402 The Milky Way

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Buttery Jeb · #1 Post by **Buttery Jeb** » Tue May 15, 2007 4:25 pm

The first of what Luis BuÃ±uel 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 BuÃ±uel's narrators for an anticlerical history of heresy, told with absurdity and filled with images that rank among BuÃ±uel'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

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

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dadaistnun · #2 Post by **dadaistnun** » Tue May 15, 2007 4:31 pm

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

justeleblanc · #3 Post by **justeleblanc** » Tue May 15, 2007 4:38 pm

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

#4 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue May 15, 2007 4:47 pm

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

jorencain · #5 Post by **jorencain** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:52 pm

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 · #6 Post by **miless** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:23 pm

jorencain wrote: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 · #7 Post by **bunuelian** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:46 am

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 · #8 Post by **justeleblanc** » Wed May 16, 2007 8:31 am

bunuelian wrote: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 · #9 Post by **Tribe** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:33 am

bunuelian wrote: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 · #10 Post by **Paul Moran** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:51 pm

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 · #11 Post by **justeleblanc** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:03 pm

Paul Moran wrote: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 · #12 Post by **mteller** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:45 pm

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

tavernier · #13 Post by **tavernier** » Thu May 17, 2007 12:48 am

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

Cinephrenic · #14 Post by **Cinephrenic** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:07 am

tavernier · #15 Post by **tavernier** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:29 am

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

Cinephrenic · #16 Post by **Cinephrenic** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:35 am

But they just released this....

miless · #17 Post by **miless** » Thu May 17, 2007 2:14 am

Cinephrenic wrote:But they just released this

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

tavernier · #18 Post by **tavernier** » Thu May 17, 2007 8:08 am

miless wrote:
Cinephrenic wrote: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 · #19 Post by **What A Disgrace** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:33 pm

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

#20 Post by **Jeff** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 3:06 pm

What A Disgrace wrote: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 · #21 Post by **miless** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:39 pm

Jeff wrote:
What A Disgrace wrote: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?

#22 Post by **Jeff** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:50 pm

miless wrote:
Jeff wrote:
What A Disgrace wrote: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 · #23 Post by **tavernier** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:16 pm

bunuelian wrote: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 · #24 Post by **Person** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:56 pm

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

dadaistnun · #25 Post by **dadaistnun** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:51 am

Beaver's review/comparison is up.