Review of Santa Sangre (1989) by Tor M — 21 May 2015

My second Alejandro Jodorowsky film and it was a real treat. I did not know what to expect, except that it would be weird. Probably very weird.

We follow Fenix - portraied by another Jodorowsky, his son Axel. He is in a mental hospital since he saw some gruesome stuff done to his mother when he was younger. We are served his reasons for his issues as flashbacks, among other happenings.

Then, stories are combined and we get some sort of a film similiar to "Psycho" in way. It's not THAT weird. Well, it got a stolid story around all the madness making a bit less random at times. The horror is desguised in the absurdity and the happy circus music. Blod, guts, nutity and violence is all over, but it's almost unnoticed many times - the story feels surprizingly strong.

Not the weirdest film I have seen, but probably one the best weird-flicks out there. It's actually even a moving film. That's impressive! It evolves into someting both weirder and scarier after the first hour. Even if I like the ending, I liked the first part a lot better. The second half is jaw-droppingly varied and creative though, just as I expected it to be from the very start.

Loads of fun, great filming. It's hard to explain with words - so many things happen here - many of them very far out.

Unforgettable, surrealistic masterpiece, but certainly not a film for everyone.

8.5 out of 10 dying elephants.