El Ángel Exterminador (The Exterminating Angel) (1962)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Matthew S

  
  This movie criticizes the strangeness of etiquette with a hyperbolic tale of social rules gone wrong. No one can convince themselves to leave, apparently because no one else has left. Its not as though these rules of propriety have turned us into sheep, its that we were sheep to begin… More
  This movie criticizes the strangeness of etiquette with a hyperbolic tale of social rules gone wrong. No one can convince themselves to leave, apparently because no one else has left. Its not as though these rules of propriety have turned us into sheep, its that we were sheep to begin with, and these individuals with their nuanced rules are self-blinded of the suffering society around them. As time passes, or is made entirely meaningless, civility is eroded and these people are revealed to be the horny, hungry, irritable and fearful animals found in the rest of the animal kingdom and social classes. It took someone with a bit of free spirit who very early in the movie, before the whole trapped issue, lashes out by breaking a window for no explicit reason. She locks herself in a closet. People are murmuring to each other how she's still a virgin. They try so hard to turn everyone else into sheep just like them. They are fortunate that they failed.

• familiar s

  
  A weird satirical piece of work that's thoroughly watchable & fairly enjoyable. Surrealistic movies are generally not my cup of tea, but thankfully, there's more to it here than merely surrealism.

• Robert C

  
  I have to say that this is probably not eveyones "cup of tea"...but I really enjoyed it. Sure the basic premise has been done before to varying degrees...but you haven't seen this particular "morality tale" until you've seen it told as only Luis Bunuel… More
  I have to say that this is probably not eveyones "cup of tea"...but I really enjoyed it. Sure the basic premise has been done before to varying degrees...but you haven't seen this particular "morality tale" until you've seen it told as only Luis Bunuel can tell it. It is one of those films that, the more you think about it...the more you "see". There is so much going on and so much "symbolism" both subtle and blatant that I think you really need to watch it more then once to really "get it". And even then...I think there is much that Bunuel left to "your interpretation". Which I love.

• Stella D

  
  surrealist screwball comedy/horror. probably only buñuel could pull this off. it's complete nonsense but functions perfectly according to it's own absurd logic.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Buñuel's disgust for the upper classes was never more evident than here. Surreal, intriguing, claustrophobic, and riveting film about the most primitive human behaviors. A must see.

• Elvira B

  
  If something could ever define Buñuel's sense of humor it is this social critique, surrealist piece. The repulsive characters (which Buñuel is so damn good at creating) deliver memorable dialogue within the asphixiating horror tale. It has never been better done.

• Ivan D

  
  Before Bunuel's "deconstruction of the upper class" zenith that is "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie", "The Exterminating Angel" was made 10 years earlier, but ironically, a much fatalistic one. The 1972 Oscar winner portrayed its disdain on the… More
  Before Bunuel's "deconstruction of the upper class" zenith that is "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie", "The Exterminating Angel" was made 10 years earlier, but ironically, a much fatalistic one. The 1972 Oscar winner portrayed its disdain on the eponymous social class by way of a series of dinner hiatus, which is a lot "tamer"(but such word does not belong in a Luis Bunuel film) compared to the "de-evolution of the mannered ones" theme depicted in this film. The story was very simple on paper that it may look as if its plot grasps can only contain that of a short film. But with Bunuel on the helm, it can maintain the simplicity of the initial plot, but can still go on for 3 hours without exhausting ideas(whether with a message or not). Well, after all has been done on the exquisite mansion, after hypocrisy was temporarily washed, what's the next stop for "The Exterminating Angel"? Well, where else but the church. As with all surrealist films, it's either you love it or hate it.

• Doctor S

  
  Bunuel's indictment of the upper class is rather one-note, but impressively pulled off by a large cast as essentially an audacious one-room exercise. The idle rich, he seems to tell us, are only separated from the poor by their possessions, social standing, and observations of… More
  Bunuel's indictment of the upper class is rather one-note, but impressively pulled off by a large cast as essentially an audacious one-room exercise. The idle rich, he seems to tell us, are only separated from the poor by their possessions, social standing, and observations of etiquette. Stripped of those, the inner savage has no disguise and subject to the same fears and envies as anyone else. Slow building yet interesting surreal set-piece.

• John M

  
  This surrealistic movie is a great satire on the upper class. Original premise, great cast and acting.

• Quinto W

  
  A funny, fascinating, poignant and true character study by a funny, fascinating, poignant and true artist.

• Christopher B

  
  When I was in film school, my good buddy Timbo and I did a project on Luis Bunuel. It was easily the best in the class (granted it was a technical film school, but still) and the film teacher left during our presentation! I think that's when he realized I was better than him.… More
  When I was in film school, my good buddy Timbo and I did a project on Luis Bunuel. It was easily the best in the class (granted it was a technical film school, but still) and the film teacher left during our presentation! I think that's when he realized I was better than him. Anyway this is the film we showed, and about 1/4 of the class enjoyed it, but despite those figures, this film fucking rocks fucking hard! One of the greatest directors of all time.

Read all 11 featured audience ratings