Last Circus, The

Spain 2010, 102 minutes
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
In Spanish with English subtitles
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Action/Adventure, Horror, Cult

Feat. Carlos Areces, Antonio de la Torre, Carolina Bang

“Brilliant, bizarre, dazzling and utterly demented...”~Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

Aroview: Clown rivalries collide in this violent, OTT genre riot from Spanish trash auteur, Alex de la Iglesia, set at both ends of Franco's dictatorship 1936-75.

The political subtext is lost however in what plays out as a broadly black comedy burlesque in which two clowns (Sad and Happy) escalate their fight over a beautiful acrobat. The art directors have a field day of course and make superb use of a modest budget, but its an otherwise gaudy mess that misses the genuine macabre of say, Jodorowsky's SANTA SANGRE.

NZ International Film Festival 2011