Very Inventive Satire

One didn't need to understand all the particulars of Church history and Bible references to enjoy this inspired and inventive satire. However, if anyone is up to it, I'd appreciate explanations for any and all of them. Is there a book or place on the web to go to? I googled and got "Magill's Survey of Cinema," which I think you have to pay for to get the whole thing:

Abstract:
Director Luis Bunuel explores the fanaticism of heretics through the
ages and of the church authorities who persecuted them. Two French
tramps make a pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostle James in Spain,
encountering Jesus, the Devil, the Virgin Mary, heretics, priests,
and madmen along the way. This comic and ironic film mixes time
periods and cinematic forms--fiction, dramatized documentary, essay-
-to question all the major mysteries of the Christian faith.


I truly laughed out loud watching this picture. But as much as the devastating "expose" of church history and dogma captured my attention, the effortless shifting from time period to period was just as captivating. Just brilliant. The two protagonists, Pierre and Jean, are perfectly deadpan and ground the film well. I think the most memorable scene was the picnic-cum-swordfight scene. The dashing cape costumes added to the ridiculousness of it all.

10/10

The man without a smiling face must not open up a shop.
~ Chinese proverb