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Luis Buñuel: Correspondencia escogida
Durante estas últimas décadas, los estudios críticos sobre el cineasta Luis Buñuel (1900-1983) han dependido de un número limitado de fuentes primarias -sus memorias y libros de conversaciones- que, con mejor o peor suerte, han marcado el estado actual de nuestro conocimiento sobre su obra. Frente a dicha tendencia, " Correspondencia escogida " ofrece una nueva fuente de información original al presentar casi un millar de cartas escritas y recibidas por Buñuel a lo largo de su extensa trayectoria profesional. Jo Evans y Breixo Viejo no solo han compilado, debidamente anotadas, las cartas del cineasta que hasta ahora se habían publicado de forma dispersa, sino que han seleccionado además cientos de misivas inéditas, procedentes de archivos públicos y privados en España, Francia, Italia, Inglaterra, México y Estados Unidos. A través de su epistolario, la figura de Buñuel reaparece aquí con voz propia y bajo una nueva perspectiva que se aleja por igual de anécdotas estereotipadas y falsas mitomanías. El cineasta se presenta como protagonista principal del cine poético y transgresor de su tiempo, desde " Un perro andaluz " (1929) hasta " Ese oscuro objeto del deseo " (1977), a través de geografías y sistemas de producción muy diversos. Pero este Buñuel epistolar es, además, interlocutor privilegiado de un grupo de creadores -directores, productores, actores, guionistas- con los que intercambia esenciales reflexiones sobre el arte cinematográfico: es dicho carácter polifónico de " Correspondencia escogida " el que, paradójicamente, desafía el enfoque individualista al que nos tiene acostumbrados la teoría del autor.
792 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2018
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About the author
Luis Buñuel
91 books183 followersLuis Buñuel was born on 22 February 1900 in Calanda, a small town in the Aragón region of Spain. He was a visionary filmmaker and influential figure in the history of cinema, known for his distinctive style and bold exploration of themes such as surrealism, social criticism, and human nature.
His family was wealthy and devoutly Catholic, a conservative environment that would later provide rich material for his critical and often subversive works.
Buñuel's education began in Jesuit schools, where he developed a critical view of religion that would pervade much of his later work. He moved to Madrid in 1917 to study at the University of Madrid, where he became part of an intellectual circle that included future luminaries such as Salvador Dalí and Federico García Lorca. This period marked the beginning of his engagement with avant-garde and surrealist ideas.
In the late 1920s, Buñuel moved to Paris, the epicenter of the surrealist movement. There, he collaborated with Salvador Dalí on his first film, "Un Chien Andalou" (1929), a 16-minute short that shocked audiences with its dreamlike imagery and disjointed narrative. The film, now considered a masterpiece of surrealist cinema, established Buñuel as a daring and original filmmaker.
Buñuel followed up with "L'Âge d'Or" (1930), another collaboration with Dalí, which further cemented his reputation. This film, with its provocative critique of the bourgeoisie and the Catholic Church, was met with outrage and censorship, solidifying Buñuel's position as a controversial and radical artist.
The political turmoil in Europe during the 1930s led Buñuel to work in various capacities, including a stint making documentaries in Spain and working in Hollywood. However, his career in the U.S. was hampered by his unorthodox style and political views. He eventually returned to Mexico, where he found a more receptive environment for his talents.
In Mexico, Buñuel directed numerous films that combined his surrealist tendencies with social and political commentary. Notable works from this period include "Los Olvidados" (1950), a gritty portrayal of urban poverty that won him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival, and "El" (1953), a psychological drama about jealousy and obsession.
The 1960s and 1970s marked a period of international recognition and success for Buñuel. He directed several acclaimed films, including "Viridiana" (1961), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, "Belle de Jour" (1967), starring Catherine Deneuve, and "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" (1972), which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. These films showcased Buñuel's continued fascination with surrealism, his sharp wit, and his critique of societal norms.
Buñuel's later years were marked by a retreat from the public eye, but he remained active in filmmaking until his final work, "That Obscure Object of Desire" (1977). He died on July 29, 1983, in Mexico City, leaving behind a legacy that has profoundly influenced modern cinema. His work continues to be celebrated for its innovation, audacity, and enduring relevance, ensuring Buñuel's place as one of the most important filmmakers in the history of the medium.
His family was wealthy and devoutly Catholic, a conservative environment that would later provide rich material for his critical and often subversive works.
Buñuel's education began in Jesuit schools, where he developed a critical view of religion that would pervade much of his later work. He moved to Madrid in 1917 to study at the University of Madrid, where he became part of an intellectual circle that included future luminaries such as Salvador Dalí and Federico García Lorca. This period marked the beginning of his engagement with avant-garde and surrealist ideas.
In the late 1920s, Buñuel moved to Paris, the epicenter of the surrealist movement. There, he collaborated with Salvador Dalí on his first film, "Un Chien Andalou" (1929), a 16-minute short that shocked audiences with its dreamlike imagery and disjointed narrative. The film, now considered a masterpiece of surrealist cinema, established Buñuel as a daring and original filmmaker.
Buñuel followed up with "L'Âge d'Or" (1930), another collaboration with Dalí, which further cemented his reputation. This film, with its provocative critique of the bourgeoisie and the Catholic Church, was met with outrage and censorship, solidifying Buñuel's position as a controversial and radical artist.
The political turmoil in Europe during the 1930s led Buñuel to work in various capacities, including a stint making documentaries in Spain and working in Hollywood. However, his career in the U.S. was hampered by his unorthodox style and political views. He eventually returned to Mexico, where he found a more receptive environment for his talents.
In Mexico, Buñuel directed numerous films that combined his surrealist tendencies with social and political commentary. Notable works from this period include "Los Olvidados" (1950), a gritty portrayal of urban poverty that won him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival, and "El" (1953), a psychological drama about jealousy and obsession.
The 1960s and 1970s marked a period of international recognition and success for Buñuel. He directed several acclaimed films, including "Viridiana" (1961), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, "Belle de Jour" (1967), starring Catherine Deneuve, and "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" (1972), which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. These films showcased Buñuel's continued fascination with surrealism, his sharp wit, and his critique of societal norms.
Buñuel's later years were marked by a retreat from the public eye, but he remained active in filmmaking until his final work, "That Obscure Object of Desire" (1977). He died on July 29, 1983, in Mexico City, leaving behind a legacy that has profoundly influenced modern cinema. His work continues to be celebrated for its innovation, audacity, and enduring relevance, ensuring Buñuel's place as one of the most important filmmakers in the history of the medium.
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June 2, 2021
Excelente compilación epistolar a lo largo de toda la vida de Buñuel que representa un loable trabajo de archivo, recopilación, selección y traducción, presentado de forma cronológica. Globalmente desvela la evolución personal y profesional del cineasta desplegando la importante "red social" —con todo lo que hoy implica este concepto— de contactos que conformó en su vida (pues si, hasta finales de los noventa nos comunicábamos por carta), información poco frecuente y generalmente no publicada en relación con los grandes nombres de las Artes, las Ciencias o la Historia, con honrosas excepciones, como las cartas de Van Gogh a su hermano, por ejemplo.
No obstante, aunque está todo lo fundamental, la compilación mantiene algún desequilibrio. Mientras que a veces parecen sobrar pequeñas notas algo intrascendentes (telegramas, postales o dedicatorias), en otras ocasiones falta la totalidad del intercambio epistolar entre Buñuel y su interlocutor, que a veces se referencia en una nota especificando el archivo de su ubicación. También sobran notas explicativas identificando a personalidades de su red, muchas tan inmensamente conocidas, que acaban haciendo la lectura un poco farragosa o atropellada. En todo caso, no quita mérito a una obra que además, arroja luz sobre etapas menos exploradas en la vida de Buñuel.
No obstante, aunque está todo lo fundamental, la compilación mantiene algún desequilibrio. Mientras que a veces parecen sobrar pequeñas notas algo intrascendentes (telegramas, postales o dedicatorias), en otras ocasiones falta la totalidad del intercambio epistolar entre Buñuel y su interlocutor, que a veces se referencia en una nota especificando el archivo de su ubicación. También sobran notas explicativas identificando a personalidades de su red, muchas tan inmensamente conocidas, que acaban haciendo la lectura un poco farragosa o atropellada. En todo caso, no quita mérito a una obra que además, arroja luz sobre etapas menos exploradas en la vida de Buñuel.
Displaying 1 of 1 review