Él – The Criterion Collection (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1953
Director: Luis Buñuel
Writers: Luis Buñuel, Luis Alcoriza
Cast: Arturo de Córdova, Delia Garcés, Aurora Walker, Carlos Martínez Baena, Manuel Dondé, Rafael Banquells, Fernando Casanova, Luis Beristáin

Release Date: November 18th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 8 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC SDR (4K UHD), 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Blu-ray)
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (UHD), Region A (Blu-Ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"Folding his own neuroses into an adaptation of Mercedes Pinto’s autobiographical novel, Buñuel crafts an expressionistically stylized nightmare in which a young woman (Delia Garcés) discovers that the outward sophistication of her new husband (Arturo de Córdova) masks disturbing depths of jealousy and paranoia." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Él is presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Supervised by photographer Gabriel Figueroa Flores, director of photography Gabriel Figueroa’s son, this new 4K digital restoration was created from a 35mm duplicate positive."

Él comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 59.8 GB

Feature: 56.7 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, contrast and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Él comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.3 GB

Feature: 25.8 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. There are no issues with distortion or hiss; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

There are no extras on the 4K UHD disc.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a newly created trailer (1 minute 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Spanish with non-removable English subtitles), a panel discussion from 2009 moderated by filmmaker José Luis Garci titled Film in Black and White (60 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Spanish with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Luis Buñuel from 1981 by writer Jean-Claude Carrière, a longtime collaborator of the director’s (30 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Spanish with removable English subtitles), an appreciation by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (29 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and a video essay on director Luis Buñuel by scholar Jordi Xifra titled Buñuel, From “E” to “L” (22 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Other extras include a 40-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Mad Love written by Fernanda Solórzano, an archival interview with Luis Buñuel conducted by José de la Colina and Tomás Pérez Turrent, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Él was directed by Luis Buñuel, a Spanish filmmaker who made most of his films in France and Mexico. Notable films he directed include L'Âge d'Or, The Exterminating Angel, Diary of a Chambermaid, Belle de Jour, and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.

An affluent man becomes paranoid after marrying a beautiful woman, and as his anxiety rises, he directs his violent temper toward his wife.

Although Luis Buñuel’s 1950s output is more grounded than the films he made from the 1960s onward, it still contains symbolism, surrealism, and other elements synonymous with the latter. The cerebral is an area that connects all of Luis Buñuel’s films, and Él is a psychological melodrama about a protagonist whose obsessive behavior pushes him over the edge.

After a brief opening setup that establishes key details, the majority of the narrative unfolds through an extensive flashback from the wife's perspective. While the husband is clearly the protagonist, it is intriguing that his story never comes from his recollections. This choice enhances the portrayal of his mental decline, particularly as he reaches a stage where he can no longer differentiate between what is real and what is imagined.

Although all of the cast excel in their roles, it is ultimately Arturo de Córdova’s (Incendiary Blonde) portrayal of Francisco Galván de Montemayor that carries this film. He delivers an exemplary performance of a man consumed by jealousy and his obsessions. Another performance of note is Delia Garcés's portrayal of Gloria Vilalta, Francisco’s devoted wife. She delivers a compelling performance of a character that goes out of her way to please the man she loves.

Filmmakers often influence other filmmakers, and there are elements and one moment in particular in Él that feel like they influenced Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. In return, some of the protagonist's behavior, notably attempts on his wife's life, feel like Alfred Hitchcock influenced Luis Buñuel. That said, Él is an exquisitely photographed film that’s overflowing with symbolism and has many striking moments that greatly heighten the mood. Ultimately, Él is an engrossing psychological melodrama that quickly draws you in and stays with you.

The Criterion Collection gives Él an exceptional release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer