tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post4148411578255543836..comments2023-10-11T03:42:59.033-07:00Comments on The Criterion Contraption: #102: The Discreet Charm of the BourgeoisieMatthew Dessemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09288268335735601918noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-18814538767242188762010-12-26T06:54:08.558-08:002010-12-26T06:54:08.558-08:00A great appreciation. I like the bit about the pur...A great appreciation. I like the bit about the purposeful walking, which in a way is as condemnatory of the characters as being purpose-less. Making them more single minded and mercenary in their goals.<br /><br />What do you think of Phantom of Liberty? Rather than dreams within dreams that is more stories within stories with instead of a variety of ironic punchlines Bunuel and Carriere drop colinrhttp://www.criterionforum.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-29895422949152216172010-12-18T18:24:12.206-08:002010-12-18T18:24:12.206-08:00So much for more than one post a month, huh. Now I...So much for more than one post a month, huh. Now I wish these things enabled smilies.legatonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-31023932848802196452010-12-01T22:05:05.140-08:002010-12-01T22:05:05.140-08:00I was actually quite surprised by how much I enjoy...I was actually quite surprised by how much I enjoyed watching this film.Sean Grey Hansonhttp://myinternettvsoftware.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-6694624570117607532010-11-07T16:44:57.639-08:002010-11-07T16:44:57.639-08:00I didn't like this film the first time I saw i...I didn't like this film the first time I saw it some 15 years ago, but really enjoyed it when I caught it a couple of years ago on my own crazy Criterion completist quest. I think the first time I saw it, I tried to "understand" the film and was frustrated. The 2nd time I just let the droll humor and absurd situations wash over me, and consequently enjoyed it much more (I've Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15698885393854345012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-29933432830436508992010-11-05T05:12:26.253-07:002010-11-05T05:12:26.253-07:00I saw this film so long ago, and I was so young at...I saw this film so long ago, and I was so young at the time, that I had forgotten a lot of the detail and all of the analysis. It was good to put my scattered memories of it back into context. Or at least what little context there is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-8204054315617697402010-11-03T12:03:39.344-07:002010-11-03T12:03:39.344-07:00I think it's not just sympathy for the genre o...I think it's not just sympathy for the genre or mode of filmmaking, but for the characters themselves that makes the difference between satire and mere spoof. A satire works best when the audience and filmmakers can see themselves reflected in the ridiculous situations. If the characters are just mercilessly mocked you've got something that's just a condescending put-down.<br /><br />Jeff McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17455194268519396055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-50326605072994618872010-11-02T23:29:43.665-07:002010-11-02T23:29:43.665-07:00"No one in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoi..."No one in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie would ever see The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie."<br /><br />Love that sentence; it's an excellent summation.<br /><br />I agree with you about Wiki's interpretation of them walking down the road. For me, the images bring to mind a self-centered lot that's always moving determinedly forward, like you say. Also loved:<br /hal0000http://hal0000.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-37236001265458367082010-11-02T17:30:15.606-07:002010-11-02T17:30:15.606-07:00@DJProject—unsurprisingly, I love Metropolitan and...@DJProject—unsurprisingly, I love Metropolitan and can't wait to get to it. If only they'd release <em>Barcelona</em>!<br /><br />@Dave & Jack—maybe it was just me, but the thing I remember about that shot is that the lamb seemed to be perfectly cooked.<br /><br />@Vidal—I'll buy that interpretation; the Wikipedia version just seemed obviously wrong, since they're moving with Matthew Dessemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288268335735601918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-8444551027327166692010-11-02T16:27:54.313-07:002010-11-02T16:27:54.313-07:00While I'm not much a fan of Bunuel I do love t...While I'm not much a fan of Bunuel I do love this movie. I've never been sure if this is success on his part, but the characters despite being so despicable are also as enjoyable to watch as any other set of characters out there. Even the requisite jabs at the church seem to be done with a very polite smile. While I think that similar approach for Tristana kills off the thematic arc it islegatonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-17217410296986399182010-11-02T00:26:17.270-07:002010-11-02T00:26:17.270-07:00Hi! Ardent reader but first time commenter. While ...Hi! Ardent reader but first time commenter. While I'm a bit sad that you may be less in-depth with these hereon out, I am excited that you'll be going at a faster rate. I love reading these, and am looking forward to what you think of some of my favorites that are coming up, like the next one: <i>The Lady Eve</i>! Ooh, and we've got Tati coming up, too...<br /><br />Anyway, as for vidalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05233639891382103355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-16415864673974012672010-11-01T12:52:36.464-07:002010-11-01T12:52:36.464-07:00@Dave: Acosta opts to save his own skin by hiding ...@Dave: Acosta opts to save his own skin by hiding under the table while his friends are gunned down. As the gunmen are looking for him he cannot resist grabbing his piece of lamb from the table and they spot him. As they kill him he is chewing the meat and he wakes up, still chewing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02122653554370471508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-75318168534422170542010-11-01T05:09:07.669-07:002010-11-01T05:09:07.669-07:00Matthew, you've done a masterful job in thorou...Matthew, you've done a masterful job in thoroughly covering the first 101, and I think you've more than earned the right to speed up the process! I look forward to enjoying more of your insights here more frequently. <br /><br />It's been a few years since I watched Discreet Charm so I don't have much to add. Besides the scenes you covered, my most vivid memory is of some guy David Blakesleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12167200509158903679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-38607941024679550712010-11-01T04:38:34.655-07:002010-11-01T04:38:34.655-07:00buñuel definitely loved his martinis =]. the othe...buñuel definitely loved his martinis =]. the other buñuel trait that one of the characters has is his disdain toward the cello ... that and the ambassador's birthday (and consequently his astrological analysis). and it doesn't surprise me those traits are contained the characters he critiques ... after all, this is the same guy who famously declared "thank GOD i am an atheist!"djprojecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13280172854635114084noreply@blogger.com