402 The Milky Way

[Buttery Jeb]

The Milky Way



The first of what Luis Buñuel later proclaimed a trilogy (along with The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Phantom of Liberty) about "the search for truth," The Milky Way (La voie lactée) daringly deconstructs contemporary and traditional views on Catholicism with ribald, rambunctious surreality. Two French beggars, present-day pilgrims en route to Spain's holy city of Santiago de Compostela, serve as Buñuel's narrators for an anticlerical history of heresy, told with absurdity and filled with images that rank among Buñuel's most memorable (stigmatic children, crucified nuns) and hilarious (Jesus considering a good shave). A diabolically entertaining look at the mysteries of fanaticism, The Milky Way remains a hotly debated work from cinema's greatest skeptic.

Special Features

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer
• Video introduction by screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière
• New video interview with film scholar Ian Christie
• Luis Buñuel: Atheist Thanks to God, a documentary featuring several of Buñuel's close friends and collaborators
• Theatrical trailer
• New and improved English subtitles
• PLUS: A booklet featuring new essays by Carlos Fuentes and Mark Polizzotti, and a reprinted interview with Luis Buñuel

Criterionforum.org user rating averages

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[dadaistnun]

Well hell's bells. It's about time.

[justeleblanc]

Hahaha! And all that talk about Lionsgate releasing it. Egg on my face.

[domino harvey]

we're just never going to get a Bunuel with a commentary track, are we

[jorencain]

Finally! It feels like I've been waiting for this for years - ever since I saw it in the theater about 2 years ago. One of the best Bunuels I have seen (I'm mostly familiar with his later films). A commentary track would be great, but I'm just happy that this is coming out.

[miless]

Finally! It feels like I've been waiting for this for years - ever since I saw it in the theater about 2 years ago. One of the best Bunuels I have seen (I'm mostly familiar with his later films). A commentary track would be great, but I'm just happy that this is coming out.

Yeah, I've been waiting for it for some time, too (almost as long as I've been waiting for The Exterminating Angel).

And the extras list does say "MORE!" Meaning: they're too god-damned busy to know what the hell is going to show up on the finished product.

[bunuelian]

I will happily buy it, but I am going to be quite disappointed if the package doesn't contain a detailed analysis of the film's many historical and theological references. This film assumes a great deal of knowledge on the part of the viewer. It would be a shame if CC didn't include at least a printed discussion of the episodes, but I would think a "visual reference" style feature on the disc itself would be more useful.

[justeleblanc]

I will happily buy it, but I am going to be quite disappointed if the package doesn't contain a detailed analysis of the film's many historical and theological references. This film assumes a great deal of knowledge on the part of the viewer. It would be a shame if CC didn't include at least a printed discussion of the episodes, but I would think a "visual reference" style feature on the disc itself would be more useful.

Maybe something similar to what they did with Band of Outsiders. It would certainly help the Jewish audience.

[Tribe]

I will happily buy it, but I am going to be quite disappointed if the package doesn't contain a detailed analysis of the film's many historical and theological references. This film assumes a great deal of knowledge on the part of the viewer. It would be a shame if CC didn't include at least a printed discussion of the episodes, but I would think a "visual reference" style feature on the disc itself would be more useful.

Maybe any English subtitles can be modified so that any reference to the Santiago de Compostela shrine is instead St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Tribe

[Paul Moran]

Excellent news. I've wavered over the R2 Optimum Bunuel 8-movie box set, but I've managed to resist the temptation because I already have the Criterion editions of That Obscure Object of Desire; Discreet Charm of The Bourgeoisie; Diary of A Chambermaid and Phantom Of Liberty, plus the Optimum single release of Belle de Jour. With Criterion releasing The Milky Way, that just leaves Tristana and La Joven unique to the Optimum box set (unless you want the pricey BFI release of Tristana).

[justeleblanc]

that just leaves Tristana and La Joven unique to the Optimum box set (unless you want the pricey BFI release of Tristana).

La Joven will be in the Lionsgate box, and Criterion will be releasing Tristana at some point (they do own the rights).

[mteller]

Blah. Easily my least favorite Bunuel. I wish they'd get around to The Exterminating Angel, El, and Simon of the Desert.

[tavernier]

Hooray! Easily my favorite Bunuel -- thank God they didn't get around to releasing El, Exterminating Angel and Simon.

[Cinephrenic]

Why?

[tavernier]

Uh.....because I wanted The Milky Way to be released first.

[Cinephrenic]

But they just released this....

[miless]

But they just released this

How wonderful... now let me get a lobotomy to forget that.

[tavernier]

But they just released this

How wonderful... now let me get a lobotomy to forget that.

That extra "s" makes all the difference!

[What A Disgrace]

Specs updated, now including a documentary entitled "Luis Bunuel: Atheist Thanks to God".

[Jeff]

Specs updated, now including a documentary entitled "Luis Bunuel: Atheist Thanks to God".

It's 32 minutes long and appeared on the Optimum set.

[miless]

Specs updated, now including a documentary entitled "Luis Bunuel: Atheist Thanks to God".

It's 32 minutes long and appeared on the Optimum set.

so how is it?

[Jeff]

Specs updated, now including a documentary entitled "Luis Bunuel: Atheist Thanks to God".

It's 32 minutes long and appeared on the Optimum set.

so how is it?

No idea. I don't have the Optimum, but came across it listed in the supplements.

[tavernier]

I will happily buy it, but I am going to be quite disappointed if the package doesn't contain a detailed analysis of the film's many historical and theological references. This film assumes a great deal of knowledge on the part of the viewer. It would be a shame if CC didn't include at least a printed discussion of the episodes, but I would think a "visual reference" style feature on the disc itself would be more useful.

The Ian Christie interview (28 minutes) hits on some good points, although it's not nearly the "detailed analysis" you're looking for.

The Carriere intro (6 minutes) gives a few broad brushstrokes about the film.

The "Atheist" doc (32 minutes), again, has some good points but could have been longer.

[Person]

How's the transfer, tavernier? Is it 1.66:1 anamorphic windowbox?

[dadaistnun]

Beaver's review/comparison is up.