Simon of the Desert

Luis Bunuel
1965

At 45 minutes of running time I wasn't sure if this Mexican Bunuel picture was made for television, or with some sort of weird festival funding. Amusingly, it turns out that "Simon of the Desert" was envisioned as a feature, but truncated simply because the producer ran out of money. While Bunuel didn't get the opportunity to complete his vision, the film's still got plenty of signature elements for fans of the surrealist director to sink their teeth into. Loosely inspired by the real St. Simeon, Simon is a holy ascetic who eats nothing but lettuce and contemplates God atop a pillar. Bunuel's sense of satire is apparent right from the get-go as we open on the filthy rag-clad Simon seated atop a new, ornate pillar, donated by a wealthy benefactor. Some absurdist moments with the clergy and a dwarf with a predilection for bestiality are pretty good, but the real icing on this cake is Silvia Pinal as temptress Satan. Simon's seemingly indomitable faith is put to the test by this buxom she-devil in kinky lingerie. While the picture's ending may not have been what was originally intended, the idea of simple Simon suffering a hedonistic NYC dance party in modern garb is a fitting image of the purgatory he dreads.