LOVE, DEATH AND APOCALYPSE: Three Films by Álex de la Iglesia
4 stars
Arrow Films. Limited Edition 4K UHD and Limited Edition Blu Ray. Out Now
A great box set celebrating the early work of the cult Spanish director Álex de la Iglesia
A First up is ACCIÓN MUTANTE (1993) (aka: Mutant Action)
In a future, where the rich and beautiful hold sway, a terrorist gang are fighting back. There’s Alex (Álex Angulo) and Juan Abadie (Juan Viadas) – Siamese twins, César Ravenstein (alias Quimicefa) (Saturnino Garcia) who always has dynamite permanently connected to his chest, José Óscar Tellería, alias Handyman, (Karra Elejalde) the gang’s mechanic, arrested more than 50 times, Amancio Gonzalez, alias M.A., (Alfonzo Martínez) born deaf and dumb, and with one of the lowest IQs on the planet, plus extraordinary strength and last but not least José Montero, alias Hump (Ion Gabella), a hunchbacked dwarf, Jew, mason, communist and presumed homosexual. You can see just from these descriptions this is not to be taken too seriously. They even drive around in an ice cream van to the Mission impossible theme! A bunch of total misfits.
Their leader Ramón Yarritu (Antonio Resines) has just been released from prison. They have been somewhat inept whilst he has been away, so they pleased to have their boss now back on their spaceship headquarters. A new plan is hatched, as they are fed up with being treated like second class citizens by society in a world “dominated by pretty boys and spoiled brats”… so they decide to crash a high profile wedding and kidnap the bride Patricia Orujo (Frédérique Feder). Violence ensues…
This often outrageous low budgeter is an over the top but heady mix of sci fi, horror and major splattery violence with a great sense of fun, creatively made by Igelsias. This has great production design with both a grungy look, plus echoes of the sixties morphing into a Mad Max vibe later on. It will come as no surprise to learn that the director was once a comic book artist. The enthusiastic cast deliver the at times blackly comedic script by the director and Jorge Guerricaechevarría with verve.
THE DAY OF THE BEAST (1995) El día de la bestia)
Angel (Álex Angula) is Catholic priest determined to learn to be evil – which probably isn’t the normal actions of a representative of the church. He is doing it so he can make contact with Satan, as he is a theology professor that has studied the Apocalypse of St John for 25 years and now believes there is a secret message hidden within the words. He believes he has found the date of the end of the world with the antichrist being born on Christmas Day in Madrid.
He needs to invoke Satan and ends up confiding in Heavy Metal aficionado José Marie (Santiago Segura), who he meets working in a record store, hoping he can help him in his mission. The duo decide to approach TV star Professor Cavan (Armando De Razza), who investigates the occult on his show The Dark Zone and they end up kidnapping him. Is it the ravings of a madman with a dog collar or is the world really in danger?
More successful narratively than ACCIÓN MUTANTE this has Angula suitably manic and prepared to use violence to achieve his ends. Things get more out of hand as things progress and at times are wonderfully OTT with a good sense of black humour running through proceedings
The film won six Goya awards, including the award for Best Director.
PERDITA DURANGO (1997) (aka: Dance with the Devil)
Based on the novel ‘59° and Raining: The Story of Perdita Durango’ by Barry Gifford (who also wrote ‘Wild at Heart’), this is more craziness from the director, produced to open the director up to international audiences. Rosie Perez stars as the title character, a force of nature, who goes to Mexico to scatter her sister’s ashes. Whilst there she hooks up with bank robber/drug dealer Romeo Dolorosa (Javier Bardem, complete with crazy haircut). Not only does he rob banks but he also runs a scam where he pretends to be a Santeria priest.
They are soon embroiled in each other’s lives and end up capturing a young American couple for nefarious ends.
Another dynamic and thrilling production from de la Iglesias, with Perez excellent as the ferocious Perdita, matched by Bardem this also has a great supporting cast including James Gandolfini as DEA agent Dumas and even Brit director Alex Cox. It has a fantastic music score by Simon Boswell.
EXTRAS
4 stars
As you have come to expect from Arrow you get a whole bunch of comprehensive extras for each film plus a double-sided fold-out posters for all three films; 9 postcard-sized reproduction art cards; Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film critics Kat Ellinger, Xavier Aldana Reyes and Valeria Villegas Lindvall; Limited Edition Deluxe packaging with reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Heather Vaughan
DISC ONE: ACCIÓN MUTANTE
Brand new audio commentary by film scholars Xavier Aldana Reyes and Kat Ellinger; Archive audio commentary with director Álex de la Iglesia, writer Jorge Guerricaechevarría, producer Esther García, and production designers José Luis Arrizabalaga and Biaffra
Brand new appreciation of director Álex de la Iglesia by film scholar José Arroyo
Well-Done Baloney, an archive interview with director Álex de la Iglesia
Bad Blood Costumbrism, an archive interview with writer Jorge Guerricaechevarría
The Fcking Boss, an archive interview with actor Antonio Resines Some Crazy Sht, an archive interview with production designers José Luis Arrizabalaga and Biaffra
Litres of Blood… Wonderful!, an archive interview with special effects artist Raúl Romanillos
Vintage “Making Of” featurette (28 mins)
Archival Behind the scenes (34 mins); Storyboards; Music video; Theatrical trailer; Image gallery
DISC TWO: THE DAY OF THE BEAST
Brand new audio commentary by film scholar Shelagh Rowan-Legg
Clean Up Madrid, a brand new visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
Heirs of the Beast, an archive feature-length documentary
Antichrist Superstar, an archive interview with director Álex de la Iglesia
The Man Who Saved the World, an archive interview with actor Armando De Razza
Beauty and the Beast, an archive interview with actor Maria Grazia Cucinotta
Shooting the Beast, an archive interview with director of photography Flavio Martínez Labiano
Mirindas Asesinas, a 1990 short film by Álex de la Iglesia
Theatrical trailers and Image gallery
DISC THREE: PERDITA DURANGO
Brand new audio commentary by film critic Valeria Villegas Lindvall
On the Border, an archive interview with director Álex de la Iglesia
Writing Perdita Durango, an archive interview with writer Barry Gifford
Dancing with the Devil, an archive appraisal by film scholar Dr Rebekah McKendry
Narcosatanicos: Perdita Durango and the Matamoros Cult, an archive interview with Abraham Castillo Flores and Cauldron of Blood author Jim Schutze
Canciones de Amor Maldito: The Music of Perdita Durango, an archive interview with composer Simon Boswell
Shooting Perdita Durango, an archive interview with director of photography Flavio Martínez Labiano
Theatrical trailers and Image gallery
