Alejandro Jodorowsky is one of the most provocative and creative filmmakers of the last century. While he hasn’t directed many films, his films have been captivating audiences since the early 70s. Jodorwosky first entered filmmaking in 1957 with the short film Les têtes interverties (The Severed Heads). His follow-up film, 1968’s Fando y Lis, was so controversial that it started a riot when it premiered. In spite of this, Jodorowky went on to create what became the first midnight movie, 1970’s El Topo. While somewhat controversial, it did receive critical appraisal and even John Lennon was a huge defender of the film. It was this attention that led to the Beatles’ manager to produce his next film, 1973’s The Holy Mountain. After failing to make an adaptation of Dune and divorcing his wife, it wasn’t until 1989 that Jodoworksky returned. That was when he made his comeback with Santa Sangre.
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The film tells the story of a young man named Fenix, who at the start is in a mental hospital. We are then taken back to his childhood, where we see what eventually led to him being locked up. As a child, he was a circus magician working with his father Orgo (Guy Stockwell) and mother Concha (Blanca Guerra). Between his father flirting with a tattooed woman and his mother leading a religious cult, his childhood was fractured. After his mother burns his father, gets her arms chopped off, and his father kills himself, Fenix is taken away. Cut to years later where Fenix escapes the mental hospital to be reunited with his now armless mother. His mother soon takes control of Fenix’s arms as they kill women who Concha sees as a threat. As Fenix’s mind continues to break, we start to wonder what’s real and what’s imaginary.
Unfortunately, there’s not much else I can say about the movie without getting into spoilers. In addition, there’s so much going on here that it’d take me longer to talk about. That said, this is a visually arresting film where you’ll never know what will happen next. While it certainly has horror tropes (violence, nudity, blood), it’s unlike any horror film made before or since. Jodorowsky’s sons Axel and Adan both play the older and younger versions of Fenix respectively, and both are phenomenal here. Blanca Guerra is also outstanding as Concha, who at times is both sympathetic and yet sinister. The film is a very interesting take on Psycho, especially in the mother-son dynamic and the psychological effects. Also, Guy Stockwell is engaging to watch as Orgo, who acts as a biting comment on Americanism and masculinity. It’s especially apparent when he tattoos a giant eagle across Fenix’s chest.
Visually, the movie is very stylish, especially in the look of the circus and the streets of Mexico at night. There’s also some great camerawork and well-constructed shots throughout, particularly during the last act. Also noteworthy is how part of the film is also a sweet love story between Fenix and a mute girl. We seem them as kids at the circus, and she eventually reenters his life when they’re older. Between her compassionate love and his mother’s manipulation, it’s interesting to see how these two different women affect his well-being. It works not only as a mother-son dynamic and a love story, but also as a coming-of-age story. While many of these themes are certainly obvious to spot, the film is nonetheless a treat to watch and dissect. With a great visual style, great performances, and a well-crafted story, Santa Sangre is a film that shouldn’t be missed.
