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SANTA SANGRE (1989)
4 stars
Severin Films. UHD and Blu ray
If you are a fan of this amazing film by Alejandro Jodorowsky then you will want to buy this stunning 4K, extras packed release from the UK arm of Severin.
It’s basically a film of two halves – both following Fenix at different ages, though initially the film opens with the elder version of the character (played by Alejandro’s son Axel) naked, up a tree like a bird, but clearly in some kind of asylum. He has a large tattoo of a bird on his chest. You know immediately this is no ordinary film.
We then go back to the younger Fenix (also played by one of the director’s offspring Adán Jodorowksky). He lives and works in the Circo del Gringo, as a magician, which is run by his corpulent, drunkard father Orgo (American actor Guy Stockwell in his last role). Fenix becomes close with deaf mute mime Alma (Faviola Elenka Tapia), adopted daughter of the Tattooed Lady (Thelma Tixou).
Meanwhile, outside the circus, his mother Concha (Blanca Guerra) is the leader of a religious cult that worships a young girl who has had both her arms cut off! The church where they worship is about to be destroyed by the landowner, and the worshippers are making a stand against the riot police – when a Roman Catholic priest arrives to try and calm the situation, he declares their religious leanings as sacrilege and their flimsy building is crushed by a bulldozer.
Young Fenix takes his mum back to the circus, but when she discovers her husband Orgo is carrying on with the heavily tattoed lady, she throws a bottle of handy sulphuric acid (something you normally have in your bathroom cabinet, just in case) onto Orgo’s manhood! In response he cuts off both her arms – so she becomes like the deity she worshipped.
And this is just a small portion of what happens in this first part of the movie…
Later, the elder Fenix sees his mother out of the window at the asylum and manages to escape – and they become an act where he is behind her and moves his arms as if they were hers! Soon, however, she puts this symbiotic relationship to more sinister use…
Scripted by Jodorowsky, Roberto Leoni and Claudio Argento (he is also producer here as he did for many of his brother Dario’s films), don’t expect a straightforward narrative. Packed with both beautiful and grotesque imagery, this is colourfully shot by Daniele Nannuzzi and looks phenomenal on this 4K UHD. Certainly weird, there can’t be many films that features scenes like an elephant’s funeral featuring a huge casket paraded through the streets and tipped into a ravine for the townsfolk to rip the carcass apart! Surreal, kaleidoscopic and phantasmagorical this is a movie that sweeps you along with it’s vision featuring often bizarre images and full of striking characters. The colourful costumes by Tolita Figueroa, and the music by Simon Boswell are worthy of note (although the director also used music from the streets to embellish his imaginative and captivating horror fantasy).
Steve Kirkham
EXTRAS
The release here is packed with everything you ever wanted to know about SANTA SANGRE (though inevitably with so much on there, there is some crossover in what is covered)
The UHD and Disc 1 of the Blu ray feature the same content:
Commentary by Jodorowsky and film critic Alan Jones; New Blood (31 mins): Jodorowsky on the restoration of the film – how it was like seeing the film for the first time, about the music and using recordings from street musicians, about his first film FANDO AND LYS (1967), meeting a famous murderer, who had been rehabilitated and partially inspired SANTA SANGRE and much more beside. Made in 2020; Deleted Scenes with commentary by Jodorowsky (with Alan Jones) (7 mins); Trailer
Disc 2 of the Blu Ray
Forget Everything You Have Ever Seen: The World of Santa Sangre – a comprehensive 96 minute documentary Directed by David Gregory with Co-Writer / Director Alejandro Jodorowsky, Actors Axel Jodorowsky, Blanca Guerra, Thelma Tixou, Sabrina Dennison, Adan Jodorowsky, Elenka Tapia, Teo Tapia, Co-Writer Roberto Leoni, Composer Simon Boswell, Tattoo Designer Sergio Arau and Unit Publicist Greg Day.
Like A Phoenix – Interview with Producer Claudio Argento (38 mins)
Holy Blood – Interview with Cinematographer Danielle Nannuzzi (42 mins)
Mexican Magic – Interview with Executive Producer Angelo Iacono (36 mins)
The Language of Editing – Interview with Editor Mauro Bonanni (21 mins)
Innocence in Horror – Interview with Screenwriter Roberto Leoni (28 mins)
Santa Sangre 30th Anniversary Celebration at Morbido Festival, Mexico City (10 mins)
Goyo Cárdenas Spree Killer – Documentary on the Real Life Inspiration for SANTA SANGRE (17 mins)
Jodorowsky 2003 Interview (32 mins)
Jodorowsky on Stage Q & A from 2002 (25 mins)
Echeck – Adan Jodorowsky Short Film (3 mins)
Simon Boswell Interviews Jodorowsky (7 mins)
“Close Your Eyes”- Simon Boswell Music Video (5 mins)
Blink Jodorowsky – short by Simon Boswell (2 mins)
