In Luis Buñuel’s darkly comic psychodrama, the rich and debonair Archibaldo, a would-be serial murderer, sees his passions and deadly impulses frustrated at every turn, only to find fate intervening on his behalf.
A key work of his Mexican period, Buñuel’s extraordinary The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz anticipates his later, more famous films with a gloriously twisted, ambiguous tale of bourgeois hysteria, sin and transgression. Full of pitch-black humour and Surrealist flourishes, the film is an unjustly neglected gem from one of cinema's greatest artists.
EXTRAS
• The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz (Ensayo de un crimen, 1955) presented from the 4K restoration by Cineteca Nacional México.
• Three video essays by writer and filmmaker Cristina Álvarez López investigating the development and key phases of Buñuel’s cinema.
• David Wilt on The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz: a video essay by the film historian.
• Booklet featuring writing by film scholar and Buñuel expert Jordi Xifra, and Cristina Álvarez López.
• A gallery of Buñuel’s personal, complete annotated script for the film (BD-Rom).
• New and improved English subtitle translation.
• UK premiere on Blu-ray.
• Region free Blu-ray (A/B/C).