The Exterminating Angel (1962)

The guests at an upper-class dinner party find themselves unable to leave.

Director:

Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Luis Buñuel (screenplay by), Luis Alcoriza (story by)

Stars:

Silvia Pinal, Jacqueline Andere, Enrique Rambal

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Silvia Pinal	...	Leticia 'La Valkiria'
Jacqueline Andere	...	Alicia de Roc
José Baviera	...	Leandro Gomez (as Jose Baviera)
Augusto Benedico	...	Carlos Conde
Luis Beristáin	...	Cristián Ugalde (as Luis Beristain)
Antonio Bravo	...	Sergio Russell
Claudio Brook	...	Julio
César del Campo	...	Alvaro (as Cesar Del Campo)
Rosa Elena Durgel	...	Silvia
Lucy Gallardo	...	Lucía de Nobile
Enrique García Álvarez	...	Alberto Roc (as Enrique Garcia Alvarez)
Ofelia Guilmáin	...	Juana Avila (as Ofelia Guilmain)
Nadia Haro Oliva	...	Ana Maynar
Tito Junco	...	Raúl
Xavier Loyá	...	Francisco Avila (as Xavier Loya)

Storyline

After a lavish dinner party, the guests find themselves mysteriously unable to leave the room... and over the next few days all the elaborate pretenses and facades that they've built up by virtue of their position in society collapse completely as they become reduced to living like animals...

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Plot Keywords:

black comedy | class differences | social satire | surrealism | comedy of manners | 

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Taglines:

Everyone had something to hide--lust, greed, perversion, vice, violence--but no one could escape the Exterminating Angel.

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

21 August 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Exterminating Angel

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Barcino Films, Producciones Gustavo Alatriste, Gustavo Alatriste

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's cinematographer, Gabriel Figueroa, frantically approached director Luis Buñuel once he had seen the final cut of the film with concerns that there were several instances of repetition, something he was sure was an editorial mistake. Buñuel assured him that the repetition was a creative choice and reminded him that he edited his own films. The director recalled that Figueroa remained skeptical that the repetition was purposeful and not an editing mistake even after his explanation.

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Goofs

After the butler trips in the dining room, the lady of the house follows him into the kitchen. While they speak the boom mic can clearly be seen at the bottom of the screen, extending out from under a table.

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Quotes

Julio, Mayordomo; Steward: The help becomes more impertinent each day.

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Alternate Versions

In the uncut print (featured on the Criterion DVD) the guests enter the mansion and go upstairs twice. Some versions omit the surrealistic second arrival.

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Connections

Referenced in Evil Dead II (1987)

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Soundtracks

Sonata No. 6
(uncredited)
Music by Pietro Domenico Paradisi

User Reviews

Is this a tale for 2006?

I saw this film for the first time on TCM this week. It was really thought provoking. What fascinated me was that there were people in the room who had all sorts of skills to figure out the problem and become free, but did not. Another intriguing aspect was that nothing: marriage, love, death, children, jobs, or intelligence and logic was enough to solve the problem. The solution comes in a very interesting way and the least likely person. I hope you will watch and check it out. There was also a strong parallel between the catholic church and the people trapped in the room. I wondered if they were illustrating the socialist belief that 'religion is the opiate of the people.' The sheep were not eaten by the bear and all of these symbols were politically interesting. I have never written a review before and I hope I have not included any spoiler but this is a movie I would love to discuss over coffee: it is intelligent, mesmerizing, and a lesson for our time.