SIMON OF THE DESERT
Mexico, 1965, 45 minutes, Black and white.
Claudio Brook, Silvia Pinal, Hortensia Santovena.
Directed by Luis Bunuel.
Simon of the Desert is short feature by writer-director Luis Bunuel. An exile from Spain, he worked especially in Mexico and in France. He is considered to be one of the best of the imaginative intellectual European directors of the 20th century. Beginning with experimental art forms in the cinema, especially with surrealist Salvador Dali, he moved into social satire. Frequently, his films did not have the large budgets that would have made them the polished masterpieces that they could have been. However, most of his films are striking, imaginative, subjective. Bunuel is strongly critical of traditional forms of society and, especially, of the Catholic Church. This is quite evident here and reflects his growing success in the '60s. He had received acclaim with The Exterminating Angel and Viridiana. Interesting portraits of society with critique of religion.
He was about to make Belle de Jour. He also remade Diary of a Chambermaid with Jeanne Moreau. In this short film, he uses Silvia Pinal, who was in The Exterminating Angel and who was Viridiana. In those films she was innocence corrupted. Here she portrays a very alluring feminine devil. Claudio Brook, also in The Exterminating Angel, is a strong presence as Simon. Bunuel uses the tradition story of St. Simon Stylites who was reputed to have been such a penitent that he stood on a pillar for years in the desert. Bunuel imagines what was behind Simon's spirituality, what was going on in his mind, draws on the traditions of the temptations of the desert father and then shatters these by an unexpected rush into the 20th century with humorous tones of empty apocalypse of the singing and dancing of the mid '60s. The film is symbolic, metaphorical and seems inconclusive: or at least, the audience is meant to draw the conclusions.
1. The overall impact of this short film? Its serious impact, comic impact? Was there a point behind the film? Themes?
2. This contribution to Bunuel's opus, his reputation? His skill as a filmmaker his writing, direction, the black and white photography, the use of flashbacks, imagination, editing? The religious background and the Catholic tradition? The individual and his striving for holiness, questions of sanctity and goodness? A portrait of an early society reflecting the questions of the 20th century?
3. The contribution of black and white photography, location photography, the atmosphere of the desert, the decor and costumes of the early Christian centuries? The special effects? The musical score ? especially the blend of traditional ecclesiastical music and the transition to modern style?
4. The background of St Simon stylites? The ascetics of the early Christian centuries? The nature of their sanctity, relationship with God, with the Devil? Miracles, the veneration of the people? The critique of this kind of sanctity? How well did Bunuel take the original saint and make his hero a parallel with a twist?
5. The development of the plot: Simon and establishing him as an ascetic, his place on the top of the column. society building him a better column? The encounter with his mother and his relationship with her, his detachment, her wanting to be near him? The various monks and their discussions with Simon, the jealous monk, the innocent monk? The importance of the saint performing miracles and the off-hand reaction of the populace? The importance of the dwarf and his goat and complaints? The various incarnations of the Devil and their effect on Simon? The straightforward narrative, the imagination? The sudden jetting into the 20th century, New York, the columns of the buildings, the disco world and leaving Simon and the Devil there?
6. The nature of true sanctity? The reality of God, man's relationship with God and its requirements? Asceticism, prayer? The questions of false sanctity? Pride? Temptations? Aloofness? The witness value of the saint on the column? How well were traditional Christian themes embodied in the plot? Simon's manner of praying and leading the people in prayer, asceticism and fasting, the temptations of food and Simon's relish of it while being detached, getting the food on the rope and drawing it up etc.? His postures, his eyes and the roving eye? Chastity temptations? The passing of time and his yearning to touch the ground?
7. Themes of pride, distractions in prayer, the danger of arrogance?
8. The various monks and their reaction to Simon, the Superior and his judgments, the jealous monk and his frenzy? The good monk and his seeming unable to live the ascetical life?
9. The temptations by the Devil ? the irony of having the feminine Devil, the humour of her being disguised as a schoolgirl, the sexual roles with the bearded attractive Devil and the old crone running away? The final exposed~breasted Devil and the transition to the 20th century where the Devil is at home dancing enthusiastically in the disco world? What is Bunuel's idea of the Devil?
10. The traditional tones of temptation of the saint, the conventions especially with the emphasis on chastity, the ease of sensual temptation? The traditional warning by the saint for the Devil to depart?
11. The sudden transition to the jet and the moving towards New York? Simon and his column and the skyscrapers of New York and the modern world? The time and proportion of the film spent in the disco world ? particularly that of the '60s? The title of the dance, the radioactive and indications of nuclear disaster? Apocalyptic overtones? The frenzy of the people dancing and their enjoyment of it, the Devil being part of it? Simon as the detached academic smoking his pipe ? the self?styled modern detached saint? The leaving of the audience with these final impressions? How effective a surrealist satire?
