Some of the best cinematic experiences one can have is when you watch something completely on its own insane frequency that you cannot wait to share it with others. Watching the 1997 brutal and bloody crime narrative Perdita Durango (aka Dance With The Devil) from director Álex de la Iglesia is certainly a prime example of this phenomenon. With his third feature, the filmmaker found himself in a position to be more ambitious as he tackled this story based on Barry Gifford’s 1992 novel 59° and Raining: The Story of Perdita Durango. With a kinetic energy similar to the Robert Rodriguez-Quentin Tarantino feature From Dusk Till Dawn, the film is somehow both more grounded than that supernatural tale and also more viscerally insane and brutal. The story takes the title character who you may have seen portrayed by Isabella Rossellini in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart and gives her an even deeper level of unhinged insanity, only to be outdone by her otherworldly boyfriend. The film is not for the faint of heart, but those who fall under its spell are in for a unique journey.
This time around we have the wonderful Rosie Perez (Do The Right Thing) in one of her career-best performances as the title character. We first meet Perdita drinking alone at an airport bar as she attempts to be picked up by a nebbish software salesman who gets a taste of how out of his depth he would feel if she were to say yes. Perdita is still mourning the recent murder-suicide of her sister and two nieces at the hands of her brother-in-law, but she masks that pain well underneath a prickly, self-assured exterior. As intimidating as she may be, she does not hold a candle to her demonic lover, Romeo Dolorosa (Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men), a bank robber, murderer, sex fiend and son of a witch from Petit Caribe. He makes some extra cash by scamming rich gringos out of money during his Santeria rituals where he uses freshly-stolen corpses for rituals during which he rips out hearts and slurps up blood before rapt audiences. Through this and his bank robbing, he is looking to appease his loan shark, Catalina (Demián Bichir, Land), who is anxious for payment.
While not the most stable couple in the world, they seem to work really well together in the sense that they bring out the wildest tendencies out of one another. When Romeo is enlisted by Santos (Don Stroud), a mob boss with a taste for little girls, to hijack a truckload of human fetuses (for cosmetics), he is only too happy to help out. Of course, first Romeo wants to appease the gods before he takes on this dangerous job by providing them with a human sacrifice, and once again Perdita is on board. Perhaps a little too on board, as she scopes out teen sweethearts Duane (Harley Cross) and Estelle (Aimee Graham) and plucks them off the street for some deflowering (both of them) and ritualistic sacrifices (also both of them). The final piece of the puzzle is drug enforcement agent Woody Dumas (James Gandolfini) who is hot on their trail trying to prevent their path of destruction. As you can probably gather, the story is sprawling and we have only scratched the surface with this broad overview.
What makes this film so effective is the specific tone that it pulls off that allows all of the darker developments to go down easily. de la Iglesia has found the perfect combination of source material and performers, and he does not betray the audience by dressing this film up to be anything that it is not. One of the first impressions you get from Romeo is this man in his snakehead boots as he makes them dance around while in the midst of a bank robbery – this is also a time where Romeo takes a few extra valuable seconds to have a lady pop out her boobs for a quick peek. As big of a presence as Romeo is, there is never a sense that Perdita is some helpless figure being forced along this dark path. Every step of the way she is shown to be on board and as unhinged as Romeo. Sure, she might get jealous when Romeo is taking advantage of Estelle, but Perdita gets in on the “fun” with Duane. How is this not completely stomach churning? Perhaps due to the fact that it is preceded by a carefree van-dancing session to some Herb Alpert akin to Rob Zombie’s “Dragula” that juxtaposes their exuberance with the scared kidnap victims in the back.
The only qualm with the feature is it seems to lose some of this zeal for life as the film moves along. The first half finds Perdita and Romeo completely unchained from reality in a way that makes you feel the aforementioned Zombie was taking notes for The Devil’s Rejects. After they kidnap their victims and get their first stab at the sacrifice interrupted, the movie loses a bit of steam and becomes a bit more conventional – as conventional as a crime odyssey involving stolen fetuses can become. The film seems interested in using the young lovers as an avenue to criticize America’s consumption of popular culture, but these themes feel underdeveloped compared to its potential. Even as it slows down somewhat, you cannot deny that the journey remains transfixing from the first frame to the last. The film has had a rocky history in some territories including the United States where it was edited by at least ten minutes for sexual content and violence. Thankfully, this new release from Severin allows fans to see the film in its uncut glory. It can be an intense ride, but those who can handle it should really enjoy themselves and will want to share with as many people as possible.
Video Quality
Severin Films presents Perdita Durango with a glorious 2160p transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the disc is the application of HDR for increased color output that has to be seen to be truly appreciated for its lustrous beauty. The film ranks among the best films of this age that I have seen on the format. The new master features some bold colors in the production design and costumes that pop off the screen with a vibrant intensity. From the very first yellowish-orange dream sequence with the leopard you will be stunned by the depth of color. The black levels are outstanding with nothing in the way of crush present, and white levels are solid as a rock with no evidence of blooming.
The level of detail and clarity is stunning with a pleasing amount of natural film grain intact. The grain mostly resolves quite well, but there are some moments that look a bit swarm-y in some of the brightest backgrounds. The texture on display in the costumes and within the production design are a revelation. Even facial details such as blood dripping down the sides of mouths present with impressive clarity. This transfer does feature a few stray specks that do not amount to much in the long run. This presentation is true to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more immediate. There does not appear to be much in the way of jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a stellar effort from the good people at Severin Films.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a lovely DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in both English and Spanish. The track provides an expansive soundscape that does not sound artificial in the least. The track does not feature constant activity in the side and rear channels, but they come alive when it makes sense. The eclectic musical choices and score from Simon Boswell is used well to establish the mood of the story, and this track handles it elegantly throughout the duration of the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. The environmental sounds such as the chatter of crowds and gunfire are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Severin Films has given this film a perfectly preserved audio presentation that brings the movie to life in an exciting manner.
Special Features
- On The Border – Interview with Director Álex de la Iglesia: A 28-minute interview in which the filmmaker discusses the original direction that director Bigas Luna wanted to take the material before he came on board, the portrayal of the dream world and reality, his relationship with Javier Bardem, his reaction to the ritual scenes, the filming locations and more. The insights he chooses to share feel very authentic and are worth seeking out.
- Writing Perdita Durango – Interview with Barry Gifford: A 17-minute featurette in which Gifford discusses his process of writing the material, the origin of the character in Wild At Heart, the growth of the character, the rocky journey to the screen, the various characters and the performers inhabiting them and more.
- Dancing With The Devil – Interview with Rebekah McKendry: A 13-minute piece in which Filmmaker Rebekah McKendry takes you through the early career of de la Iglesia before delving into the nuts and bolts of Perdita Durango and its connections to other contemporary material.
- Narcosatanicos – Perdita Durango and the Matamoros Cult: An 18-minute featurette which draws attention to some of the real-life events that took place and sent shockwaves through Mexico. There are discussions about various religions and how certain individuals corrupted some of the beliefs for nefarious purposes.
- Canciones De Amor Maldito – The Music Of Perdita Durango with Composer Simon Boswell: A 21-minute featurette in which Boswell discusses his road to Perdita Durango, the work of his that impressed de la Iglesia, his inspirations for the stylistic choices, and many more insights that are very compelling.
- Shooting Perdita Durango – Interview with Flavio Labiano: A five-minute conversation with the cinematographer as he discusses the production, the shooting locations, the look of the film and more.
- Trailers: There are two trailers (1:37 and 1:50) provided for the film.
Final Thoughts
Perdita Durango is difficult to describe outside of saying its unhinged insanity incarnate. The performances from Rosie Perez and Javier Bardem are an absolute blast, and the narrative they are bringing to life offers up many outrageous twists and turns. The film can be quite shocking, but it is very rewarding for those who understand its charms. Severin Films has provided a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that features an outstanding A/V presentation and a substantial selection of supplemental features. Fans of the film could not ask for a more well-rounded package for this one. Recommended
Perdita Durango is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Severin Films has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
