Luis Buñuel Marathon Round 2 (IV of V)
Luis Buñuel, back at it again with writing about perverted old men.
Tristana is another Buñuel piece centered on Catherine Deneuve’s character having an affair, but on the upside, she’s actually cheating on a royal c***sucker of a husband. Don Lope is an old, rich fart that marries her chambermaid who he used to view as his sort of daughter—YUCK. You go, Tristana; cheat on that creep.
Speaking of chambermaids, this mildly reminds me of Diary of a Chambermaid if it was actually focused and less gorge. There’s some strange reverse Electra Complex theory going on here, furthermore, and it gives Tristana this disturbingly foul climate that Buñuel hasn’t yet manufactured in his quest for studying perversion in the male psyche.
The maid’s likable deaf son was such a fruitful addition, as well. We all need some comic relief in a story that only gets darker and darker as it treads along. Like, hot damn, Tristana may have one of my favorite Buñuel endings yet.
But, Buñuel, please work on your passage of time when it comes to these chambermaid dramas. “I’m just experimenting bro” can only excuse you for so long.
Verdict: B
Surrealism’s Inception (Ranked List)
“Tristana” is now available to stream on Kanopy and The Criterion Channel.
Burning the Celluloid 
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