The immortal image of a blade slicing a woman’s eye, intertwined with clouds crossing through the moon exemplifies the immense contributions ofLuis Buñuel’s landmarkavante-gardefilm,Un Chien Andalouto the world of cinema.A surrealist picture formed with the help ofSalvador Dalihimself,Un Chien Andalouis devoid of any traditional plot,made in such a way that nothing would make sense — a series of images that postulate a dreamlike quality and has becomethe most famous short film of all time. Critics and moviegoers alike are still debating on its true meaning, but that’s what makes it so special. It means absolutely nothing, and everything at the same time,presenting a cinematic experience that every lover of the movies must go through at least once in their lifetimes.
‘Un Chien Andalou’ Came From the Minds of Buñuel and Dali
Upon viewingUn Chien Andalou, one immediately comes to terms with the notion that it isa surrealistic fever dream, specifically becauseits origins are rooted in the dreams of its two creators.Buñuel, in a conversation with Dali,talked about a dream he experiencedwhere a cloud sliced the moon in half, “like a razor blade slicing through an eye.” Dali responded that he himself had a dream about a hand crawling with ants. These two visceral images from two creative minds simply formed the genesis of the film, with Buñuel declaring: “There’s the film, let’s go make it.“With this vision in mind, Buñuel decided to proceed with the project.
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Armed with the hopes ofproviding a revolutionary kind of shockto a fairly uninitiated film audience, and the gusto of a filmmaker looking to make an indelible mark on the field,the result was a refreshing, lightning bolt to the world of cinema, which is both incomprehensible, yet chock-full of interpretations, depending on one’s own predicament when they see it. Just like the dreams that plague our minds during those little slices of death, where one might see a collection of esoteric and incoherent insanity, another might discover a philosophical profundity hidden beneath the layers.
Uncovering the Meaning, or Lack Thereof, of ‘Un Chien Andalou'
The immediate question that pops into one’s mind after seeingUn Chien Andalouin its short but unabashed glory is, “what the hell did that even mean?“Perhaps the best way to appreciate the film is to forego any sense of trying to understand it from a traditional point of view.The main idea of the experimental film is not to approach it like a common movie, but rather, to develop andfoster a choric connection with the series of images it puts forth. After all,Buñuel and Dali’s philosophyin crafting the script and the skeleton of the movie was that “no idea or image that might lend itself to a rational explanation of any kind would be accepted.” Therefore, to see this as one would normally see a “normal” film is mistaken from the outset, forthe very idea of its creation is to be rid of any rational, logical, or sensical explanations.After all, how can you even make sense of a film that starts with a woman getting her eyes sliced, and then shifting to a room where all sorts of absurd conundrums occur? Where one is forced to see the connection between an ant-infested hand and a dead donkey on a grand piano?
Buñuel himself was privy to thepossible reactions of those who would have the visceral experience of seeing it onscreen.Roger Eberthimself retells the legend that the filmmaker carried stones in his pocket during the screening, in case of a disastrous response from the audience. Such is a natural response for making something that would intentionally confuse audiences, though it must be said that if this tale is true, his method of responding to scathing criticism is, much like his film, quite out of the ordinary. Despite this, scholars and critics have noted thatUn Chien Andaloupossesses several earnest elucidations,ranging from carnal desires, crime, and malfeasance, to psychological realms of possibility. Whatever the case may be, to selectthe right interpretationor version of comprehending what it means is of the least importance. Debating about what it means is paramount, for it is a taste of our own dreams, where each and every single spectator’s taste of it would ultimately be different.
The Lasting Influence of ‘Un Chien Andalou’
While it may be famous for its mystifying approach to storytelling,Un Chien Andalouhas been immensely important to filmmaking as a whole.There is an argument to be made that its independent production — where Buñuel had to secure funding from his own mother, andedited the final version himself in his own kitchen— is a precursor to the likes of John Cassavetes and the independent digital features of this age. From a visual standpoint, it is also of great influence, casting a shadow so big that one cannot avoid it. In today’s day and age, there is not much to be taken from its imagery, but one must remember that it was released in the 1920s, and at that point in time,it was considered to be extremely ahead of its time.
Ken DancygerinThe Technique of Film and Video Editingnotes that the anti-narrative style of Buñuel, aside from its experimental, avante-garde essence, essentially becomes a foundation for non-linear storytelling and the haphazard style of contemporary music videos.His complete ignorance of the “objective” and the “subjective” turns the medium on its head, resulting in a bewitching coalescence of the dream world and reality.Come to think of it,Un Chien Andaloucertainly has the feel that it could be accompanied by some progressive rock band or another avante-garde musician. The Pixies’Debasereven directly references the film itself, with some subtle allusions to it in its accompanying music video. In essence, the debates — as well as the apprehensions for its opening sequence — that continue to rage on signify its imperative spirit.No matter what you may think of this film, it is essentially one of the most important foundations in the medium’s colorful history.Not bad for a film whose very objective was to completely remove any semblance of comprehensibility in its runtime.
Un Chien Andalou
Un Chien Andalou is a European surrealist film resulting from a collaboration between director Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí. The film presents a collection of dream-like, disjointed scenes that defy conventional narrative structure, emphasizing shocking visual sequences that challenge viewers' perceptions and evoke a sense of the uncanny.
Un Chien Andalou is available to watch on Prime Video in the U.S.
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