Buñuel (1906-83) is unquestionably one of the great cinema directors of all time. His fabulously inventive imagination and anarchic spirit were combined with a deeply serious concern about man’s brutality, intolerance and hypocrisy, evident throughout his work. This film examines Bunuel’s career and assesses his importance in the development of European cinema. It includes excerpts from many of his best-known films, including Belle de jour, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and That Obscure Object of Desire.
Laurence Olivier
Made in 1982, this two-part film special records the only time Laurence Olivier (1907-89) talked openly for television about a life filled with incident and romance both on and off the stage and screen. His life-story is richly illustrated with film clips and archive material, and there are contributions from friends, including Peggy Ashcroft, Douglas Fairbanks Jnr., John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, John Osborne, and his wife, the actress Joan Plowright.
Alexander Tauner
Art director Alexander Trauner talks about his distinguished career in a programme amply illustrated with library material. Having gained his early experience with the great designer Lazare Meerson, he worked with Marcel Carne on Drôle de drame, and it marked the beginning of a lengthy association with the director, encompassing Les Enfants du Paradis. In Hollywood he collaborated with Billy Wilder on several films, including Irma la douce, and in England he was no stranger to Pinewood.