(aka "Âge d'or" or "Age of Gold" or "The Golden Age")
directed by Luis Buñuel
France 1930
After the success of Un Chien
Andalou with accolades from the ruling Parisian surrealists, Luis
Buñuel and Salvador Dalí were commissioned by Marie-Laurie and Charles
de Noailles to make another experimental short film. It was expected
that it would be extensively using classical music and obtuse imagery.
What resulted was an alarming mediation on how to disrupt the public
majority. Everyone seemed insulted... and they protested. It seems
almost impossible that this film could have been made so long ago.
Buñuel and Dali are thumbing their respective noses at every conceivable
social moray and value. I wish I could think of someone to compare this
to in modern day... but no one would be worthy.
Buñuel penned that L'Age d'Or was about "the impossible force
that thrusts two people together [and] the impossibility of their ever
becoming one." Amusingly enough the couple referred to were both
sex-maniacs who reveled by lusting after everything including each other
and inanimate objects. Eventually this breaks down as something beyond a
film - something that cannot be scrutinized in a short paragraph or two.
My advice is only to watch it... and enjoy.
Posters
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Theatrical Release: October 28th, 1930 - Paris, France
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC
Big thanks to Pat Pilon for the Kino Screen Caps!
(BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)
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| Distribution |
BFI Video Region 2 - PAL |
Kino Region 0 - NTSC |
| Runtime | 1:02:20 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:02:30 (4% PAL speedup) |
| Video |
1.30:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1.30:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
BFI Video
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Bitrate:
Kino
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| Audio | French Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono |
French Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (192 kbps) |
| Subtitles | English, None | English (forced) |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: BFI Video Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 18 |
Release Information: Studio: Kino Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD Release Date: November
23rd, 2004 Chapters 12 |
| Comments |
ADDITION - Kino -NTSC - (June 2006) The BFI is the way to go. The extras go the BFI because of the doc (although it's on the other disc) and the booklet. The picture also seems sharper on the BFI disc and is transferred properly. The Kino disc is a PAL-NTSC port resulting in ghosting (see below) and overall softness of the picture. Another thing is that the commentaries may not be synched up. The words in the commentary subtitle sample don't match up to what Mr. Short is saying on the Kino disc at the same time. (The particular sentence about WWI happens a bit later, when the man looks back at the poster with the legs on them. - Pat Pilon **** This is just too much! RE: The commentary - Selecting the
commentary track you see only about 26 minutes of the film with
Robert Short's articulate words which are to be treasured. He
divines logical interpretation where rarely would even the most
ardent Buñuel fan observe. I found it very illuminating although
wished it would spread to the entire film rather than less than
half. If anyone could transform a surrealist neophyte into a
devout fan - this commentary would do it ! -Gary Tooze |
DVD Menus
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Screen Captures
(BFI
Video - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC -
BOTTOM)
Subtitle + Title card
Sample
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(BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI Video -
Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kino - Region 0
- NTSC - BOTTOM)
Commentary subtitle Option sample (BFI)/
Ghosting example (Kino)
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Recommended Reading for Buñuel Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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My Last
Sigh by Luis Bunuel, Abigail Israel |
Buñuel:
100
Years:
It's
Dangerous
to Look
Inside by Enrique Camacho |
An
Unspeakable
Betrayal:
Selected
Writings
of Luis
Bunuel by Jean-Claude Carriere |
Bunuel by John Baxter |
Luis
Bunuel :
New
Readings by Peter William Evans |
The
Discreet
Art of
Luis
Bunuel:
A
Reading
of His
Films by Gwynne Edwards |
The
Films of
Luis
Bunuel:
Subjectivity
and
Desire
(Oxford
Hispanic
Studies) by Peter William Evans " |
Buñuel's
The
Discreet
Charm of
the
Bourgeoisie
(Cambridge
Film
Handbooks) by Marsha Kinder |
Report Card:
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Image: |
BFI |
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Sound: |
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| Extras: | BFI |
| Menu: | BFI |
| DVD Box Covers |
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| Distribution |
BFI Video Region 2 - PAL |
Kino Region 0 - NTSC |
| Luis Buñuel’s films on Criterion DVD |
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Mail cheques, money orders, cash to: or CLICK PayPal logo to donate!
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Gary Tooze
Mississauga, Ontario, CANADA |
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Thank You!
