Santa Sangre (1990)

A sensational cascade of images and ideas again from Jodorowsky, some of which leave you gasping with admiration. Religion is a major thread as usual - a woman sets up a church for a girl who had her arms cut off, only to achieve a horrific beatification when she has her own arms cut off by her enraged, philandering circus-master husband. Witness to these and other events is their child, who becomes deranged as a result. Later in life, he 'lends' his arms to his domineering mother (by standing behind her - they become a stage act), who then uses them to wreak revenge on other women. It's basically a phantasmagorical variation of Psycho. Along the way there's an elephant's funeral (the thing is tipped into the ravine where a horde of starving wraiths from the shanty opposite descend on it), a splendid midget, a tattoo'd woman, a thousand chickens raining down over a crucifixion, a terrific murder scene done to a Prez Prado mambo (HUNH!), and a hundred other arresting images. Quite something.

Alejandro Jodorosky is one of my favorite movie directors, his films are the kind you don't see every day and still don't. He really breaks conventions and pushes the boundaries all to give us not just great visual but substance backed by great intelligence to make it more of an experience; this either makes him a genius or half insane, or probably a combo of both due to what I see.Believe it or not out of his films this one is my favorite one from him and it's one of my favorite films in general. Because this film has the most emotion and a character to feel pathos for.It's hard to really talk about this film because it's one of those one's you have to see to believe and would take more than one watch to uncover more, plus I don't want to give too much away. The production value is great, this was done on a low or modest budget but it was used well and right, the effort really shows. From the use of the location but mainly of all of the set pieces. The music is also really great, some of it is fun mainly that music from the beginning but others express a degree of emotion.But most importantly I really love the visuals and the story that accompanies it. The film in a very weird sense is sort of a story about rising to freedom, I really like how the Greek myth of the Phenix is incorporated into the film. From the fact the main character Fenix has a tattoo of the Phoenix on his chest and his name ironically.This is a character you can't help but feel constant pathos for as he has been tormented by both the past, but his fanatical mom whom somehow psychically controls him. It sort of reflects our subconscious fear of either growing up to be just like our parents, or their ideals and desires interfering with our own. Indeed we see that, from scenes whenever she talks Fenix acts as her hands which I'll admit is impressive the way he moves them to act in sync with her feelings, which isn't an easy feat. This makes it all the more tragic because it shows he has no will of her own, even when she gives an order we know he shouldn't obey but he has no choice.Fenix's mom Bianca is no doubt a monster whom I feel is a villain you just plain hate. She has heavy believe in purity but she is the ultimate hypocrite as she is not pure herself. She is no doubt sexist as she doesn't have a high opinion of men but nor of women as most or all in her mind are impure which is why she believes her son should have no one in his life. Which is why you can say she is unable to fly again, without love you can never really soar to heights.Just like in the myth the Phenix doesn't rise until it is destroyed first and Fenix's life sadly is no bed of roses, as he is tormented internally and externally from the forces from the past and the forces in the present.The world in this film as usual with most of Jodorosky's films is truly a live surreal world where it's dark, strange, dreamlike but all the same fascinating, just about anything can happen here and does. There is always so much going on in the background almost as much as in a "Where's Waldo" art illustration it might take more than one watch to see it all. Let alone there are some constant symbols and overtones, some on sexuality and innocence.One of the best scenes that stick out no doubt are the elepahant funeral scene which is probably the daftest thing I've ever seen in my life, the only other big funeral for an animal is Lil Sepashian in the TV show "Parks and Rec." But the big coffin is dropped down a cliff as food for some white powered villagers storm after it and cut it out and passes parts of the dead elephant. This is obviously metaphor of sexuality and the loss of innocence.Also there is a lot of use with the hands and arms that correlate with the Phenix myth. We see Bianca's religious sect that she possibly created based on a innocent virgin girl that got her arms cut off by some rapists and of course the same fate happens to her. In a way I feel it once again represents the destruction of the Phenix, in a way both women's wings get cut off.But also the back and forth between both Fenix and the deaf mute girl Alna which I think is sweet even though she doesn't talk it was thought her words and facial expressions toward him. The chemistry between both is beautiful because she is the one that can truly give him him freedom because she can give him the one thing he sorely lacks, love. And this is reflected from her constantly giving him the sign of the Phoenix flight. Alna is the protagonist that we bet on and throughout the film are constantly hoping that she will find him and save him, because she herself is a true Phoenix and can make him truly fly.After destruction comes the rise.Rating: 4 stars

I recently got into weird, arty & surreal films and this one is right up there. It's so bizarre and strange yet beautifully poetic and dreamy at the same time.There's something about the circus that fascinates me, the constant touring, the mystery, the colourful images, the sadness and detachment away from normality.The great thing about this film is subtle enough for you to actually work out what's going on. It won't be everyones kind of film but it's definitely mine. I was totally gripped from the opening scene.If you want to feel like you're on magic mushrooms then I would recommend this hands down, pardon the pun there!

I'm not shy of watching bizarre films, but this was too much for me. It was just far too odd, and if it weren't for the graveyard scene (the most disturbing scene given that it triggered a phobia), then this would probably get a higher mark. It scores points for its quirkiness in its characters, the acting quality and the score, but the rest of it was a little nasty. I watched this in World Cinema a couple of months ago, and it made me cry. I'd give it a few more years before a re-watch, personally. The cinematography was great as well. Apart from the title - and this is not anything against its creators or the nationalities of its creators - you couldn't tell it was a Mexican/ Italian film. The quality of quirkiness gave it away.