THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL (1962)

After an evening at the opera a group of high society snobs gather at the palatial mansion of Mr. and Mrs. Noble for a lavish dinner party. Later in the evening, when the party should be winding down, nobody leaves the room because nobody can leave the room. There's no mention made of the fact, instead they all make inconsequential pretexts to stay. It's like there's and invisible barrier holding everybody in. The servants have already left and now it's just the rich elitists shipwrecked in their own in private prison. Over time they begin to starve and revert back to almost cavemen.

As far as critical analysis goes I think the guy who paid for the film, producer Gustavo Alatriste, said it best: "I don't understand a thing in it. It's marvelous!" I agree. It's not a perfect film and it's not for everybody, but it is marvelous all the same. If you are into the finer side of Cinema then I recommend it. Or if you're into watching completely mindless garbage then there's always SLIMED.

As far as any symbolism goes this is what Bunuel himself had to say:

"I have not introduced a single symbol into the film, and those who hope for a thesis work from me, a work with a message, may keep on hoping! It is open to doubt whether EL ANGEL EXTERMINADOR is capable of interpretation. Everyone has the right to interpret it as he wishes. There are some who give it an interpretation that is solely erotico-sexual, others political. I would give it rather a historico-social interpretation. But when critics at the Cannes press conference asked Juan Luis why there is a bear in the film, wandering through the smart party, he answered, "Because my father likes bears." It's true. There are those who interpret the bear as the Soviet Union about to devour the bourgeoisie. That is nonsense. Then they asked him what was the meaning of the repetitions of shots in the film. I had anticipated this and told Juan Luis: "Answer that when I finished the film I decided it was still short, so to lengthen it..." People always want an explanation to everything. It is the consequence of centuries of bourgeois education. And for everything for which they cannot find an explanation, they resort in the last instance to God. But what is the use of that to them? Eventually they have to explain God."

THE CRIMINAL LIFE OF ARCHIBALDO DE LA CRUZ (1955)

One evening when he was very young, the spoiled Archibaldo is playing with a music box that he was told has magical powers because it once belonged to a king. As he winds it up he wishes for his nanny to die. At that very moment a stray bullet comes through the window killing her instantly. When she falls her dress hikes up exposing her legs. Young Archi stares stares in complete shock as the blood gushes from her neck and onto her legs.

Years later, as an adult, Archibaldo is convinced that he has a blood lust. He tries to prove it by killing women, but every time he tries to kill somebody they are either murdered by somebody else or die accidentally!  Example: he pulls a knife on a nun and tells her that he's going to give her the gift of death so she can be with God. She understandably freaks out and goes running down the hallway and accidentally falls down an elevator shaft to her death before Archibaldo can give her her "gift".

At the investigation Archibaldo tells the commissioner about his blood lust and that he's a great criminal...at least in his own mind he is, but the commissioner only laughs and tells him "If we imprisoned everybody who ever wanted to kill somebody...!" From here we go into an extended flashback which has other examples of Archibaldo desperately wanting to kill somebody, but always failing.

Not the most surreal of Bunuel's films, but it's still a highly entertaining and dark film filled with smaller Bunuel touches like the mannequin and the woman trading places, the overly obscene woman and the funny moment when Archi's mother finds out the show at the theater has been canceled due to the Mexican Revolution: she stamps her foot and cries "It would have to be today!"

TCLOADLC is a very enjoyable film. Recommended for sure.

ILLUSION TRAVELS BY STREETCAR (1954)

Straightforward Bunuel film about two transportation service employees who get all sad when they find out that their favorite streetcar, #133, is being taken out of service and slated to be dismantled.

Later that night they get shitfaced and come up with the brilliant idea of taking the ol' girl out on one last spin around the block. They do, but end up picking up passengers! The same thing happens wherever they go and no matter how hard they try they can't get back to the depot.

Amusing idea and since this was directed by Bunuel, I was expecting the story to be deeper or dreamier or more surreal than it was, which not very much at all. That was disappointing. Bunuel didn't write the script and it shows, but then again this was the mid-50's and if you look at his other films made during this period of his Mexican exile they are all pretty straightforward, including 1954's WUTHERING HEIGHTS (which was very good) and 1954's THE ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. Although MEXICAN BUS RIDE (1952) did have that great dream sequence.

Bunuel fans should check it out, but I would imagine that pretty much everybody else would fall asleep. Personally I liked it and would gladly watch it again.

SIMON OF THE DESERT (1965)

[Update 07/17/2022: Need rewatch this film and redo this review completely. Fix the screenshots also.]

SIMON OF THE DESERT is the last of Bunuel's so called 20 "Mexican films" and it's very loosely based of life of Simeon Stylites, who I think must have been a complete fucking nut cause he stood on top of a pillar for 39 years to impress God...bet he felt stupid when he died and nothing happened. Anyway, so in Bunuel's film we're introduced to Simon after he's been on the pillar for 6 years. He's developed quite a reputation, so naturally people come to him begging for miracles. One of the beggars is a man who has no hands. He pleads for mercy, Simon prays and presto the dude has hands which he promptly uses to slap his daughter.

Once alone and back to his meditation, Satan (Silvia Pinal) begins appearing in different forms (schoolgirl, Jesus, possessed monk, half-naked chick driving a coffin!!!) and tries to trick Simon into coming down. I won't tell you if he does or not, you'll just have to see for yourself.

The runtime for the movie is only 45 minutes, but it's wonderful. I've always heard that the reason for shortness was because they simply ran out of money, but in a video interview with star Silvia Pinal in the extras she mentions that Bunuel wanted to have the story told in three connecting short films by three directors (the two others being Federico Fellini and Jules Dassin), but it all fell through because of differences over casting. Now I'm not sure how much I believe that story, but it is interesting to fantasize about. Can you imagine how interesting that would have been?!

If the film itself wasn't enough of a reason to buy this DVD, there's also a great 56-minute documentary covering Bunuel's creative period in Mexico (1946- 1965) - even after he returned to making films in Europe he still lived in Mexico until his death in 1983. There were many jaw-droppingly awesome moments, but the two that really shocked me was the photographs Bunuel took while researching for LOS OLVIDADOS. Also, a video interview with Bunuel's widow where she said that Luis never talked to her about his movies! What the Hell?! That's completely insane!

In conclusion, yea it's short, but 1) it's Bunuel, so you have to buy it 2) it's a great film and 3) it's Criterion so until they eventually put out the Blu-Ray this is the best picture you're going to find of this minor masterpiece. Buy it.