THE LAST CIRCUS: An Operatic Orgy of Hyper-Violence and Love
From visionary Spanish director Ãlex de la Iglesia (Day of the Beast, The Perfect Crime) comes one of the most beautifully batshit insane movies you will see in 2011. Easily one of the most unforgettable films I’ve seen in the past five years, The Last Circus is an epic, operatic orgy of hyper-violence that gives a new meaning to the phrase “love triangle.” It’s also an incredibly confident and well-crafted film that’s destined for cult status.
The film begins in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. Children are gleefully enjoying a performance by a “happy” clown when National soldiers interrupt and force a machete into the clown’s hands. The clown, who minutes ago was making children laugh, massacres an entire platoon; tearing through them like butter. Jump to 1973. The son of the clown, Javier (Carlos Areces), enlists in a circus to follow in his father’s footsteps. There he falls in love with the Natalie (Carolina Bang), who is screwing the head clown and Javier’s boss, Sergio. Javier’s desire drives him insane and he sees a vision of Natalie as the Virgin Mary and him as her avenging angel. Love vs. lust explodes into an all out war for Natalie’s hand.
While the story of two clowns fighting for the love of a woman doesn’t sound very exciting or imaginative, The Last Circus is anything but boring and remains unpredictable throughout. The heaps of colorful violence fill the film – everything from trumpet-bludgeoning to back-snapping gymnastic acts. Some of it’s shocking but Ãlex de la Iglesia keeps it goofy and slapstick enough as to not come off as offensive. Some people think violence can be offensive. Stupid, I know.
Spicy latina Carolina Bang‘s breakout performance as Natalie is one of the film’s many highlights. Plus her name is “Carolina Bang” which is as sexy as a non-porno actress’s name can possibly get. The film is stocked with interesting circus performers: the rocket-motorcycle rider, the elephant tamer (whose wife was killed by his own elephant), the wise, old ring-master, etc. Carlos Areces is an absolute maniac as Javier. He’s never really a protagonist or an antagonist – he’s just clinically insane.
The Last Circus is coming to the States on August 12th thanks to the folks at Magnet. Do not sleep on this one, guys. I mean it. It’s one of 2011’s most original and craziest films.
This review originally appeared at the Mishka Bloglin.