What It's About:

In order to prove his devotion to God, legendary ascetic Saint Simon Stylites (Brook) mounts a column in the middle of a desert, where he dispenses Christian wisdom to monks, goatherds, and the public for six years, six months, and six days. Not to be outdone, Satan appears in a variety of guises to coax him down, but the temptations of his most cunning alter ego, a voluptuous woman (Pinal), prove hardest to resist.

Why I Love It:

Bunuel’s concise, sharply cynical “Simon” finds the world-renowned Spanish surrealist filmmaker in a characteristic mode: mocking Christianity and the institution of religion with absolutely savage humor. Beautifully lensed in a naturalistic style by Gabriel Figueroa, “Simon” exemplifies Bunuel’s artistry as a social satirist, as well as his hatred for hypocrisy and devotion to avant-garde technique. By the end, the film’s Biblical setting shifts to a ’60s-era disco, an absurdist touch like no other.