2nd June, 2020.
Yes: it’s a Tuesday.
If you’ve read today’s Daily Teaser, this morning … ?
You’d possibly worked that out, already!
At ANY rate … ?
At any rate, I have a lot of free evenings.
Tonight, specifically: I’d done everything that needed doing … and fancied a film.
The one I’ve ended up watching, tonight, is one I can remember hearing about, many years ago: when I saw it mentioned in an episode of El Ministerio del Tiempo*†.
Luis Buñuel’s Viridiana …
~≈⌘≈~
Set in Franco’s Spain, Viridiana sees the novice, Viridiana (Sylvia Pinal) leaving the confines of her convent before her final vows: to stay temporarily with her Uncle Jaime (Fernando Rey).
On the orders, no less, of the Mother Superior: who’s grateful for the donations Don Jaime have made, over the years.
It’s only when Viridiana get’s to her uncle’s estate, she realises quite how strange the man is.
Jaime’s death, as a suicide? After he’s tried to rape her?
Leaves Viridiana feeling conflicted, feeling she cannot go back to the nunnery … and that she has to help the beggars who the local town.
It’s only when she and cousin Jorge (Francisco Rabal) have to leave the estate, to sort out some paperwork … that things really go wrong!
~≈⌘≈~
Now … was I impressed with Viridiana?
Am I stunned?
Able to pronounce the name, correctly?
What did I make of it?
First things first, my pronunciation of Viridiana is going to be god awful: my apologies to any Spanish speakers out there!
As to what I’ve thought about it … ?
I caught The Seventh Seal, a few weeks ago.
And, looking back at that, as a comparison?
I think it’s the better movie.
I gave The Seventh Seal four stars — the best possible on my rating system.
I’m thinking right now that Viridiana isn’t quite on a par …
That isn’t to say it’s not a bloody good film.
Viridiana is great.
The characters are nicely drawn, the score makes good use of The Hallelujah Chorus, the beggars banquet is frankly amazing, and the last scene, deeply strange …
Viridiana is well worth a watch: and both a Palme D’or winner … as well as a movie L’Osservatore Romano described as blasphemous.
And the one film that censors tried censoring … only to leave it with a far more ambiguous ending.
Where can you go wrong … ?
Viridiana.
★★★☆
* The sooner Season Four hits the international markets? The better!
† The episode in question — Season three’s seventh episode, Tiempo de Censura, Time of Censorship — sees Alonso, Pacino and Irene (Nacho Fresnada, Hugo Silva and Cayetana Guillén Cuervo) having to censor Viridiana … then make sure it’s not! (An earlier episode of the series sees Alonso punching Buñuel. This episode? Sees Buñuel trying to make sure Alonso gets nowhere near him.)
2 comments:
He was not controversial for nothing, Paul. I'm not sure Las hurdes: tierra sin pan, a documentary he filmed very early on would be easy to get hold of. It's very raw. I do remember his Mexican period quite well, and for reason, The Exterminating Angel has always stuck with me in particular. Bergman is more measured and precious, I think, but Buñuel had something that in Spain we call "esperpento" or "esperpéntico" that I've seen translated as "grotesque" and it's that, but also something that digs deeper. Anyway, I'm pleased you enjoyed. He does not leave viewers indifferent, that's for sure. Oh, and I think he was quite a character!
I hope I can catch up on the quiz later, but they called me from the radio yesterday and have to cover an item this morning and go to edit the piece this afternoon. With all the COVID-19 restrictions and checks, I don't know how long it might all take. (It's about an organisation of pensioners going on a walk to demand improvements on the management of nursing homes and more tests for GP surgeries).
Good luck with it Olga: keep me abreast … !
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