The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie details
| Formats: | 15 DVD, Blu-ray |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Angela Molina, Fernando Rey, Franco Nero, Paul Frankeur, Jean Sorel, Delphine Seyrig, Catherine Deneuve, Jeanne Moreau, Monica Vitti, Carole Bouquet, Michel Piccoli, Michel Piccoli |
| Directors: | Luis Buñuel, Luis Bunuel |
| Genres: | Drama, World Cinema |
| Studio: | ELEVATION |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie |
15 Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 42 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 16 Jul 2012 |
| Main languages: | French |
| Subtitles: | English |
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Most helpful review
The bourgeoisie seem to talk sh*t... says Bunuel
By a customer from Nottingham, England , 05 Dec 2005[Highly rated reviewer]
Compared to earlier Bunuel films, 'The Discreet Charm...' is relatively cohesive. However, to expect any semblance of a real plot from the surrealist master is asking far too much.
It is best with Bunuel to simply sit back and let him take you where he will, and then see what pops into your head as a result. Social conventions are explicitly and absurdly overturned and questions are asked of the Church, high society and judicial systems. Bunuel evidently gets great satisfaction from poking fun at anything that crosses his path.
There is more than a mere hint of Bunuel's influence in Monty Python; you can always expect a good chuckle.
If you want to experience a more surreal film then look earlier in his oeuvre, at 'L'age d'Or', or the infamous 'Un chien Andalou'. If you want a little more plot and sense from your film, his most 'sensible' film is certainly 'Cet obscur objet du desir'.
This is an excellent film, with a satisfying balance of the ridiculous, the unexpected and amusing, satire, and social comment.- Was this review helpful to you?
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All reviews
(17)Definitely charming!
By hmibennett (59 reviews) from Thoralby, near Leyburn (North Yorks) , 10 Dec 2012Compared with some Bunuel films, this is a reasonably transparent offering, but none the worse for that. As expected, it plays with the conventions of cinematic narrative and shines a light on a certain sector of society in so doing. Overall, the tone is light - despite some darker moments - and it misses out on a five-star rating only because some of the 'comic' acting looks somewhat clunky in the present day. However, Stephane Audran and Fernando Rey in particular glide through the film with consummate professionalism. Highly recommended - not least if you have not seen any other Bunuel films.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Surreal Fantasy
By buffyrules (335 reviews) from southend on sea , 09 Nov 2012First Bunuel film I've seen and did live up to my expectations. Despite being deaf at the time of filming he manages to convey a world that although dated has resonance today. Surrealism is not an easy genre and undoubtedly he was the master.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Past its sell by date
By erp (67 reviews) from Manchester , 20 Oct 2012[Highly rated reviewer]
I thought this an elegantly made piece of fluff that may still have seemed subversively witty when it first came out but that lacks any kind of punch or point now and just wasted its fine acting talent. There was one fundamental joke - the gross disparity between the characters' manner and their actual behaviour - and although Bunuel was quite inventive in thinking up scenarios round this basic idea there was no real imaginative surprise after the first few minutes. Perhaps the film is a victim of its own success - perhaps it only seems so tame and predictable now because many other people have followed where it led - but my gut feeling is that it's just a tired piece of work by a master who could no longer add significantly to what he'd already done.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Sarcasm and absurdity at their best...
By rgdonaire (1 review) , 18 Sep 2012This film is pure sarcasm at its best. Great script, impecable characters and acting. It is an in depth look at the life of a group of aristocrats from France, with twists of comedy and absurdity, but with a clever criticism again some political and religious topics. You rarely see such films as this on recent years. I disagree with the other reviews. This is a gem of cinema.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Not impressed
By AlsoDisappointed (2 reviews) , 04 Aug 2012I really was looking forward to seeing this film after the great reviews. Very rarely do I not finish watching a film, this was one of them. It all seemed a bit...slapstick. I normally love a good classic French film. Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind. I was impressed by the picture quality which was good for an old film- Was this review helpful to you?
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