El ángel exterminador
Encyclopedia
The Exterminating Angel , is the second of the Buñuel/Alatriste/Pinal film trilogy, written and directed by Luis Buñuel
, starring Silvia Pinal
, and produced by her then-husband Gustavo Alatriste
.
It is considered by the Mexican film critics as the 16th best film of the Mexican cinema and one of the best 1000 films by the New York Times.
The Exterminating Angel was released on R4 DVD
by Madman Entertainment
's Directors Suite in 2006. The Criterion Collection released the film on DVD in 2009.
from Spain
, since the Spanish Civil War
(1936–39), Luis Buñuel was invited back to his country of origin in 1960 by General Francisco Franco
and asked to direct a movie of his choice. Buñuel wrote and directed Viridiana
, which starred Silvia Pinal
and was produced by her then husband, Gustavo Alatriste
. It was the first film Buñuel made in his native country. Released in 1961, the film sparked controversy both in Spain and the Vatican
, and as such, all existing negatives were ordered to be destroyed. The film, however, won the Palme d'Or
at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival
, and copies of the film that had been shipped to Paris
survived and were subsequently distributed. Viridiana would be released in Spain 16 years later, in 1977.
Following the Viridiana scandal, Buñuel returned to Mexico
, but kept his production team and decided to make another movie starring Pinal. The film, originally called The Outcasts of Providence Street, was renamed The Exterminating Angel after Buñuel picked it from an unfinished play his friend José Bergamín
was writing at the time. The film was released in Mexico in 1962, and was just as critical as its predecessor had been.
Buñuel would complete a trilogy of sorts working with Pinal and Alatriste in a third film released in 1965 - Simon of the Desert.
By morning it is apparent that, for some inexplicable reason, they are psychologically, but not physically, trapped in the music room. Unable to leave, the guests consume what little water and food is left from the previous night's party. Days pass, and their plight intensifies; they become quarrelsome, hostile, and hysterical - only Dr. Carlos Conde, applying logic and reason, manages to keep his cool and guide the guests through the ordeal. One of the guests, the elderly Sergio Russell, dies, and his body is placed in a large cupboard. Béatriz and Eduardo, a young couple about to be married, lock themselves in a closet and commit suicide.
Eventually, several sheep and a bear break loose from their bonds and find their way to the room; the guests take in the sheep and proceed to slaughter and roast them on fires made from floorboards and broken furniture. Dr. Conde reveals to Nobile that one of his patients, Leonora, is dying from cancer
and accepts a secret supply of morphine
from the host to keep her fit. The supply of drugs is however stolen by Francis and Juana, an incestuous brother and sister. Ana, a crazed guest and a practitioner of witchcraft, invokes the demons of hell while lapsing into feverish hallucinations.
Eventually, Raúl suggests that Nobile is responsible for their predicament and that he must be sacrificed. Only Dr. Conde and the noble Colonel Alvaro oppose the angry mob claiming Nobile's blood. As Nobile offers to take his own life, a young, foreign guest, Letitia (nicknamed "La Valkiria
") sees that they are all in the same positions as when their plight began. Obeying her instructions, the group starts reconstructing their conversation and movements from the night of the party and discover that they are then free to leave the room. Outside the manor, the guests are greeted by the local police and the servants that had left the house on the night of the party.
To give thanks for their salvation, the guests attend a Te Deum
at the cathedral. When the service is over, the churchgoers along with the clergy are also trapped. It is not entirely clear though, whether those that were trapped in the house before are now trapped again. They seem to have disappeared. The situation in the church is followed by a riot on the streets and the military step in to brutally clamp down on the rioters. The last scene shows a pack of sheep entering the church in a row, accompanied by the sound of gunshots.
award of the international critics and the Screenwriters Guild at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival
. At the 1963 Bodil Awards
, the film won the Bodil Award for Best Non-European Film
.
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker — later a naturalized citizen of Mexico — who worked in Spain, Mexico, France and the US..-Early years:...
, starring Silvia Pinal
Silvia Pinal
Silvia Pinal is a Mexican actress, who had roles in several of Luis Buñuel's movies such as El ángel exterminador and Viridiana...
, and produced by her then-husband Gustavo Alatriste
Gustavo Alatriste
Gustavo Alatriste was a Mexican actor, director, and producer of films. He was married from 1961 through 1967 to the actress Silvia Pinal...
.
It is considered by the Mexican film critics as the 16th best film of the Mexican cinema and one of the best 1000 films by the New York Times.
The Exterminating Angel was released on R4 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
's Directors Suite in 2006. The Criterion Collection released the film on DVD in 2009.
Background
Following his long exileExile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, since the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
(1936–39), Luis Buñuel was invited back to his country of origin in 1960 by General Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
and asked to direct a movie of his choice. Buñuel wrote and directed Viridiana
Viridiana
Viridiana is a 1961 Spanish-Mexican motion picture, directed by Luis Buñuel and produced by Mexican Gustavo Alatriste. It is loosely based on Halma, a novel by Benito Pérez Galdós....
, which starred Silvia Pinal
Silvia Pinal
Silvia Pinal is a Mexican actress, who had roles in several of Luis Buñuel's movies such as El ángel exterminador and Viridiana...
and was produced by her then husband, Gustavo Alatriste
Gustavo Alatriste
Gustavo Alatriste was a Mexican actor, director, and producer of films. He was married from 1961 through 1967 to the actress Silvia Pinal...
. It was the first film Buñuel made in his native country. Released in 1961, the film sparked controversy both in Spain and the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, and as such, all existing negatives were ordered to be destroyed. The film, however, won the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, and copies of the film that had been shipped to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
survived and were subsequently distributed. Viridiana would be released in Spain 16 years later, in 1977.
Following the Viridiana scandal, Buñuel returned to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, but kept his production team and decided to make another movie starring Pinal. The film, originally called The Outcasts of Providence Street, was renamed The Exterminating Angel after Buñuel picked it from an unfinished play his friend José Bergamín
José Bergamín
José Bergamín Gutiérrez was a Spanish writer, essayist, poet, and playwright. His father served as president of the canton of Málaga; his mother was a devout Catholic...
was writing at the time. The film was released in Mexico in 1962, and was just as critical as its predecessor had been.
Buñuel would complete a trilogy of sorts working with Pinal and Alatriste in a third film released in 1965 - Simon of the Desert.
Plot
During a formal dinner party at the lavish mansion of Señor Edmundo Nobile and his wife, Lucia, the servants unaccountably leave their posts until only the major-domo is left. After dinner the guests adjourn to the music room, where one of the women, Blanca, plays a piano sonata. Later, when they might normally be expected to return home, the guests unaccountably remove their jackets, loosen their gowns, and settle down for the night on couches, chairs and the floor.By morning it is apparent that, for some inexplicable reason, they are psychologically, but not physically, trapped in the music room. Unable to leave, the guests consume what little water and food is left from the previous night's party. Days pass, and their plight intensifies; they become quarrelsome, hostile, and hysterical - only Dr. Carlos Conde, applying logic and reason, manages to keep his cool and guide the guests through the ordeal. One of the guests, the elderly Sergio Russell, dies, and his body is placed in a large cupboard. Béatriz and Eduardo, a young couple about to be married, lock themselves in a closet and commit suicide.
Eventually, several sheep and a bear break loose from their bonds and find their way to the room; the guests take in the sheep and proceed to slaughter and roast them on fires made from floorboards and broken furniture. Dr. Conde reveals to Nobile that one of his patients, Leonora, is dying from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and accepts a secret supply of morphine
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
from the host to keep her fit. The supply of drugs is however stolen by Francis and Juana, an incestuous brother and sister. Ana, a crazed guest and a practitioner of witchcraft, invokes the demons of hell while lapsing into feverish hallucinations.
Eventually, Raúl suggests that Nobile is responsible for their predicament and that he must be sacrificed. Only Dr. Conde and the noble Colonel Alvaro oppose the angry mob claiming Nobile's blood. As Nobile offers to take his own life, a young, foreign guest, Letitia (nicknamed "La Valkiria
Valkyrie
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who decides who dies in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle , the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin...
") sees that they are all in the same positions as when their plight began. Obeying her instructions, the group starts reconstructing their conversation and movements from the night of the party and discover that they are then free to leave the room. Outside the manor, the guests are greeted by the local police and the servants that had left the house on the night of the party.
To give thanks for their salvation, the guests attend a Te Deum
Te Deum
The Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered literally as "Thee, O God, we praise"....
at the cathedral. When the service is over, the churchgoers along with the clergy are also trapped. It is not entirely clear though, whether those that were trapped in the house before are now trapped again. They seem to have disappeared. The situation in the church is followed by a riot on the streets and the military step in to brutally clamp down on the rioters. The last scene shows a pack of sheep entering the church in a row, accompanied by the sound of gunshots.
Cast
- Silvia PinalSilvia PinalSilvia Pinal is a Mexican actress, who had roles in several of Luis Buñuel's movies such as El ángel exterminador and Viridiana...
as Leticia 'La Valkiria' - Enrique RambalEnrique RambalEnrique Rambal was a Mexican film actor. He appeared in 68 films between 1952 and 1971. His daughter, Virginia Rambal , also had an acting career in stage and film; she is buried with him in Panteón Jardín in Mexico City.-Selected filmography:* The Martyr of Calvary * El hombre y el monstruo *...
as Edmundo Nobile - Claudio BrookClaudio BrookClaudio Brook was a Mexican actor. Born in Mexico City, Brook had a prolific career, making around 100 film and television appearances in his 38 years. He won two Ariel Awards. He died from stomach cancer in 1995....
as Julio, Mayordomo; Steward - José BavieraJosé BavieraJosé Baviera was a Spanish film actor. He appeared in over 190 films and television shows between 1924 and 1979...
as Leandro Gomez - Augusto BenedicoAugusto BenedicoAugusto Benedico , born Augusto Pérez Lias, was a Mexican actor of Spanish origin best known for his role as "Don Alberto Salvatierra" in the soap opera Los ricos también lloran and his role as "Don Fernando" in the American educational television program Destinos: An Introduction to...
as Carlos Conde; Doctor - Antonio Bravo as Sergio Russell
- Jacqueline AndereJacqueline AndereJacqueline Andere is a Mexican actress.- Biography :...
as Alicia de Roc - César del Campo as Alvaro, Coronel; Colonel
- Rosa Elena Durgel as Silvia
- Lucy Gallardo as Lucía de Nobile
- Enrique García Álvarez as Alberto Roc
- Ofelia GuilmáinOfelia GuilmainOfelia Guilmain was an actress of telenovelas, stage and the cinema of Mexico.She is also the mother of actors Juan Ferrara and Lucía Guilmain...
as Juana Avila - Nadia Haro Oliva as Ana Maynar
- Tito Junco as Raúl
- Xavier Loyá as Francisco Avila
- Xavier Massé as Eduardo
Awards
This film received the FIPRESCIFIPRESCI
The International Federation of Film Critics is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world for "the promotion and development of film culture and for the safeguarding of professional interests." It was founded in June 1930 in...
award of the international critics and the Screenwriters Guild at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival
1962 Cannes Film Festival
-Jury:*Tetsuro Furukaki *Henry Deutschmeister *Sophie Desmarets *Jean Dutourd *Mel Ferrer *Romain Gary *Jerzy Kawalerowicz *Ernst Krüger...
. At the 1963 Bodil Awards
Bodil Awards
The Bodil Awards are the major Danish film awards given by Denmark's National Association of Film Critics . The awards are presented annually at a ceremony in the Imperial Cinema in Copenhagen. Established in 1948, it is one of the oldest film awards in Europe...
, the film won the Bodil Award for Best Non-European Film
Bodil Award for Best Non-European Film
The Bodil Award for Best Non-European Film was one of the categories for the Bodil Awards presented annually by the Danish Union of Film Critics . The Bodil Awards were created in 1948 and are one of the oldest film prizes in Europe. This category was originally named "Best American Film" until...
.