Cult Films Meet-Up: L'AGE D'OR Meets MONTY PYTHON'S MEANING OF LIFE

Portland Movie Club Meet-Up - Spotlight on "L'AGE D'OR" and "MONTY PYTHON''S MEANING OF LIFE" - A Bunuel Meets Monty Python Double Feature! (Really!!!)
Let's talk about movies! Join Movie Club Member David J. for the next discussion in our cult film series – a mind-bending double feature suggested by our co-host Kyle C. combining Luis Bunuel’s classic surrealist short film “L’Age D’or” (1930) with “Monty Python’s Meaning of Life” (1983). The final film bringing together the original, full cast of the British comedy series, directed by Terry Jones, and featuring an astonishing introductory short directed by Terry Gilliam (which in many ways is a precursor to “Brazil”).

Here's how it works:
1. Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet.
2. We'll meet at Lucky Lab at 4pm (map), there will be a sign at our table, or at the least we will make it as obvious as we can who we are (watch for that rowdy bunch waving hands and wearing movie themed T-Shirts) and where we are saving tables and chairs.
3. Grab some food and drinks and spend some enjoyable time discussing this masterpiece (or these masterpieces, in this rare instance) with us.

A little about L’AGE D’OR:
Noted surrealists Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali fashioned a virtually plotless screenplay, crafting vignettes to explore contemporary perspectives concerning sex, religion and liberation, to touch on just a few of the controversial topics the two planned to explore. The collaborators reportedly travelled on opposite sides of the political spectrum, making for an intriguing clash of perspectives, but as director it is likely Bunuel’s hand may be the strongest force at play. Our discussion will likely touch on the collaborators themselves in addition to the artistry behind this remarkable collaboration.

A little about MONTY PYTHON’S MEANING OF LIFE:
Like the BBC series which preceded their cinematic output, “Meaning of Life” adopts an episodic approach, featuring satirical segments ranging from an Oliver Twist inspired musical number about religion and childbirth to an eye-popping battle between corporate employees heroically fought between an ancient pirate ship and modern urban skyscrapers. For many of its fans, it’s the dining room sequence featuring the aftermath of a fat-suited Terry Jones receiving one last final “teeny-tiny mint” from John Cleese that is the most famous and frequently referenced of these episodes.

Viewing Options
Streaming options are reported to include Amazon Prime and Kanopy for “L’age D’or,” and for the Monty Python epic, the options are reported to include Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Fandango at Home. You might also try Peacock as the film was made and distributed by Universal.
“Meaning of Life” has been released on multiple home video formats over the years, and most recently as a deluxe 4K UHD Blu-Ray edition with extras. There have been numerous DVD releases of the Bunuel film, and apparently a rare OOP foreign release Blu-ray.

About Cult Films
Sometimes good, almost always interesting, and only somewhat definable. This very special category of cinema is known for its dedicated fanbases, high-camp kitsch, transgressive ideas, counterculture perspectives, polarized reception, and sometimes for artfulness, but far more often for obscurity. Many cult films exist at the borderline between art and exploitation.

While Cult Films typically defy mainstream criticism, they are rich candidates for open-minded entertainment and interpretation, viewed through a lens that emphasizes their unique perspectives regardless of their financial success or failure.

Some of Portland Movie Club Organizer Nick’s favorites are The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Big Lebowski, Plan 9 From Outer Space, and Office Space. There's a great writeup of the genre on Wikipedia.

Tips

1. Haven't seen the movie in a while? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you can
2. Many of the regularly attending members casually take a few notes while watching to keep from forgetting the most interesting stuff. If you think of some interesting discussion topics while you watch, bring 'em with you!

Previous films viewed by “Cult Film” Meet-up members for group discussion have included “Barbarella,” “Fantastic Planet,” a double feature of “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” with “The Man With Two Brains,” Takashi Miike's "Audition," “Daisies,” “Jennifer’s Body,” “The Human Tornado,” David Cronenberg’s “Videodrome” and "The Brood," David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” “Switchblade Sisters,” “The Love Witch,” Ed Wood's “Plan 9 From Outer Space,” Tim Burton’s “Ed Wood,” and Brian DePalma’s “Phantom of The Paradise.”

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