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The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Widescreen)
 
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The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Widescreen)

Fernando Rey (Actor), Delphine Seyrig (Actor), Javier Rioyo (Director), José Luis López-Linares (Director) | Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | Format: DVD
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

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What can be more enjoyable then a meal among friends and family? In Luis Buñuel's surrealistic comedy The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie it is this common ritual a sextet of upper-class friends repeatedly attempt, only to be obstructed by one obscure event after another. Masterfully balancing the dichotomy of class vs. debauchery Buñuel delivers a ripping critique of the upper class. It is clear from the beginning that the lives Buñuel’s Bourgeoisie are living are not what they seem. Eventually, their true colors begin to shine; not in actual actions but in haunting dreams. What is real and what lies in the subconscious becoming exceedingly blurry and in order to deliver his message, surrealism must take over. It is hard to pigeonhole Buñuel’s classic that won him the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film 1972: An absurd odyssey? A discreet satire? Not necessarily, but definitely charming. --Rob Bracco

Additional Features

Criterion has put together an impressive set in honor of Luis Buñuel's 100th Birthday. First and foremost, this newly restored, high-definition 1.66:1 anamorphic transfer is a visual treat. The cleaned up French mono soundtrack also has new English subtitles providing a more accurate translation. The set includes two documentaries on the work of Buñuel. "El Naufrago De La Calle De La Providencia" is a collage of images, friends’ stories, and home movie clips that serve as a tribute to the Spanish filmmaker. "A proposito de Buñuel (2000)," a 98-minute documentary on the life and work of Buñuel, provides further insight on the surrealistic filmmaker, his ideas, his life and his art. If you are new to Buñuel, this documentary is an excellent introduction to get you up to speed on his esoteric work. If you are already a fan, it will provide lots of new information that will have you longing to revisit his catalog. --Rob Bracco
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Most helpful customer reviews
A collection for the Bourgeois Oct 25 2008
Format:DVD
Le film est fantastique... le prix est ridiculement élevé. Il y a des compagnies qui produisent des rééditions de films obscurs avec autant de soins pour la moitié du prix malgré un auditoire beaucoup plus restreint. Avec la collection Criterion, on cherche encore une fois à réserver la culture à une élite de péteux de broue en moyen. Il n'y a pas moyen d'assumer que les films choisis pour faire partie de la collection sont des films que l'on peut considérer comme faisant désormais partie du patrimoine culturel mondial et qui par le fait même devraient être plus accessibles que jamais... C'est à n'y rien comprendre. Un conseil, courez au plus vite à un bon club vidéo et LOUEZ ce film. Vous saurez ce que Bunuel a à dire sur la bourgeoisie et vous serez plus cultivé sans avoir à être un petit bourgeois criterionisé...
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Excellent surrealism on film Jun 23 2004
By Ted
Format:DVD
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, under its original title "Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie" remains one of the most famous surrealist films. Directed by Luis Buñuel, the md credited with creating surrealsim on film does an excellent job in this film.

The story is about six high class people trying to have a meal together, each time they do so, they are interrupted one way or another. Each interruption becomes increasingly more unusual and humorous. The film has excellent acting and humor with great scenery of the French countryside.

This film also won an Academy Award® for best Foreign language film. It is wel deserving of the award though the competition that year was not very difficult. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay and lost to "The Candidate"

The Criterion DVD has some great special features also. There is a theatrical trailer and two seperate biographies on Luis Buñuel. Disc 1 contains the film, the theatrical trailer, and a poorly pre-subtitled biography on Buñuel. This documentary is titled, "El náufrago de la calle de Providencia" or "The castaway on Providence Street" which originally aired on television in 1970 in Mexico It is 24 minutes in length.

Disc two contains an all new documentary "A propósito de Buñuel" or "Speaking of Buñuel". This documentary is 98 minutes long and is a retrospective on Buñuel's life intercut with footage of his movies and interviews with family and friends Buñuel. The subtitles on this documentary are a lot better. This documentary contains scenes that may not be suitable for children and young teens.

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Masterful tales of charm and horror April 8 2004
Format:DVD
Bunuel's handling of narrative is nothing short of masterful in this film. The work's structure is akin to a collection of interconnected short stories - stories that have important ties with Poe's more satirical writings. Each tale offers either a variation on one or more of the film's main characters, or an episode linked in one way or another to the events that surround it. These tales are interesting enough when considered individually, but they gain further levels of meaning if we read them in parallel with the whole work. The film is at once literary and extremely cinematic: the thematic, 'writerly' depth is enhanced by remarkable visual coherence; the cool, precise style hides constant subversion and images range from the brutally shocking to the lyrical. It is customary but somewhat erroneous to say that this work goes back-and-forth between dreams and 'reality' - Bunuel blurs the line between them until differenciation becomes close to impossible. This is a major achievement from one of the supreme masters of the fantastic art.
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Most recent customer reviews
Yes its a masterpiece, but it didn't do it for me.
I'd like to be able to say that I was blown away by this film. It is after all one of bunel's most famous and most loved. But I wasn't. It was fun. It was quirky. Very odd. Read more
Published on Feb 3 2004 by Philip D. Worfel
Elegant, Surreal And Charming.
Among the works of the best directors of the 20th century, the films of Luis Bunuel stand out as some of the most original and provocative. Read more
Published on Nov 16 2002 by Michael Kropotkin
Couple of people trying to have some lunch ???!
Lois Bunuel at his best ! Few people trying to have some lunch ?! But everything goes wrong ... One of the smartest and funniest films , I've ever seen . Read more
Published on Oct 18 2002 by Vlad
A somewhat bourgeois movie.
First of all, what a title! -- *The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie*. Perhaps it was inevitable that the movie itself couldn't quite live up to such a grandiloquent heading. Read more
Published on April 16 2002
Great film and wonderful documentary on Bunel!
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, one of Bunel's most popular films, is a great one! I love the acting, the satirical elements, and playfulness of the film. Read more
Published on Nov 7 2001
"French Python"
Luis Bunuel, friend and contemporary of fellow Spaniard Salvador Dali, was the cinematic equivalent of his compatriot: an artist who chose surrealism as his vehicle of expression. Read more
Published on Nov 1 2001 by Eddy Oquendo
Good Buñuel, Great Package
Luis Bunuel's late-period comedy, "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" (1972) will probably puzzle as many people as it delights. Read more
Published on Oct 10 2001 by K. Garner
Great film, fantastic DVD package
I have about 15 Criterion DVDs, and this is probably the best: a wonderful surreal comedy given a fabulous transfer to DVD. Read more
Published on April 20 2001 by Alexander Leach
An excellent DVD..... Highly Recommended!!!!
You won't be dissapointed in buying this DVD. I say this not only because the movie is absolutely fabulous (if you want plot information, read the review by Leonard Maltin above),... Read more
Published on Feb 7 2001
An excellent DVD transfer of Buñuel's classic film
At long last, one of the surrealist maestro Luis Buñuel's films has finally made it on to the DVD format and it is an excellent production. Read more
Published on Feb 6 2001 by Wayne
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