Santa Sangre:
Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Year: 1989
Rated: NC-17
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Length: 2 hours 3 minutes
Country of Origin: Mexico, Italy
Language: English
Streaming on: Amazon Prime, Tubi, Apple TV
Summarizing the Film
Next for Day 27 of 31 Days of Horror Movie Challenge: Carnival Nightmares is the psychological horror of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Santa Sangre (1989). The film tells the haunting story of Fenix, a young man scarred by childhood trauma in a circus family. Witnessing a murder-suicide involving his father and armless mother, Fenix’s life takes a dark turn. Confined to a sanitarium, he embarks on a hallucinatory journey, believing he has reunited with his armless mother. Together, they embark on a grisly campaign of revenge and murder.
Filming Techniques at the Time
Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, Santa Sangre uses avant-garde and surreal filmmaking techniques. Jodorowsky’s signature style blends suspense, horror, and psychological drama. The use of allegorical nudity and suggested violence adds to the film’s psychological impact.
Methods Used to Show Circus-Related Horror
The circus in Santa Sangre becomes a symbolic space with ritualistic practices. Jodorowsky combines the circus into the protagonist’s troubled psyche, exploring themes of trauma and madness. The film portrays the circus as both a place of wonder and darkness, using its rituals to deepen the narrative’s psychological impact.
Canvas for Exploring the Depths of Trauma and Madness
Jodorowsky’s ability to create a film that resonates emotionally and thematically makes Santa Sangre a must for Day 27 of 31 Days of Horror Movie Challenge: Carnival Nightmares. The circus becomes a canvas for exploring the depths of trauma and madness.