 episode of the French program with behind-the-scenes footage of Bunuel on set, along with interviews by the director and cast members.
• Trailer

The Phantom of Liberty:

• Interview with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere from 2000.
• Analysis of the film by film scholar Peter William Evans recorded in 2017.
• Episodes of “Pour le cinema” — From 1974, the program features actors Michel Piccoli and Jean-Claude Brialy and another episode with Brialy as well.
• Documentary from 1985 about producer Serge Silberman, who worked with Bunuel on five of the director’s final seven films.
• Trailer

That Obscure Object of Desire:

• Interview from 2000 with Jean-Claude Carriere.
• Lady Doubles — 2017 documentary featuring actors Carole Bouquer and Angela Molina, who share the role of Conchita.
• Portrait of an Impatient Filmmaker, Luis Bunuel — 2012 documentary featuring director of photography Edmond Richard and assistant director Pierre Lary.
• Excerpts from Jacques de Baroncelli’s 1929 silent film Le monde du cinema from 1977 which features Carriere, actor Fernando Rey and producer Serge Silberman.
• Conversation from 1977 with many of Bunuel’s collaborators, including Carriere, Rey, and actors Julien Bertheau, Muni, and Michel Piccoli.
• Trailer

VIDEO – 4/5

AUDIO – 4/5