directed by Luis Buñuel

If you asked me “who would you like to meet in your life?”, I bet one of my choices would be Luis Buñuel. I know, he’s no longer with us, but I feel like a conversation with him would be one of the most fascinating experiences of my life. During each of his films there’s a point at which I say to myself “no, you didn’t…” – and yes, he did. Today, I’d like to recommend you a story that won’t only entertain you, but also make you reflect on things you perhaps have never reflected on. We’re moving to a fancy mansion where Mr. and Mrs. Nóbile are having a party. Oh, sorry, not a party… an elegant meeting with their acquaintances. Each guest is worth a fortune, so just imagine the level of glamour in that place. However, a strange thing happens right before all those rich people arrive – the mansion’s staff leaves without any explanation. Then, when all the invited gather together, they start mingling and listening to one of the ladies playing the piano. At some point, the guests start suggesting going home, but… they simply don’t. Despite their willingness to leave the room, they just can’t do it. There’s no barrier, no guard forbidding them to pass – they simply don’t go. And if you’re not familiar with Buñuel’s style, then, welcome to his head, my dear reader. Personally, I adore his productions, but I can never fully analyse them. I mean, each time I try to understand what the film is about, I come up with some ideas, yet I never feel satisfied with them. I hate the fact that I cannot just meet with Buñuel and discuss his views, because no critic in this world may see what that man saw in his own work. To me, this particular story is actually quite creepy and disturbing. Except the fact that those people are somehow trapped in that one room, the scariest part is that there’s no explanation why they can’t do anything about it. As an overthinker, I’ve found lots of metaphors hidden there, but I really don’t want to share because of two reasons: one – some of them are somehow private and based on my own life experiences, two – I’d like you to discover something for yourselves without any suggestions from my side. Buñuel didn’t like explaining his films and I respect that fully, because some stories get better if we interpret them ourselves. Even though some people say it’s a comic fantasy, I see a very subtle horror there. I guess it depends on the moment of your life when you decide to watch it, but it’s definitely not just a random film to see and forget. If you like surrealism and quality cinema, this is your new must-see for sure. And I hope you’ll find something to admire there.
My rating: 7/10
S.