Under The Spell

UNDER THE SPELL

Beginning this week, Cinematheque Ontario presents a special program entitled
UNDER THE SPELL: SURREALISM AND THE CINEMA FILM SELECTION
But what is surrealism and when is cinema described as surreal? 

The definition is often as vague as the term itself.  But the adjectives dreamlike and bizarre often accompany these works.  Surrealistic (dreamlike and bizarre) works range from the most famous UN CHIEN ANDALOU, with the gruesome razor slashing eyeball scene and L’AGE D’OR to the female sexuality displayed by Mae West in SHE DONE HIM WORNG.  All these three films will be screened this week.
Other works include films by Man Ray, Germaine Dulac, Jean Cocteau, Henri Storck, Jean Painlevé and Joseph Cornell in the USA.  Also screened are the homoerotic LE SANG D’UN POETE, LA COQUILLE ET LE CLERGYMAN.

For the complete program, ticket pricing, venue and screening dates, check the Cinematheque Ontario website at:
http://www.cinemathequeontario.ca

Capsule reviews of the surreal films screened this coming week follow below:-

L’AGE D’OR (Spain 1930) ***
Directed By Luis Bunuel

Originally released in 1930 in Paris to great protest, this film was banned and finally re-released in the 80’s.  Though difficult to follow, L’AGE D’OR contains several parts linked by the opening vignette which is actually a short science film about scorpions.  The scorpion’s tail contains 5 prismatic active joints that end with a poisonous sting.  So, Bunuel’s film has segments containing an orgy, violence, religious connotations and other disturbing issues.  An ok film, way ahead of its time, should be seen in the context of the time and circumstances surrounding it.  Whether the film affects you like a sting depends on your interpretation of the film.
(Screening Friday 22nd May 7 pm at the Cinematheque Ontario, Jackman Hall)

UN CHIEN ANDALOU (France 1929) ***
Directed by Luis Bunuel

Directed by Luis Bunuel and scripted by Bunuel and Salvador Dali, this famous 16-minute short is their interpretation of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde amongst other things.  Not that it matters as nothing makes much sense or meant to, UN CHIEN ANDALOU (AN ANDULASIAN DOG) begins with a dream sequence in which a woman’s eye gets slit by a sharp razor blade.  Fast forward 8 years later into another dream state and the film moves on with armpit hair, ants emerging from a hole in a hand and so on in separate sequences that may or may not relate to each other.  Mesmerizing, disturbing but unforgettable!  This film will make more sense after viewing the upcoming LITTLE ASHES about the troubled relationship between Dali and poet Lorca.
(Screening Friday 22nd May 7 pm and Thursday May 28th 7 pm, at the Cinematheque Ontario, Jackman Hall)

POUR VOS YEUX BEAUX (Belgioum 1928) ***
Directed by Henri Stocrk

Unreal in the real world is how best to describe customers purchasing glass eyeballs.  This 8-minute short shows several segments of men and eyes and men and eyeballs.  Bizarre without being nasty!
(Screening Saturday May 30th, 9 pm, at the Cinematheque Ontario, Jackman Hall)

SHE DONE HIM WRONG (USA 1933) ****
Directed by Lowell Sherman

Shot in gorgeous black and white, this Mae West classic shows what star presence is.  Filled with quotable one-liners including Mae West’s most famous “Come up and see me sometime,” - the invitation given to the very young Cary Grant to visit her in her room, SHE DONE HIM WRONG is pure delight.  West plays Lady Lou, a New York singer who has hundreds of men after her.  One of them is a crook who ends up getting his come-uppance, thanks to Lady Lou.  Never mind the silly plot, which is based on the play Diamond Lil, just sit back and enjoy Mae West and the best she has to offer.  And the best line is….? “Is that a pistol in your pocket, are you glad go see me?” SHE DONE HIM WRONG was nominated for the 1934 Best Picture Oscar.  Mae West caused quite a stir with the decency act as did the early Bunuel/Dali films.
(Screening Saturday 23nd May 7 pm at the Cinematheque Ontario, Jackman Hall)

TARI, ROI DE LE L’EAU (France 1931) ***
Directed by Jean Vigo

This very amusing short, goes by different names like the above title which translates to Tari, King of the Water.  But the film opens with a more appropriate title LE NATATION PAR JEAN TARI (Swimming by Jean Tari).  Tari is the French champion Olympic swimmer.  Vigo’s strange dream-like looking film that is basically an instruction film on how to swim effectively contains many fast forwards and backwards as well as lot of ‘figure-swimming’ by the hero.  TARI, looking very fit and gay prances around, water-style.  No wonder Cinematheque Ontario programmed this short with jean Cocteau’s ***censored***-erotic BLOOD OF A POET.  Tari lost one olympic meet by a hand, and hence the image of a hand accompanying the film.
(Screening Friday 29th May 8.45 pm at the Cinematheque Ontario, Jackman Hall)