Three Films by Luis Buñuel (1972-1977)

[MifuneFan]

https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/39...by-luis-bu-uel

More than four decades after he took a razorblade to an eyeball and shocked the world with Un chien andalou, arch-iconoclast Luis Buñuel capped his astonishing career with three final provocations—The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The Phantom of Liberty, and That Obscure Object of Desire—in which his renegade, free-associating surrealism reached its audacious, self-detonating endgame. Working with such key collaborators as screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière and his own frequent on-screen alter ego Fernando Rey, Buñuel laced his scathing attacks on religion, class pretension, and moral hypocrisy with savage violence to create a trio of subversive, brutally funny masterpieces that explore the absurd randomness of existence. Among the director’s most radical works as well as some of his greatest international triumphs, these films cemented his legacy as cinema’s most incendiary revolutionary.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New high-definition digital restorations of all three films, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
• The Castaway of Providence Street, a 1971 homage to Luis Buñuel made by his longtime friends and fellow filmmakers Arturo Ripstein and Rafael Castanedo
• Speaking of Buñuel, a documentary from 2000 on Buñuel’s life and work
• Once Upon a Time: “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie,” a 2011 television program about the making of the film
• Interviews from 2000 with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière on The Phantom of Liberty and That Obscure Object of Desire
• Archival interviews on all three films featuring Carrière; actors Stéphane Audran, Muni, Michel Piccoli, and Fernando Rey; and other key collaborators
• Documentary from 1985 about producer Serge Silberman, who worked with Buñuel on five of his final seven films
• Analysis of The Phantom of Liberty from 2017 by film scholar Peter William Evans
• Lady Doubles, a 2017 documentary featuring actors Carole Bouquet and Ángela Molina, who share the role of Conchita in That Obscure Object of Desire
• Portrait of an Impatient Filmmaker, Luis Buñuel, a 2012 short documentary featuring director of photography Edmond Richard and assistant director Pierre Lary
• Excerpts from Jacques de Baroncelli’s 1929 silent film La femme et le pantin, an adaptation of Pierre Louÿs’s 1898 novel of the same name, on which That Obscure Object of Desire is also based
• Alternate English-dubbed soundtrack for That Obscure Object of Desire
• Trailers
• New English subtitle translations
• PLUS: Essays by critic Adrian Martin and novelist and critic Gary Indiana, along with interviews with Buñuel by critics José de la Colina and Tomás Pérez Turrent
• New design by Eric Skillman, based on the original poster art by René Ferracci

[BluProofie]

So Bourgeoisie won’t be sold separately?

[Cremildo]

I don't want this.

I need this.

[Gacivory]

Sounds like a good way to jump into Buñuel!

[NeoNical]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Sounds like a good way to jump into Buñuel!

Definitely would agree with you. These are probably his most straightforward or accessible ones besides Diary of a Chambermaid and Belle de Jour. Such a shame Milky Way couldn't hold on longer but at least we have a Blu-ray for that. Hope you enjoy his works though, perhaps my favorite director.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by NeoNical

Definitely would agree with you. These are probably his most straightforward or accessible ones besides Diary of a Chambermaid and Belle de Jour. Such a shame Milky Way couldn't hold on longer but at least we have a Blu-ray for that. Hope you enjoy his works though, perhaps my favorite director.

The Discreet Charm has always sounded the most interesting to me, but for whatever reason I never got around to watching it.

[NeoNical]

Excited to see the packaging and it may be a coincidence that Delphine Seyrig died 30 years ago also (October 15th, 1990). Wonderful actress and Discreet Charm is one of her best works. Hoping India Song with Michael Lonsdale (Who fell in love with Delphine) will eventually come into the collection soon as well.

[captainron_howdy]

I'm all over this set!

[Jason Rietman4k]

I'm happy this set is coming don't get me wrong, but I wish they'd finish Bunel.

[Rizor]

Nice surprise and some attractive matching artwork. Unfortunately, I do already own the UK StudioCanal set with these already and the transfers there were something of a mixed bag.

"New high-definition digital restorations" is not very promising. Standard Criterion verbiage for "new? well, we never released them so they're new for us!"

[NeoNical]

Originally Posted by Rizor

Nice surprise and some attractive matching artwork. Unfortunately, I do already own the UK StudioCanal set with these already and the transfers there were something of a mixed bag.

"New high-definition digital restorations" is not very promising. Standard Criterion verbiage for "new? well, we never released them so they're new for us!"

Just for the record, that's the same term they used for the Le Samourai Blu-ray release so I'm not expecting much, from what I see on the screenshots on their website. I really don't like the colors for these films, they look like yellow-brownish throw up but if it's the best we'll ever have of these films in the US, I'd rather get it then wait another 10 years for a possible re-release. It's a shame that these films didn't get any restoration as it seems like it's the same restoration as they had back when the DVD was In Print. It's a shame I'll admit but I've been waiting on this for a while now that I wouldn't mind, it's probably the best we're going to get.

[HotTastyChili]

I'm totally pumped for Obscure Object of Desire. Masterpiece. I sought that movie out because of Roger Ebert's review of Adam Sandler's The Waterboy. He said that the only way he would have liked the movie is if Sandler's character had been played by a different actor halfway through like Obscure Object or Lost Highway.

So you can thank Roger Ebert and Adam Sandler for getting me into Bunuel. Haha.

[Kyle15]

Originally Posted by Rizor

Nice surprise and some attractive matching artwork. Unfortunately, I do already own the UK StudioCanal set with these already and the transfers there were something of a mixed bag.

"New high-definition digital restorations" is not very promising. Standard Criterion verbiage for "new? well, we never released them so they're new for us!"

They pulled this language with Pierrot le Fou too. "New" as in "new to us."

[MTRodaba2468]

I’m glad I can upgrade my DVDs of these now...

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by BluProofie

So Bourgeoisie won’t be sold separately?

The bourgeoisie require you to spend more than you want to spend, it’s how they got where they are

[PowellPressburger]

I hope this box set will feature its film in an individual case /cover art.

The Bruce Lee set was a cheap fold out

[jshaide]

Yeah I’m curious. The set doesn’t have its own spine number and the films are older spines. Will it be like a Before Trilogy style with the films in their own sleeves, or something like how they put the Whit Stillman films in its own slipcover with the three releases housed separately?

[bergman864]

A great collection of films. The older editions are OOP I think. It gives people a chance to get/check out these excellent films again or for the first time. This has been a solid month.

I know they have a lot of releases they're working through but, as long as we get great stuff like this, I'm happy.

[jumpy999]

Originally Posted by HotTastyChili

I'm totally pumped for Obscure Object of Desire. Masterpiece. I sought that movie out because of Roger Ebert's review of Adam Sandler's The Waterboy. He said that the only way he would have liked the movie is if Sandler's character had been played by a different actor halfway through like Obscure Object or Lost Highway.

So you can thank Roger Ebert and Adam Sandler for getting me into Bunuel. Haha.

Ha, I love this!

[You Got The Ag]

As somebody who already owns the studio cannel set, here are my thoughts on the transfers present in that collection.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - Very dated looking dvd era master. Grain looks blocky, and skintones have a bit of plasticky sheen to them. Almost no fine detail to speak of. Not unwatchable by any means, but a shabby presentation to be sure.

The Phantom of Liberty - The best looking of the three, grain structure is nicely viable and has a nice filmic look to it. Maybe looks a tad bit soft, but that could be present in the original photography.

That Obscure Object of Desire - Also looks to be a dated master, but due to it being the newest of the three and lacking excessive DNR still looks pretty good.

I too have reservations about what "New high-definition digital restorations" really means, and am resigned to the fact that it likely means "old masters". It's a shame because in the essential Bunuel set "The Milky Way" looks absolutely fantastic, and can rival many recent 2k/4k restorations, so we know that it is possible to do a decent restoration of a Bunuel film (and Criterions Belle De Jour of course). Still I am very happy that this will be available to people without region B support.