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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/bunuel.htm
Mexico / Spain 1961

 

The 2024 Radiance Blu-ray is compared to this DVD HERE

 

Banned in Spain and denounced by the Vatican, Luis Buñuel’s irreverent vision of life as a beggar’s banquet is regarded by many as his masterpiece. In it, novice nun Viridiana does her utmost to maintain her Catholic principles, but her lecherous uncle and a motley assemblage of paupers force her to confront the limits of her idealism. Winner of the Palme d’or at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival, Viridiana is as audacious today as ever...

***

After years in Mexican exile, Buñuel returned to his native Spain to make this dark account of corruption, which was immediately banned. A young nun, full of charity, kindness, and idealistic illusions about humanity, visits her uncle and tries to help some local peasants and beggars. But her altruism is greeted with ridicule and cruelty. Pinal gives a superb performance in the title role, and Buñuel's clear-eyed wit is relentless in its depiction of human selfishness, ingratitude, and cynicism. The final beggars' orgy - a black parody of the Last Supper, performed to the ethereal strains of Handel's Messiah - is one of the director's most memorably disturbing, funny, and brutal scenes. A masterpiece.

Excerpt from the TimeOut Film Guide review located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 28th, 1961

Reviews    More Reviews    DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover

   

CLICK to order from:
Distribution Criterion Collection - Spine # 332 - Region 1 - NTSC

(click titles for DVDBeaver reviews)

This edition (without any extras) is also available in The Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films - a 50-disc celebration of international films collected under the auspices of the groundbreaking theatrical distributor. It contains Alexander Nevsky (1938), Ashes And Diamonds (1958), L'avventura (1960), Ballad Of A Soldier (1959), Beauty And The Beast (1946), Black Orpheus (1959), Brief Encounter (1945), The Fallen Idol (1948), Fires On The Plain (1959), Fists In The Pocket (1965), Floating Weeds (1959), Forbidden Games (1952), The 400 Blows (1959), Grand Illusion (1937), Häxan (1922), Ikiru (1952), The Importance Of Being Earnest (1952), Ivan The Terrible, Part II (1958), Le Jour Se Lève (1939), Jules And Jim (1962), Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949), Knife In The Water (1962), The Lady Vanishes (1938), The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943), Loves Of A Blonde (1965), M (1931), M. Hulot's Holiday (1953), Miss Julie (1951), Pandora's Box (1929), Pépé Le Moko (1937), Il Posto (1961), Pygmalion (1938), Rashomon (1950), Richard III (1955), The Rules Of The Game (1939), Seven Samurai (1954), The Seventh Seal (1957), The Spirit Of The Beehive (1973), La Strada (1954), Summertime (1955), The Third Man (1949), The 39 Steps (1935), Ugetsu (1953), Umberto D. (1952), The Virgin Spring (1960), Viridiana (1961), The Wages Of Fear (1953), The White Sheik (1952), Wild Strawberries (1957), Three Documentaries By Saul J. Turell plus the hardcover, full color 240-page book.
Luis Buñuel’s films on Criterion DVD
Runtime 1:31:03 
Video 1.66:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.6 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s 

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:

Audio Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0) 
Subtitles English, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.66:1

Edition Details:

• Video interviews with Silvia Pinal and author Richard Porton
• Excerpts from a 1964 episode of Cinèastes de notre temps on Luis Buñuel's early career
• U.S. release trailer
• Liner notes booklet featuring Michael Wood and an interview with Buñuel

DVD Release Date: May 23rd, 2006
Keep Case
Chapters: 20

 

Comments:

The 2024 Radiance Blu-ray is compared to this DVD HERE

Although this image looks very acceptable it will probably rank as the weakest of all the Luis Buñuel films digitally rendered by Criterion. There is a smattering more damage than we have become accustomed to and I see some infrequent and uncharacteristic brightness boosting. Detail is very good as is contrast - I saw no chroma. Audio is original - one channel - and very clean although expectantly produces nothing dynamic... and the film gives us no reason to expect it. Subtitles are at Criterion's usual strong standard and the extras are a delight especially for Buñuel fans. The video interviews shed some light on working with Buñuel's genius. I particularly enjoyed the interview in the liner notes. In summation, there is no viable excuse not to incorporate this DVD into your collection. Another intelligent work by a master filmmaker.

This may very well be debated as Buñuel's best film - it is certainly a masterpiece. I think the DVD warrants a commentary and am a bit surprised that one wasn't included. I'm thrilled Criterion did this title and if we can compare the image to the existing Region 2 PAL editions (UK and France) we will.

Gary W. Tooze

 

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Recommended Reading for Buñuel Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

 

Check out more in "The Library"

DVD Box Cover

   

CLICK to order from:
Distribution Criterion Collection - Spine # 332 - Region 1 - NTSC

(click titles for DVDBeaver reviews)

This edition (without any extras) is also available in The Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films - a 50-disc celebration of international films collected under the auspices of the groundbreaking theatrical distributor. It contains Alexander Nevsky (1938), Ashes And Diamonds (1958), L'avventura (1960), Ballad Of A Soldier (1959), Beauty And The Beast (1946), Black Orpheus (1959), Brief Encounter (1945), The Fallen Idol (1948), Fires On The Plain (1959), Fists In The Pocket (1965), Floating Weeds (1959), Forbidden Games (1952), The 400 Blows (1959), Grand Illusion (1937), Häxan (1922), Ikiru (1952), The Importance Of Being Earnest (1952), Ivan The Terrible, Part II (1958), Le Jour Se Lève (1939), Jules And Jim (1962), Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949), Knife In The Water (1962), The Lady Vanishes (1938), The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943), Loves Of A Blonde (1965), M (1931), M. Hulot's Holiday (1953), Miss Julie (1951), Pandora's Box (1929), Pépé Le Moko (1937), Il Posto (1961), Pygmalion (1938), Rashomon (1950), Richard III (1955), The Rules Of The Game (1939), Seven Samurai (1954), The Seventh Seal (1957), The Spirit Of The Beehive (1973), La Strada (1954), Summertime (1955), The Third Man (1949), The 39 Steps (1935), Ugetsu (1953), Umberto D. (1952), The Virgin Spring (1960), Viridiana (1961), The Wages Of Fear (1953), The White Sheik (1952), Wild Strawberries (1957), Three Documentaries By Saul J. Turell plus the hardcover, full color 240-page book.
Luis Buñuel’s films on Criterion DVD




 

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