 | This article consists almost entirely of a plot summary. (November 2016) |
| The Milky Way | |
|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:The_Milky_Way_poster.jpg) French theatrical release poster | |
| French | La Voie lactée |
| Directed by | Luis Buñuel |
| Written by | Luis Buñuel Jean-Claude Carrière[1] |
| Produced by | Serge Silberman |
| Starring | Paul Frankeur Laurent Terzieff Denis Manuel Daniel Pilon |
| Cinematography | Christian Matras |
| Edited by | Louisette Hautecoeur |
| Music by | Luis Buñuel |
| Distributed by | Medusa Distribuzione (Italy) CCFC (France) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 91 minutes (France) 101 minutes (Germany) 105 minutes (USA) |
| Countries | France Italy West Germany |
| Language | French |
The Milky Way (French: La Voie lactée) is a 1969 surrealist comedy-drama film directed by Luis Buñuel. It stars Paul Frankeur, Laurent Terzieff, Denis Manuel, and Daniel Pilon, with Alain Cuny, Michel Piccoli, and Delphine Seyrig in supporting roles. Buñuel later called The Milky Way the first in a trilogy about "the search for truth", along with his subsequent films The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Phantom of Liberty.[2]
The title of the film is taken from a popular name used for the Camino de Santiago, a network of pilgrimage routes that stretched from northern Europe to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, where the remains of St. James were reputed to be buried.[3] The film follows the picaresque journey of two vagabond travelers (Frankeur and Terzieff), who seem to be making the pilgrimage as a means of escape. Along the way, they witness a series of bizarre incidents involving historical Christian heresies. At key moments, they encounter Jesus and the Virgin Mary, as well as modern believers and fanatics.
The nonlinear plot functions as a highly symbolic travelogue across time and space, encompassing much of Christian history. While using satire to critique religion from a skeptical perspective, the film also explores the act of spiritual quest and search for meaning.
The film originally met with limited success, but has come to be well-regarded amongst film enthusiasts and critics.
- ^ Kelsey, Colleen (2 June 2015). "Jean-Claude Carrière's Theater of the Absurd". Interview.
- ^ "The Milky Way". The Criterion Collection. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ Buñuel, Luis. My Last Sigh. Trans. Abigail Israel. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2003. p. 245. ISBN 0-8166-4387-3.