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~ CATHERINE DENEUVE turned in one of her most memorable performances as Severine Serizy in
Luis Bunuel’s 1967 classic Belle de Jour. The film’s rights were owned by its producer who stub-
bornly refused to sell them. Foliowing his death it was recently re-released with subtitles.

THE SEXUAL realtit was not
a comfortable place in the U.S.
of the -760s,
involved: sex: gone bad — or
ather different.

By Robert Galster
Contributing Writer

Given the spirit of the times, it’s

“not hard to imagine. why Luis
Bunuel’s erotic,.1967 masterpiece |

Belle de Jour Cased as much of a
stir as it “did. After . all,’ Henry
: Miller's’ works’-in* the. same vein
_ were banned until 1961 and while
. the sexual revolution was spreading
across California, it was hard to see

any of its inroads in the’ vast.

. American midwest and south.

_- {ts impact today is undiminished ,
‘but without the spectacle. Since the’

picture’ was released and its rights
~ secured by producer Robert ‘Hakim

especially if “it

which involve scenes of bondage,
degradation and rape. Towards its
conclusion, Relle de Jour’s reality
moves toward its fantasy so as“to
make. the two virtually ind
cernible.

For what is essentially atale of a
woman desperately trying to over-

come her inhibitions, the re-release "~
of Belle de Jour offers a perfect

view of not only a great struggle but
also a zest to squeeze more out of
life. But its director had his doubts:

“who. stubbornly held onto” them; x

“until. his: death, sex and violence
‘have figured prominently in the cin-

* ematic landscape. ..But. few: haye ©

married the two with as'much’ class
as: Bunuel. :
:The plot centres around Severine
Serizy (Catherine. Deneuve),
attractive albeit frigid woman: mar-
tied toa handsome: surgeon and
enduring the comfortable middle
class existence of-a French. house-
wife. On the ‘surface all’s well.
Things . start to get. interesting

: when Severine incidentally learns of -
a friend's involvement’ in a brothel:

—— to earn extra dough, no less. He

“curiosity is’ piqued and before long
she too: finds herself .at one’s
“doorstep. After - several _ initial
mishaps,’ she becomes one of the
- house’s-most sought-out. ladies, but

she never stays ‘past 5 p.m. so as to!

- be. back home for” Pierre *Gean
Sorel),

Her new double. life begins to
unravel.with the ‘appearance of
“Marcel (Pierre. Clementi). & rugged
hug’ who falls in love’with Severine
‘arid eventually. crashes “both:

. worlds i in a tragic cli

RAINCOATS &
JACKETS”

Selected. a |
SPRING &
SUMMER
FASHIGNS -

“I hope | can’ save such a
subject by mixing indiscriminately

and without warning in the montage -

the things that actually happen to
the heroine, and the fantasies and
morbid impulses which she imag-
ines,”
making the film. Bunuel can con-
sider the subject still saved some
20 years later.

Belle de Jour is now moe at
the Park’ theatre,at 72 DAE
nightly with subtitles:

(1447. ‘Bellevue Ave, West Vancouver,
925- 9454 -

stale,

SAPS YODNL

A
yy:

said: Bunuel shortly’ before :

The laser tag game. Laser pistols, “Power Packs and
‘a computerized printout of: your score. Big fun for the “tea,

whole darn family!

$6.95

Open regular mall hours,’ ~
After haurs use outdoor entrance:

QuUTOOOR ENTRANCE

by el CHS. fo Ont ond fin

wer the = paest AFG Yea. a

Mang thishs; : .
: Mickey kre. bony Y