That Obscure Object of Desire(Cet obscur objet du désir)
Dir: Luis Buñuel
France/Italy, 1977, French/Spanish, 103mins, DCP
Cast: Fernando Rey, Carole Bouquet, Angela Molina
An ultimate representation of all great Buñuel characters (and maybe the director himself ), the respectable Mathieu is trapped in the perversity of his erotic desire, oblivious to the terrorist outrages. Likewise, Conchita, his ‘object of desire,’ is ambiguous as ever – a tantalising elusiveness dramatised by having her played by two strikingly different actresses. Enshrining an authentic and surprising beauty, Buñuel’s swan song is cynical about human nature, embracing his flames of imagination and his vision of a world, as surreal as dreams, and as outrageous as desires.
National Board of Review: Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Awards: Best Foreign Language Film and Best Adapted Screenplay nominations
