One of the most famous of all art-house films despite being only 17 mins long, Un Chien Andalou is a film that continues to intrigue whenever one sees it. Co-scripted by Bunuel and Salvador Dali and made under the influence of Andre Breton's Surrealist Manifesto, it was intended to follow a dream-like or "automatist" logic, difficult as that is to justify in the rational realm of film-making. It has the unforgettable image of the young woman's eye being slit by a razor, ant's crawling from the palm of a hand and other scenes intended to shock the bourgeoisie and subvert what was then understood as cinematic aestheticism, elements that would become thematic constants in Bunuel's work.
DVD Extras: Commentary by Melbourne film academic, Michael Koller and a 60m documentary on the life and work of Dali. Comes in a handsome 2 disc set that includes Bunuel's 1933, documentary, Las Hurdes.
Available from: Umbrella Entertainment