book one redone - Coldbacon

Late Buñuel films (Discreet Charm, Phantom of Liberty,
That Obscure Object) have a momentum, which is every
bit as forward moving as a Speed or a Matrix, if not
more so. The scenes just fly, and yet, what is
happening? If I told you there was a scene where a lady
walks into a hotel, stands by the fire, makes some
polite conversation with some monks from the local
monastery, then checks into her room, you would
probably not be on the edge of excitement.
But watch what I just described shot from the Buñuel
cannon, and the high-grade choreography and emotional
content of these interactions will command all of your
attentions. Every word that is uttered, every step that
is taken has a kind of edgy tension. This is helped, of
course, by a liberal dose of the surreal.
A lady driving to Argento is halted by a tank crew
looking for foxes. Surreal. But then some polite
conversation ensues and before you know it, it all
seems very normal. Taking the absurd and putting a
normal twist on it. Now that’s fun. Some children are
shown playing in a park. Of course, something bad is
going to happen, right?
A young man leaves his aunt’s room to go get something
to drink. He is met by another man who takes him by the
arm and leads him to his own room. A woman then knocks
on the door to ask for some matches. At this moment,
another, different man learns yet another woman has
four guests in her room somewhere else and becomes
ecstatic over the prospects of adding them to his own
growing party. A power struggle emerges as various
groups of people try to “possess” each other’s company
as if it were a commodity. It’s just so painfully
accurate. Like one of those great authorly insights
that you instantly grasp and then are lit up by because
it’s so true and was always right there. And the really
amazing part is, the scene’s not even near done. Oh
there’s more alright.
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