The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie [dir. Luis Bunuel]

1972, 102 minutes
w/ Fernando Rey, Paul Frankeur & Delphine Seyrig
[I sort of wondered through my first Bunuel film, The Milky Way, in order to prepare myself for its follow-up which is largely considered Bunuel's magnum opus, and I think it was a good idea despite probably not comprehending 5% of either pic. And that's what especially made Discreet such a great watch, the theories and themes that I read about and concluded upon. The plot is basically a collection of scenes in which three wealthy couples repeatedly try to have a meal together but are constantly interrupted before being able to eat it. Once you realize this theme, it becomes necessary to anticipate what interruption will hinder them each time, and Bunuel manipulates reality and surreality if only to frustrate and toy with his audience and satired characters. The hypocrisies of the bourgeoisie are comically revealed be it through extreme paranoia or infidelities and Bunuel creates a bishop character if only to include organized religion as part of the target and for cheap (though worthy) comical relief. There are many long takes of conversation between the men and women but I've interpreted the extended shots of the couples walking down a road sometimes randomly throughout as an ultimate watering down of their lives: empty and banal.]

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