Los Olvidados (1950), also known as The Young and the Damned, is a Mexican crime drama film directed by Luis Buñuel. It is considered to be one of the greatest Mexican films ever made, and is widely praised for its unflinching portrayal of poverty, violence, and juvenile delinquency.
The film tells the story of a group of impoverished children living in the slums of Mexico City. The leader of the group, El Jaibo, is a violent and vindictive young man who is determined to rise above his circumstances. He is eventually killed in a fight, but his death is only the beginning of the film's tragic climax.
Los Olvidados is a deeply pessimistic film that offers no easy solutions to the problems it depicts. However, it is also a powerful and moving work of art that gives a voice to the voiceless and shines a light on the darkest corners of society.
Buñuel was a master of using cinema to explore the dark side of human nature, and Los Olvidados is one of his most powerful and disturbing films.
"Luis Buñuel Portolés (22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish filmmaker who worked in France, Mexico, and Spain. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. Buñuel's works were known for their avant-garde surrealism, often infused with political commentary.
Buñuel was born in Calanda, Spain, into a wealthy family. He received a strict Jesuit education, which sowed the seeds of his lifelong obsession with religion and subversive behavior. After moving to Madrid to study philosophy and literature, Buñuel became involved in the Spanish Surrealist movement. In 1929, he collaborated with Salvador Dalí on the short film Un Chien Andalou, which is considered to be one of the most important Surrealist films ever made.
After the Spanish Civil War, Buñuel fled to Mexico, where he made a number of films, including Los olvidados (1950) and El (1952). These films are considered to be masterpieces of Mexican cinema, and they helped to establish Buñuel's reputation as one of the world's leading filmmakers.
In the 1960s, Buñuel returned to Europe, where he made a number of his most acclaimed films, including Viridiana (1961), Belle de Jour (1967), and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972). These films are known for their subversive humor, their exploration of taboo subjects, and their challenging and innovative filmmaking techniques.
Buñuel died in Mexico City in 1983 at the age of 83. He left behind a body of work that is considered to be among the most important and influential in the history of cinema.
Some of Buñuel's most notable films include:
Un Chien Andalou (1929)
L'Âge d'or (1930)
Los olvidados (1950)
Viridiana (1961)
Belle de Jour (1967)
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
Tristana (1970)
The Phantom of Liberty (1974)
This Obscure Object of Desire (1977)
Buñuel's films continue to be studied and admired by filmmakers and film scholars alike. His work has had a profound influence on generations of filmmakers, including Jean-Luc Godard, David Lynch, " From Bard
In time I hope to view all of films above.
Did your interest in film this year begin with a list? I can see how quickly this project would grow, with each director having a full backlist to explore when you've enjoyed or appreciated one of their early or classic works. This is another new name for me, so thank you.
ReplyDelete