Simon of the Desert

The ascetic religious Simón (Claudio Brook) believes he is a sinner and decides to self-inflict a sacrifice, living like a hermit on the top of a pedestal in the middle of the desert to be closer to God and resist the temptations of the world. His followers are peasants and travelers that believe that Simón is a saint capable of performing miracles and they crowd to hear his speeches. However, Satan (Silvia Pinal) tries to tempt him with the pleasures of the world.

In accordance with the cover of the VHS, Buñuel inspired in a Christian ascetic saint called Saint Simeon Stylites that lived for thirty-seven years on a small platform on the top of a pillar to parody his story with "Simon of the Desert" and criticize religion and believers with a witty humor. The unexpected plot point is a great and funny surprise with a completely different environment, but what else could the viewer expect from the master of the surrealism? This is the first time that I see this movie that has probably inspired Monty Python's "Life of Brian" and Alanis Morissette playing God in "Dogma". My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Simon do Deserto" ("Simon of the Desert")

This surrealist film is based on St. Simon Stylites who lived circa A. D. 400 . He was a ragged ascetic (well played by a bearded Claudio Brook) who spent thirty-seven years atop a seventy-foot pillar preaching to Christian flocks and avoiding temptation . As he is tempted by the devil (a beauty Silvia Pinal) under various forms.

This rare and weird movie is largely considered a Luis Buñuel's masterpiece . It's a comical parable about a tattered anchorite with some humor and hilarious criticism to Catholic Church . After returning his native country , Spain , by making 'Viridiana' played by Fernando Rey, Silvia Pinal , but this film was pursued by the national censorship and really prohibited on the grounds of blasphemy , then Buñuel with his screenwriter Julio Alejandro went back Mexico where realized in low budget 'Simon of the desert' and produced by Gustavo Alatriste . It contains good and atmospheric cinematography by excellent Mexican cameraman Gabriel Figueroa . Religious music , including a pilgrim hymn and , of course , 'the drums of Calanda' sounds , Luis Buñuel's location of birth . This movie won deservedly the Special Jury Prize at the 1965 Venice Film Festival . This is a nice strange story for Luis Buñuel aficionados, being deemed by some reviewers as one of the best short film - forty minutes- ever made . Rating : Above average , worthwhile watching.

This film is maybe one of the best films that Buñuel ever made although not among the most popular. Why? Because the production was shot faster than fast and the money ran out so the film couldn't complete the screenplay and art direction is poor. Besides there is the cultural fact, you need some religious background (Catholic if possible) to understand the irony of the film and the references. Humour differs from drama mainly in it's strong connection with time and environment while the latter is more transcultural and timeless. Buñuel had a deep religious knowledge although he lacked faith. The reason why the rock scene is so is that Buñuel didn't like rock. Sometimes people prefer Buñuel's French films because they look more glamorous, the caracters are more sophisticated and wearing richer clothes. Anyway I think the core of his filmography are his 'hispanic' films and the first ones ('l'age d'or', 'le chien andalou', Él, Los Olvidados, Viridiana, Tristana,...).

In his Mexican exile during the Spanish War, Luis Buñuel produced some fine films, including this one starring Claudio Brook (Alucarda, The Exterminating Angel) and Silvia Pinal (Viridiana, The Exterminating Angel) as The Devil.

This is a strange film, supposedly based upon the acts of a real saint, about an ascetic who sits atop a tall column in the desert praying, while his mother waits below.

The Devil continues to return to tempt Simon. Seeing the Devil as a woman with large breasts exposed was interesting, and would have temped me.

Simon is finally shown the futility of his penance as the world goes on despite him.

The funding for this gleefully blasphemous feature was pulled before the film was completed, resulting in an abrupt and not quite satisfying ending. Still, what's left is a little slice of heaven (pun intended) with some of its directors most direct and powerful attacks on the clergy he made a career of hating. Bunuel here presents us with an ascetic so self-involved that he declines to embrace his own mother; he restores the hands to a peasant who immediately uses them to strike his own child; he prides himself on eating only lettuce, mentioning it often and to anyone who will listen. "Simon" is a good-looking film, too, with a visual landscape that echoes its protagonist's austerity and startling surreal touches -- such as a coffin that slides through the desert scrub to the base of the column atop which Simon spends his years -- that recall the glory days of "L'Age d'Or." It might have been a masterpiece had Bunuel been allowed the full scope of his vision; it's a major film as is. 8/10