Thoughts on Surrealism
Last night Mr S and I rented Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'Or, both surrealist films by Luis Buñuel. Now after the movie was over, Mr S wanted to sit and talk about the Surrealist images and what they meant, or more accurately he wanted to know what Luis Buñuel thought. I said "It's all about Absurdity and you're not supposed to understand it. You put BS images into a movie just because they don't belong and aren't supposed to make any sense." He did not agree.
"How can someone not put any meaning into what they have put on Screen?"
"That was the whole movement."
Look at a Dalí painting for example. Yes he may have some images that mean certain things, but they don't add to the whole story of the painting. Sure we can add our own interpretations, but Dalí was just fucking with people to make money. Buñuel was fucking with people for art's sake and hence never had a good relation with Dalí after they made those two movies.
Surrealism loses its original shock value after a while. Then it becomes wierdly beautiful as time goes on. That's its real social criticism I think.
"How can someone not put any meaning into what they have put on Screen?"
"That was the whole movement."
Look at a Dalí painting for example. Yes he may have some images that mean certain things, but they don't add to the whole story of the painting. Sure we can add our own interpretations, but Dalí was just fucking with people to make money. Buñuel was fucking with people for art's sake and hence never had a good relation with Dalí after they made those two movies.
Surrealism loses its original shock value after a while. Then it becomes wierdly beautiful as time goes on. That's its real social criticism I think.