Thanks for the memories!

hyped garbage

Highly Overrated But Still Good

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Belle De Jour is simply amazing in its content and its form, and amazingly, it has also aged very well: the tale of Severine is told in such subtle layers that it is watchable by anyone, it has not lost its bite after all these years, and anyone can still make what they want of it. That's a masterpiece! I will make one remark, though, about the DVD version I am viewing in 2017 via rental: it is a Miramax edition curated by Martin Scorsese, so you would think this latest DVD incarnation is improved in all ways from the original 1967. But I regret to say the translation (i.e. the subtitles) from French to English is often inaccurate, if not downright misleading. Pardon my hauteur, but I am French-born and 100% bilingual, darnit. I wonder if that sloppy translation was actually deliberately "softened"(i.e as a form of censorship), because it often results in a "softening" of the situation seen on screen . One example: the necrophiliac character addresses his "dear departed" in the coffin as "ma fille"in French. It is translated as "my girl" in the DVD version. Yes, "ma fille" in French can be "my girl", but it is also far more frequently "my daughter". And here, it is far more likely "my daughter", considering Bunuel's social comment and intent in this film. If you view the scene I am referring to, you will know that whether this man calls this dead woman "my girl" or " my daughter" makes a great deal of difference in the meaning of the scene.

You know, had this dreary "whore-by-day-good-little-wife-by-night" story (from 1967) been directed by an American film-maker, instead of a foreigner, then, to be sure, its puzzling reputation of being lauded as a cinematic "masterpiece" wouldn't have endured, as it has, for 50 years now. No. It wouldn't.Believe me - Belle de Jour's story about a frigid, empty-headed woman's walk-on-the-wild-side certainly had some promising potential - But, when put into the incompetent hands of that over-rated, hack-director, Luis Bunuel - It was the driest, most antiseptic look at whoredom that you could ever imagine possible.And, speaking about the gorgeous, 24-year-old actress, Catherine Deneuve as the Severine/Belle de Jour character - (Me-oh-my!) - If only this vacuous beauty could have acted even half a good as she looked, then, yes, this agonizingly dismal picture might have actually been elevated into something worth tolerating.

Luis Bunuel is a very common name that gets uttered and mentioned in film schools and cinematic discussions in critical circles all around the world even today. His brand of surrealistic filmmaking is not only unique, but it is also thought provoking. Most of his films put more importance on what the viewer might get out of the watching experience instead of the basic facts of the screenplay. Belle de Jour is probably his most well known film and its reputation as one of his best has persisted ever since its release.On the face of it Belle de Jour is a strange film about a married woman's love life, her marriage and her sexual desires. But Bunuel ornaments this potentially simple script with masterful dream sequences, subtle flashbacks and a surreal style of storytelling to make the film extremely rich thematically and quite complex. The film starts off with a scene that is both beautiful to look at and also extremely meaningful and gives a great opening to the character of Séverine. Bunuel throughout the film plays with the viewer by blurring the distinctions between dreams and actual occurrences. There are very subtle and beautifully placed flashback sequences that also shed a lot of light on Séverine's past and provides a possible reason behind her behaviour. The dream sequences are abstract and open to infinite analysis. As a matter of fact, the whole film is made in a way which leaves the door wide open for endless interpretations. a whole chunk of the screenplay can be interpreted to be dreams and a number of characters in the film can be interpreted to be Séverine's creations. I have my own interpretation, but one has to respect a filmmaker for respecting film for what it is which is a subjective art form. Many have suggested that the film is a commentary on feminism and feminist ideas. I don't really agree with that, but that just underlines why this film will lead to conversations. I think Belle de Jour is a character study on Séverine, whose traumatic past makes it impossible for her to accept sex as means of making love and getting close to your loved one, rather to her, sexuality is something that is only supposed to be used to quench your wild desires in the most clandestine and secretive way. The cinematography is beautiful with richly bright interior scenes and the dream sequences have a beautiful visual psychedelic quality about them. I watched the Criterion Blu Ray version and the film looks as good as ever. The camera moves in a very effortless and nonchalant way to perpetuate the surrealism of the script. Bunuel puts very little importance on the nitty-gritty details of the script and puts more effort on symbolism, metaphors and the contextual allegorical content. The film epitomises the artistic style of Bunuel and is a treat to watch.Last but by no means least, I have got to talk about Catherine Deneuve. She is flawless as Séverine. She expertly portrays all the traits essential to the character which are naivety, vulnerability, shyness, an implicit sex appeal,etc.The film ends on a very unforced, subtle yet beautiful little scene which I think makes for a happy ending for a film which is so not conventional.

Finally viewed the international classic "Belle De Jour" with legendary screen queen Catherine Deneuve and for a film of 1967 it was one of lust and erotic fantasy to it's best! The story has Deneuve as a bored young socialite rich housewife named Severine who has it all, but the problem is she can't get no sexual satisfaction with her husband a doctor. Her only escape is to daydream of odd and rough sex of being tied up and playing rough. So finally she decides to take up a job as a prostitute in a brothel house! And this new secret life has it's good fun moments, but it has it's negatives and real down parts. As love is found thru tragic means still the life of fantasy and erotic lust is not what it seems for Severine. Overall good erotic fantasy film that showcases how sexy daydreams can lead to love while paying a price.