Fernando Arrabal, the grandfather of Spanish Surreal cinema. His films have influenced some of the most respected names in expressionist film; yet his work is vastly underrated. Cult Epics has compiled three of the directors films in this collection: Viva La Muerte, I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse, and the never before released The Guernica Tree, only available in this boxset.
These categories are broken down by each film. To view the individual reviews, please scroll to the bottom of the page and click the respective link.
FILM-
Viva La Muerte- Viva La Muerte explores the mind of Fando, a young boy dealing with loss and the unknown. His father was arrested during the Spanish Civil War; and Fando is still coping with this ordeal. His religious, mother, both abusive and loving, tries to dismiss his father. Fando does not know how to deal with his bittersweet life at times, and retreats into his mind for safety. He tries to make sense of it all: war, death, love, cruelty, politics, and religion. Even during the times Fando is with friends and loved ones, he still retreats into his mind. He soon find a letter, incriminating his mother in the arrest of his father. Again his mother blows the issue off, claiming he committed suicide while in jail. Fando, not believing his mother, decides to find the true fate of his father.
Spanish Surrealism has always thrilled me. The imagery, the exotic locations; everything about it. Arrabal use of the surreal in Viva La Muerte is like no other Spanish Surreal film I have seen. The "reality" is not tarnished; it's the way Fando's mind perceives it. It's horrifying, yet beautiful, to see how his mind works. Most of the time, the violence and sexuality are overdone; which is taboo for such a young boy. One scene in particular involving a cow both repulsed and fascinated me; and was one of the hardest scenes, of any movie, I have sat through. Fando is most definitely a reflection of Arrabal, which makes this one of the more personal films of it's kind. Viva La Muerte is the surreal autobiography of a tormented mind, and is unlike anything you will ever see. 8/10.
I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse- After the death of his mother, Aden, a socially scared epileptic, flees into the desert. Wanted for questioning in her death, he is perused by the police; lead by Inspector Gay. In the desert, Aden meets Marvel; a nomadic hermit who lives with his flock. Marvel has some amazing powers, and is closely linked to nature. Aden is fascinated, and he befriends Marvel. With Inspector Gay clueless to his location, Aden persuades Marvel to come with him to the city. Marvel has lived in the desert his whole life, and has no knowledge of technology or civilization. After packing their belonging, the two friends (accompanied by Theresa, their goat) journey into the city. Marvel is horrified by the cruelty the "civilized" inflict on nature, and hates the modern society. Aden accidentally kills a prostitute one night, and the police restart their hunt. During their final attempt to outrun the authorities, Marvel finds happiness; and we find out the facts in the murder.
While not as personal as Viva La Muerte, this is still a fairly autobiographical film. The loathing of the mother and the uncertainty of religion are all present in Aden, same as Fando. I Will Walk is more in style with the modern Spanish Surrealist films. It blurs the lines of reality and fiction continuously; as opposed to "imagined surrealism" of Viva La Muerte. This entry in Arrabal's filmography is incredibly grotesque, yet beautiful as well. The imagery is over the top; and this has one of the most emotionally charged endings of any film of this caliber. Only a talent likeArraba could make deification, cannibalism, and gas masks as beautiful as they appear in this film. 9/10.
The Guernica Tree- Once again, Arrabal tackles the horrors of war with The Guernica Tree. The town of Villa Ramiro is the heart of the Resistance during the Spanish Civil War. With the townspeople craving Communism over Fascism, the head of the city, the Count, is forced into hiding. He is hid by the mild mannered school teacher Antonio, because he believes it is the right thing to do. The Count's son, Goya, rebels against his tyrannical father in favor of the Revolution. He attends a freedom celebration in the town of Guernica; where under a tree, the founders of Spain declared it's inhabitants free. Here Goya meets Vandale, another Revolutionist. While they celebrate, The Fascists bomb the town. The two escape, but almost everyone is killed. The most notable survivor is the beacon of freedom, The Guernica Tree, which was unharmed. The citizens have finally had enough; and Villa Ramiro takes arms. With this the last obstacle before the Fascist takeover, they begin their bloody attack on the city; demonstrating the true nature of war.
Arrabal created this film, along with Viva la Muerte, as an attempt to make sense of the Spanish Civil War. While far less personal than Viva la Muerte, it is just as powerful. Easily the most violent film in the set, it is also the most linear and plot driven; almost abandoning the surreal for story development in some places. I'm glad to see such versatile film making from a talented director like Arrabal. The violence is merciless, but so is Arrabal protest against the atrocities committed during the war. The end result is as cruel as it is beautiful; Arrabal has sculpted an amazing film from such inhumane cruelty. 9/10.
Overall- While not for the timid or mainstream movie goers, the films of Fernando Arrabal are highly recommended. Be warned, they are borderline artistic terrorism; and that's said with nothing but respect. 8/10.
PICTURE/ AUDIO-
Viva La Muerte- The picture looks amazingly well. The colors are strong and bold, and the grain is the perfect balance; not enough to ruin the film, but enough to match the tone and setting. Cult Epics had once again proven their ability to deliver almost perfect transfers. 9/10.
The audio is great, and has minimal interference. There's something about the way films in the 70's sounded; I can't describe it, but people who are fans of off beat, retro cinema will know what I'm talking about. Viva La Muerte has this indescribable quality to it, and sounds excellent. 8/10.
I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse- The picture looks fantastic. The landscapes look beautiful, and the colors show up well. The picture is not soft at all, and has minimal grain. However, there are many "clouds" and circular scars on the film. These are very unusual looking, and pop up at random times; enhancing the absurdity of the film. 8/10.
The audio in this one, same as Viva La Muerte, possesses that 70's charm. Little interference and a strong soundtrack make this a solid audio transfer. 8/10.
The Guernica Tree- Cult Epics has treated this film well. Lost for years, I was expecting there to be alot of picture damage. There is none to speak of, and the film looks fantastic. 9/10.
The audio is haunting in some places. this is strange, because almost every track was used in his prior works. This just shows you haw the context of audio and visuals can combine to create different moods and experiences. The audio is sharp and flawless. I had the same worry with the audio as i had with the picture, but I was pleasantly surprised. 8/10.
Overall- Cult Epics has shown us that they can make anything the world can commit to celluloid look, and sound, fantastic! 8/10.
EXTRAS-
Viva La Muerte- Cult Epics has once again loaded this disk with extras. On disk extras include: an interview with director Fernando Arrabal, a French lobbycard gallery, and the trailer for I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse. Also included is a 6 page set of liner notes. 8/10.
I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse- Cult Epics has once again packed their release with extras. Along with some impressive liner notes, we also get: an interviews with Fernando Arrabal, German lobbycard gallery, and the theatrical trailer for Viva La Muerte. 8/10.
The Guernica Tree- The film it's self is technically an extra; as it is only available in this boxset. It comes with some liner notes, and one of the most bizarre postcards I have ever seen. On disk extras include: the trailer, lobbycard gallery, and an interview/ featurett with Fernando Arrabal. 8/10.
Overall- This boxset is a limited edition of 4000, and seeing as how it has amazing films with amazing extras, I would suggest you snag this one quickly. 8/10.
Order from Cult Epics!
Individual Reviews- Viva La Muerte and I Will Walk Like A Crazy Horse.
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