Belle de Jour - Luis Buñuel

Dear Big Brother/Uncle V.

Here's the first public entry of your new blog! We hope you enjoy it!

PLOT
For a summary of the plot see the perfectly adequate Wiki entry.


REVIEW
One of Buñuel's most modern and 'straight' films - compare Discreet charm and Exterminating Angel which are black and white and extremely surrealistic. Belle has many spotlights on surrealistic moments and actions, but is easier to take as it has a logical narrative. The colour cinematography is a pleasure to see especially when we are exposed to outdoor scenes. Having loved the weirdness of Buñuel's films since being forced to study Un Chien Andalou in University, I absolutely loved this film. The extras on the DVD include an interview with Buñuel's writer/assistant that really bring the filming process to life. [Reviewed by the Nuthatch, who feels he has to add "I also loved the flesh scenes!"]

Stonechat was less impressed with the film: -

I very much liked the lack of division between 'reality' and 'fantasy' as, although it led to some confusion at times, I felt it was a truer reflection of daydreaming and how often it is difficult to separate reality from fantasy in our experience of life. I was also interested in her motivations for her actions but felt that there was never sufficient exploration of these - although we do see some images from her childhood it is never made clear whether that is fantasy or memory (although obviously the director is deliberately looking to blur the lines). I was also baffled by different images and events and their significance (Is it significant that she breaks both a vase and a perfume bottle? Is it just to demonstrate clumsiness or her being preoccupied? Is it meant to have a deeper significance or is it just meant to confuse the audience? - If so, it worked for me!). All in all I was left not really knowing what I felt about the film mostly because I felt I was unprepared in knowing how to 'read' it. [Reviewed by Stonechat]

Of course these odd sequences are meant to be jarring because "Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur" and they were reacting against rationalism [Nuthatch]

Note:
Nightjar went to beddy-byes and missed it, and Merlin was playing on his surrealistic computer