The Films of Luis Buï¿1/2uel: Subjectivity and Desire (Oxford Hispanic Studies) [Paperback]

Peter William Evans (Author)

Book Description

Series: Oxford Hispanic Studies | Publication Date: May 25, 1995

This is a major new study of the films of Luis Bunuel, surrealist scourge of the bourgeosie and enduring influence on European cinema. The book is unique in offering an extended analysis of Bunuel's films in the context of contemporary debates in film studies, focusing in particular on questions of subjectivity and desire. Throughout, Bunuel's films are viewed as both the brilliant, subversive expressions of the director's fantasies and obsessions and as reflections of wider cultural norms and preoccupations. Making use of psychoanalysis and gender theory, Peter Evans explores Bunuel's characteristic thematics of transgression and his status as exile of outsider. The whole range of his work is discussed, from the critically neglected "bread and butter" Mexican melodramas of the 1950s to such classics of European cinema as The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, That Obscure Object of Desire, and Belle de Jour. Accessible, lively, and compelling, The Films of Luis Bunuel provides a much-needed revaluation of one of the world's greatest film-makers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Insightful, original, and provocative....Highly recommended for college and university libraries building collections of critical works on the major directors in the history of cinema."--Choice

"Evans interprets the films as if they are dreams, teasing out their hidden meanings. It's his ingenuity in doing so that keeps The Films of Luis Bunuel afloat."--Literary Review

"This is certainly a book for the theorist and you don't need to know Bunuel's films to benefit from its contents."--Film

"[An] intelligent and eclectic study of cinema's great taboo-breaker."--Sight and Sound

About the Author

Peter William Evans is Professor of Spanish at the University of Nottingham.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (May 25, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198159064
• ISBN-13: 978-0198159063
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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