MovieChat Forums > Nazarín (1968) Discussion > great film

great film

posted 17 years ago by Xcalat3
3 replies | jump to latest

with some very nice cinematography

7/10

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[–] astat-2 16 years ago

THe same from me: 7/10. It could have 8 or even 9 stars but I am not very satisfied with the ending.

In fact, it´s the cinematography that´s the weakest part of the film - Nazarin is visually dull, ordinary, even kind of banal. A very basic, uninspired thing. And indeed it´s Bunuel´s lack of imagination in these regards that´s the most disappointing thing about his entire ouvre - with some exceptions (most notably Un Chien... but there, of course, he had Dali on board who was rather obviously the visual mastermind), his pictures really aren´t that compelling to look at. As a polemic, Nazarin is rather interesting - even though Bunuel´s constant, apparently never-ceasing preoccupation with religion is getting pretty old & annoying - but as a purely cinematic experience, its rewards are limited. 6,5/10.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] oknar1977 9 years ago

Nazarin is visually dull, ordinary, even kind of banal

I disagree. I liked the story, I didn't find it dull at all. I find today's Oscar/Cannes films very dull and banal. In this one, the priest who is good amongst violent and dirty peasants, I find many parallels with Balkan experience in my life, so it is personal. Threesome porn sex in 3D, I find it easy to create thrill and not interesting - something you can find + watch over porn tubes in a second.

There are weird stuff all around in Nazarin, from the start - Story starts fine and then 15 minutes later we see a woman madly twinking her eyes, bitting lips of her lover, her lying in the street upside down making convulsion movements without any explanation... Considering this was 1959, I have no collection I ever seen that in a movie from that time period. So artistic and progressive. Today's copycats would not impress me at all, a director should be very brave to film this way in those conservative times - that impress me very much - and that makes all the difference to be a great film.