SANTA SANGRE

I was 13 years old when I first saw Santa Sangre. This was at a time when I was discovering world cinema and was addicted to the films shown on SBS. Santa Sangre was one of many that left a huge impression on me... others included Benny's Video, Homework, A Short Film About Killing and The Double Life of Veronique. Once seen, Santa Sangre cannot be unseen and so you can imagine the impact it would have on a 13 year old. Avant Garde is a term you don't hear much of anymore but that describes the film perfectly. Directed by renowned filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky, its a Mexican-Italian joint production about a boy who grows up in the circus and witnesses his mother have both of her arms severed by an enraged husband. Ending up in a mental asylum the boy grows up in a primate state, disconnected from being human. As an adult his mother walks back into his life and together they perform as expressionists. She being armless, he stands behind her and acts as her arms, delivering a bizarre and mesmerising show. Before long their attachment becomes a dependancy and an obsession that leads to jealousy and murder. It's a strange and wonderful film. Ultra violent, often sexual and completely unique... its a daring piece of surreal cinema that demands your attention. Watch it as an art film and you will be caught up in its trance. I've watched it dozens of times and it gets better with each viewing. Expect a graphic and beautiful mind-fuck!

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