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Santa Sangre
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Santa Sangre

1989
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
2h 3m
A young man is confined in a mental hospital. Through a flashback we see that he was traumatized as a child... (imdb)
Directed by:
Alejandro Jodorowsky Alejandro Jodorowsky
Written by:
Alejandro Jodorowsky Alejandro Jodorowsky Claudio Argento Roberto Leoni
+2 more
Starring:
Axel Jodorowsky Blanca Guerra Guy Stockwell Guy Stockwell Thelma Tixou Sabrina Dennison Adan Jodorowsky Faviola Elenka Tapia Teo Jodorowsky María de Jesús Aranzabal Jesús Juárez Sergio Bustamante Gloria Contreras
More
Genres:
Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Horror, Mystery
AKA:
Holy Blood
Countries:
Italy, Mexico
Language:
English
imdb More information at IMDb
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Santa Sangre

1989
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
2h 3m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 67.56% from 1019 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(1019)
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billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 02 Feb 2017
90
92nd
There's got to be one kid out there that spotted this title in the tv guide, circled it, and waited. "I've never seen this Christmas movie" and is now banned from walking behind their mom. The surreal thing about this Jodorowsky is it is coherent as shit.
Rated 02 Feb 2017
terrymacterrymac
Rated 02 Aug 2018
81
87th
It was pretty clear from the outset that this wasn't going to be straightforward. It features striking imagery and use of colour, an interesting soundtrack and use of sound, and some very unusual characters getting up to unusual things. It isn't just weird for weird's sake, though - it actually feels quite coherent, and rather involving. A compelling, surreal, stylish and rather enjoyable quasi-horror film.
Rated 02 Aug 2018
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 30 Sep 2017
82
85th
Like Fellini on acid doing Psycho as an overblown giallo carnival. Jodorowsky films are like wild explosions of creativity tied together by themes of spiritual transformation. Not as radical & funny as his previous work & his satirical side is generally toned down enough to make this work as twisted melodrama. Still disjointed but has a solid emotional core, consistent feverish tone & characters you can relate to as more than just thematic catalysts. Argento's name is so appropriate for this.
Rated 30 Sep 2017
mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 08 Dec 2008
95
95th
A nearly perfect serial killer film. Everything is inspired, and the elephant funeral will linger in your brain for days. Surprisingly linear for Jodorowsky, I wish this were more largely appreciated.
Rated 08 Dec 2008
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 07 Feb 2007
82
73rd
Not as incoherent as El Topo or Holy Mountain, which works both for and against it. Incoherence is part of the charm of a Jodorowski flick, and this one doesn't have a whole lot of that. Don't get me wrong, there's some bizarre stuff going on, but for the most part it's pretty obvious what's happening and what things mean. On the other hand, it's nice to watch a movie that clearly has a point to it, and a meaningful, poignant point at that, not to mention characters you care about.
Rated 07 Feb 2007
hpbuttcraftHP_Buttcraft
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
91st
Pure Jodorowsky: strange, symbolic, religious, alienating and brilliant.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
bob_thrillinbob thrillin
Rated 04 Oct 2013
82
67th
Jodorowsky goes Fellini--but it's not as bizarre as that combination should be. The imagery is relatively subdued, especially in comparison to The Holy Mountain--the genre trappings sometimes get in the way of the tidal wave that makes up Jodorowsky's visual language. I would have liked more panreligious symbolism and satire, and the score is fucking awful. But scenes like the astounding elephant funeral and the reveal more than make up for these comparatively minor flaws.
Rated 04 Oct 2013
shmendrekShmendrek
Rated 04 May 2008
3
61st
I don't think the standard narrative structure serves El Jodo's visions as well as surrealism can. When his wild creativity is pinned down by anything more than the loosest of plots, it's stifling. This is still a good film, but not nearly as impressive as El Topo and The Holy Mountain.
Rated 04 May 2008
cinematicespCinematicESP
Rated 13 Jul 2007
87
77th
Jodorowsky does a brilliant job of developing character and establishing symbols and metaphors, and the end result is disturbing and strangely fascinating.
Rated 13 Jul 2007
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 13 Nov 2013
10
96th
Highly eccentric and sexual, though unlike The Holy Mountain, there's a thread that runs through it that makes it fairly easy to follow. It reminded me of: Tod Browning's "Freaks", a Fellini carnivale film on acid, Salvador Dali's paintings, and the campiness of old universal horror films.
Rated 13 Nov 2013
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 29 Jun 2020
98
95th
Far more coherent and disciplined than TOPO or MOUNTAIN and all the better for it - this masterpiece feels like the ultimate distillation of all AJ's creative obsessions and cinematic influences - this unholy mix of Hitchcock and Fellini (shot through with Almodovar sensibilities) still stands as its own twisted, ghoulish thing. The style is everything here, with the actors largely left to merely inhabit their scenes, though Guerra's imposing presence is impressive work by any standard.
Rated 29 Jun 2020
elysian_airElysian Air
Rated 11 Jul 2012
81
56th
Here lies the last relic of Jodorowsky's symbolic style. Santa Sangre is the tattered remains of Jodorowsky's occult aesthetic, instead largely layered with surreal carnivalesque imagery and bizarre narrative motifs. It's not nearly interesting or potent enough to warrant the length, but I admit there are ideas here worth pursuing with greater focus. All of the symbols are here, just not the execution we deserve. Jodorowsky should have trimmed the fat considerably.
Rated 11 Jul 2012
meerkatmeerkat
Rated 16 Nov 2007
70
33rd
Such a strange film. Jodorowsky is a master of surreality. Incredibly disturbing.
Rated 16 Nov 2007
muutanetmuutanet
Rated 21 Mar 2008
90
96th
I remember this movie was very, very impressive 10 years ago. Would like to review it once again.
Rated 21 Mar 2008
kahKAH
Rated 01 Jul 2009
3
74th
A plot driven movie from Jodorowsky? Oh wait, but there's an elephant funeral and lots of other surreal scenes, as well as criticism of religion and some Freudian oedipus stuff going on here. The colorful and bizarre imagery is also present. Still this is probably the best movie to start with for those wanting to explore Jodorowsky, personally I find The Holy Mountain even more impressive.
Rated 01 Jul 2009
tomhetTomhet
Rated 27 Apr 2020
8
83rd
The one Jodorowsky that actually resonates with me, and where I feel he legitimately expressed whatever you want to call his vision.
Rated 27 Apr 2020
zayankZayanK
Rated 16 Dec 2009
85
71st
Bonus experience if you watch this at 3 am.
Rated 16 Dec 2009
stainStain
Rated 31 Mar 2007
100
95th
Absolute classic. Wonderfully insane
Rated 31 Mar 2007
barthalenBarthalen
Rated 17 Jun 2011
79
77th
The story isn't its strength; it's the surreal imagery that draws you in and holds you in a slightly uncomfortable grip for two hours. Freaky images set to moody music without any escape into normalcy makes for interesting viewing. Man, that elephant snout leaking blood... the Jesus pose while chickens rain from the sky... the acid-splashed crotch... those images are gonna linger in my brain for a while, that's for sure.
Rated 17 Jun 2011
lisa_iilisa-
Rated 03 Dec 2014
6
83rd
a man goes completely fucking psycho after someone murdered his mother. lovely stuff as always, this one has a heart too, though it is also a bit more grounded than some of alejandro's others. perhaps the score might have been a wee bit higher had my viewing experience not been hampered by the fucking useless dvd player being complete shit.
Rated 03 Dec 2014
deaddillydeaddilly
Rated 01 Feb 2021
80
72nd
Less ambitious than "The Holy Mountain" and is more of a personal account of adolescence and overcoming an Oedipal struggle / sins of the father. The surreal horror aesthetic distinguishes the film but the heart of the narrative is truly melancholy.
Rated 01 Feb 2021
amerigoamerigo
Rated 25 Jan 2009
79
61st
I can see why this film wasn't included in the Jodorowsky DVD collection. It is his weakest effort. Imagine a cross of Psycho and a few other horror flicks redone through Jodorowsky's trademark surrealist lens, but with utter clarity and linearity. Too slow and never compelling enough, the film has at best a couple of shots that live up to the standard that Jodorowsky has created with his other work.
Rated 25 Jan 2009
caimancaiman
Rated 21 Mar 2013
75
48th
I loved The Holy Mountain for its unrestrained weirdness and visual splendor. Here Jodorowsky restrains himself. In a sense the "normalcy" gets in the way, and when things aren't bizarre they're almost dull. Almost. It's actually a pretty fascinating and strange movie, but compared to his other work it just feels guarded and overly controlled. But still, it does have the most fascinating elephant funeral I've ever seen, so I can't say I didn't enjoy it.
Rated 21 Mar 2013
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 11 Dec 2006
40
27th
Santa Sangre has some strong images - a certain unforgettable elephant, I'll leave it at that - but not strong enough to make up for the plot, which is sappy and heavy-handed and a bit of a bore.
Rated 11 Dec 2006
frankswildfrankswild
Rated 24 Jan 2012
80
75th
Maybe the insane (or more sane?) other possible journey of Norman Bates.
Rated 24 Jan 2012
andaghandagh
Rated 04 Sep 2009
75
45th
I don't know how to rate this. More interesting than most movies I guess, but I liked it better when it was called Psycho.
Rated 04 Sep 2009
dorkovskyDorkovsky
Rated 28 Aug 2010
9
97th
New favorite Jodorowsky! It doesn't feel any less bizarre then El Topo or Holy Mountain, but it does feel a lot less unhinged than those two, giving the whole thing a lot more weight. FFD refers to Jodorowsky as a poor man's Bunuel, and I generally find it hard to argue, but here I think he manages to pull off that particular style.
Rated 28 Aug 2010
sellissellis
Rated 29 Jan 2020
78
54th
Probably my favorite Jodorowsky. Hilarious and surreal. Wonderful tongue-in-cheek final moments. Fun trivia: the theater I went to served cleaning products to a couple customers the same night (around the same time) I saw this. Luckily I don't drink.
Rated 29 Jan 2020
damildamil
Rated 07 Jul 2015
75
81st
I was sort of prepared to not understand the story, as with his previous works, so I was actually slightly taken aback when I found myself totally grasping what was going on. Anyway, it's a cool story with plenty of weird, wonderful and memorable scenes. Definitely the most accessible Jodorowsky film I've seen so far.
Rated 07 Jul 2015
anilscnanilscn
Rated 07 May 2019
40
30th
Psycho was a good movie.
Rated 07 May 2019
neonmanNeonman
Rated 24 Jun 2013
86
84th
The mastri-sexual/cidal part of Jodowrosky's mind is explored in this insanely zany, brilliantly coloured, and glamorous piece of work filled with sex, violence, and animals -- a horror film so left-field it must've made Dario Argento blush.
Rated 24 Jun 2013
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 26 Aug 2015
85
81st
Jodorowsky strangeness, but with a bit more plot than I expected, which makes for a stronger experience. Great visuals, as usual, but also a very compelling setting and set of characters.
Rated 26 Aug 2015
jpotiijpotII
Rated 03 Apr 2020
61
54th
Aquário
Rated 03 Apr 2020
pyrosexualpyrosexual
Rated 28 Oct 2014
95
95th
If you watch one Jodorowsky film on acid, make it this one. As long as you don't know where I live...
Rated 28 Oct 2014
kerrylandkerryland
Rated 09 Jul 2012
70
19th
It's a little too odd to actually be good, but it was interesting. I wish I could've listened to a dvd commentary to explain whatever it was that this movie was supposed to be about.
Rated 09 Jul 2012
ceekay19Ceekay19
Rated 17 Nov 2019
50
10th
Concha: "You can't atone for your sins with nightmares."
Rated 17 Nov 2019
notitlenotitle
Rated 21 Feb 2011
86
90th
it was good pleasure to listen Jodorowski commentary after the movie..
Rated 21 Feb 2011
djrossdjross
Rated 14 Aug 2007
76
87th
When viewed at the cinema at time of release, this seemed to this viewer to be remarkable and impressive. Rewatching it twenty-eight-years later in 2017, it seems slightly lesser, not quite justifying its length, but still to be a work of great visual imagination and considerable affective power.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
3drevelation3dRevelation
Rated 20 Aug 2017
62
26th
As more of a casual observer of film, I'm not exactly sure this film is for me. I feel like some people might be able to talk about this until they are blue in the face, but I just found it weird. At the same time, I was never really bored and it has some interesting visuals. I've definitely seen worse films of this type, but I probably wouldn't watch this again and if this is Jodorowsky's tamest, I'm not sure I'd like his other films either.
Rated 20 Aug 2017
turinturin
Rated 13 Jul 2007
65
53rd
Hard to watch, but possibly the best film to start acquaintance with Jodorovsky - at least it has a plot...
Rated 13 Jul 2007
prismaticPrismatic
Rated 30 Nov 2009
43
4th
Not the type of vanguard that fails to miss.
Rated 30 Nov 2009
picklemanPickle_Man
Rated 11 Aug 2018
100
94th
Surrealist horror. How could I not like it?
Rated 11 Aug 2018
glm01glm01
Rated 26 Mar 2014
82
71st
82.000
Rated 26 Mar 2014
ashwilliamsAshWilliams
Rated 23 Sep 2008
88
84th
Wow!
Rated 23 Sep 2008
troothTrooth
Rated 16 Oct 2015
78
78th
A bit less symbolic than some of Jodorowsky's other work. Of what I've seen, it's been the easiest to follow. But it still has that characteristic weirdness that'll glue your eyes to the screen, even if you don't know exactly what you're seeing or why you're seeing it.
Rated 16 Oct 2015
richiodorichiodo
Rated 07 Apr 2009
94
95th
Simbolica y surreal Una historia desata otras mas
Rated 07 Apr 2009
yilbyilb
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
58th
Weird as hell, not as fun as El Topo.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
paxtonPaxton
Rated 04 Feb 2012
68
55th
Movies have become so uninteresting. There are no new ideas. Here a circus performer whose mother's arms have been cut off, stands behind her and does her killing for her. Ugh...this again?
Rated 04 Feb 2012
axleblazeaxleblaze
Rated 01 Mar 2013
70
29th
Like Jodorowsky wanted to wanted to make a Fellini film that was also psycho. While that sounds awesome it's just kind of really silly. Plot is not Jodorowsky's strong suit.
Rated 01 Mar 2013
driscarpindriscarpin
Rated 22 Apr 2019
90
87th
Jodorowsky faz homenagem a todo maldito filme de horror já feito, mas com um Jodorowsky twist, acho que o Claudio Argento ficou traumatizado por ter deixado o Dario. Box Obras-primas do cinema Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Rated 22 Apr 2019
mightysparksmightysparks
Rated 28 Aug 2012
40
15th
Some interesting scenes here and there and I thought Fenix was interesting, but overall it didn't really work. Too over the top and silly at times - not in a good way - and other times just dull.
Rated 28 Aug 2012
parcalihamparcaliham
Rated 26 Feb 2011
85
77th
subat 11, ifistanbul 11, jodorowsky'nin soyleyisi ile & oedipux kompleksinin sinemadaki karsiligi. filmdeki her erkek biraz cocuk, her kadin biraz anne -- bazi simgeler fazla basit olarak kullanilmis olsa da (annenin kollari) kesinlikle mukemmel bir hayalgucunun urunu. filmin sevmedigim yani ise fonu surekli mesgul eden ve seyircinin duygusal yonelimini etkileyen muzik kullanimi. daha az muzik ile daha etkili olabilirdi? bastaki kilise sahnesi basli basina surrealizm akiminin anlam karsiligidir.
Rated 26 Feb 2011
slantmagSlantMag
Rated 14 Feb 2011
40
97th
"Gorgeous, nightmarish, ethereal, and utterly insane. If your love affair with Jodorowsky hasn't started yet, now is the perfect time." - Rob Humanick
Rated 14 Feb 2011
sofadsofad
Rated 26 Aug 2013
90
97th
Travmatik bir geçmişi, şiddet dolu anıları, oldukça çarpıcı bir öyküyle ve yaratıcı niteliği yüksek stilize bir atmosferle yansıtan film. Jodorowsky'nin kendine has imajinasyon gücü bu filmde de renklere, mekanlara, kostümlere, bedenlere yansımış. Modern trajedi. Özel eser.
Rated 26 Aug 2013
mrcinemaMr.Cinema
Rated 19 Feb 2023
73
93rd
I offer my eyes to thee: my mind thirsts for thee like parched land! theach me way I should watch!! for to thee I expand my view!!! (for Holy ART: Cinema, the 7th one!!!)
Rated 19 Feb 2023
glmglm
Rated 05 Oct 2011
82
71st
81.500
Rated 05 Oct 2011
fuzzymodofuzzymodo
Rated 13 Dec 2019
78
58th
twisted, strange, captivating, not perfect, but really different.
Rated 13 Dec 2019
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 24 Dec 2010
74
85th
Good Movie
Rated 24 Dec 2010
emredostemredost
Rated 31 Mar 2009
100
98th
God bless you Axel Jodorowsky.A piece of art
Rated 31 Mar 2009
dethrabbit3kDethRabbit3K
Rated 12 Oct 2011
90
87th
What the hell did I just watch?!?
Rated 12 Oct 2011
childintimechildintime
Rated 10 Jan 2009
90
98th
surreal insanity
Rated 10 Jan 2009
schnofelschnofel
Rated 20 Feb 2011
38
23rd
Just a pompous Giallo
Rated 20 Feb 2011
botelhudobotelhudo
Rated 16 Apr 2011
85
91st
"Santa Sangre" is perhaps the most beautiful and disturbing of all films by Jodorowsky. It tells the bizarre story of Phoenix, a young man whose life was marked by family tragedies. In his way, poetic and distorted echoes of Theatre, Circus, sexuality, instinct versus rationality, religious rites, all of this blended in an always surprising sequence of scary dives into the mysteries of Death and Life. This is an unforgettable and disconcerting experience, like most works of this master of cinema
Rated 16 Apr 2011
karamazovkaramazov.
Rated 03 Jun 2015
74
93rd
Part giallo kitsch, part slasher, part missing link btwn Fellini and "Only God Forgives"? Bizarre and lovely.
Rated 03 Jun 2015
asmar03Asmar03
Rated 03 Oct 2016
100
95th
It's not the best Jodorowsky, i prefer the holy moutain but the movie is not bad and hold a charm on his own. Actually, It's more focused on trauma than surrealism, like Cronenber's "spider" and Fellini's "8 1/2". Sometimes, it lacks rhythms, but the last scene was incredible. A very good acting with a touch of 'children of paradise' : the gestual, the fellings and a sprinkle of romance.
Rated 03 Oct 2016

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