7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A young man is confined in a mental hospital. Through a flashback we see that he was traumatized as a child, when he and his family were circus performers: he saw his father cut off the arms of his mother, a religious fanatic and leader of the heretical church of Santa Sangre ("Holy Blood"), and then commit suicide. Back in the present, he escapes and rejoins his surviving and armless mother. Against his will, he "becomes her arms" and the two undertake a grisly campaign of murder and revenge.
Starring: Axel Jodorowsky, Blanca Guerra, Sabrina Dennison, Adan Jodorowsky, Guy StockwellHorror | 100% |
Drama | 30% |
Mystery | 14% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
The Alejandro Jodorowsky Collection was a pretty easy choice to make my list of Top 10 Blu-ray releases of 2020, and one of the reasons why is that, aside from the pure visual phantasmagoria and almost doctoral level metaphysics and occultism (in about equal measure) that can show up in any given Jodorowsky film, Jodorowsky himself might be thought of as the cinematic equivalent of "the most interesting man in the world". As I mention in our The Alejandro Jodorowsky Collection Blu- ray review, his patently insane background, which includes everything from drawing cartoons to being a therapist, as well as his inimitable talents as a raconteur, make him as engaging an on screen presence as he is behind the camera. That aspect is very much in evidence in a featurette included on this release that is ostensibly about the restoration that Santa Sangre enjoys in this "new, improved" version, but which, typically of Jodorowsky, soon ripples out to all sorts of ancillary material. One of the most telling things Jodorowsky says dovetails almost perfectly with a recent comment by Guillermo del Toro that I mentioned in our recent Clapboard Jungle Blu-ray review where the famed writer and director waxed philosophical about his love of actually making movies, but his equal and opposite hatred for having to then sell them. In a similar way, Jodorowsky kind of disparagingly describes the "movie industry", and states outright that he is not an industrialist, but an artist. As such, he may not always have had major studio support, but that may have actually been a blessing in disguise, as even Jodorowsky himself seems to realize when he also mentions that having had to do everything himself, he at least was able to make sure things were done the way he wanted them to be.
Santa Sangre is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. The back cover of this release's slipcase states this features "a 4K scan from the original negative and supervised by the director himself". Even a cursory comparison to the screenshots included with Casey's review of the old 1080 release from Severin will show what a marked improvement in saturation and clarity this release offers. Primaries, reds and blues in particular, resonate much more strongly in this version. Detail levels are generally nicely improved as well, and fine detail on some of the elaborate costumes is particularly evident. Some of the asylum material does not offer the same fulsome densities as the bulk of the presentation, and there are occasional brief downturns in overall image quality, some due to opticals (as in the opening and closing scenes). Grain can be pretty gritty looking against brighter backgrounds, but resolves without any major issues.
This edition of Santa Sangre offers DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 tracks in English, along with DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono tracks in Spanish and Italian. Casey mentioned how generally pleased he was with the stereo English track on Severin's first Blu-ray release of the film, but I have to say the 5.1 repurposing on this disc is effective without feeling overly artificial. In fact, amplitude overall is generally improved, and toggling between the two English language tracks reveals the 2.0 version to be a bit boxy sounding and not as forceful generally as the surround track. That said, the surround track doesn't really offer consistent engagement of the side and rear channels, though there are some nice immersive moments, many featuring some of the film's eclectic (to say the least) score. Certain sequences, like the showdown between the protestors and developers at the "religious shrine" early in the film do offer some opening up of the soundstage. The Spanish 2.0 Mono track is considerably louder than either the English 2.0 track or the Italian 2.0 Mono track. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Disc 1 (Feature Film)
Santa Sangre is unabashedly gonzo from the get go, but for those attuned to Jodorowsky's singular artistic vision, it's a must see. "Meaning" here may be tentative at best, and some of the film is outrageously ludicrous even within its own hyperbolic context, but the overall effect is unforgettable. This version sports a noticeably better suffused palette than the old 1080 version, and also boasts generally very commendable fine detail. Technical merits are solid and the supplementary package is outstanding. Highly recommended.
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Slipcover in Original Pressing
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