‘The Last Circus’ Blu-Ray Review – A Historical Nightmare From Álex de la Iglesia

1937, Spain is in the midst of the brutal Spanish Civil War. A Happy circus clown is interrupted mid-performance and forcibly recruited by a militia. Still in his costume, he is handed a machete and led into battle against National soldiers, where he single handedly massacres an entire platoon. Fast forward to 1973, the tail end of the Franco regime. Javier, the son of the clown, dreams of following in his father’s career footsteps, but has seen too much tragedy in his life – he’s simply not funny and is only equipped to play the role of the Sad Clown. He finds work in a circus where he befriends an outlandish cast of characters, but as the Sad Clown he must take the abuse of the brutish Happy Clown Sergio, who humiliates Javier daily in the name of entertainment. It is here that he meets Natalia, a gorgeous acrobat, and abused wife of Sergio. Javier falls deeply in love with Natalia and tries to rescue her from her cruel and violent husband, unleashing Sergio’s jealousy. But Natalia is torn between her affection towards Javier and her lust for Sergio. With neither man willing to back down, this twisted love triangle evolves into a ferocious battle between Sad Clown and Happy Clown, escalating to unbelievable heights in this absurd, shocking, irreverent and unforgettable film.

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Video Quality

The Last Circus arrives on Blu-Ray under the partnership between Magnolia Pictures and OCN Distribution. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray by the label in 2011, but we do not have that for comparison. This new release comes with an admirable 1080p video presentation derived from a new transfer of the original HDCAM source. You might not expect much from a feature shot on digital at this time, but this new transfer is a winner given the source. There is quite a bit of texture to the screen with a world of delicious production design flourishes and the cracked, smearing clown makeup. 

All of these elements provide vividly clear textural details and depth to the image. The image is purposefully grimy with a clear vision from setting to setting. The color palette delicately saturates the screen with some of the gory effects really making themselves known. The film deploys bold splashes of colors within the design elements which never lack for something to catch your gaze. Black levels are fairly deep with no egregious digital noise. The flesh tones are natural with a serious amount of detail in close-ups such as face paint and stubble. This Blu-Ray is a great addition for fans of the auteur. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a great DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Spanish that brings this story to life without issue. There is also an English dub included that we would not recommend to preserve the artistic purity. The music emerges with respectable fidelity as sounds fill the speakers in a wonderful, well-balanced way. Certain sound effects such as some bludgeoning engage the low end of the track in a way that supplies a vital texture to the proceedings. Dialogue always emanates clearly without being overwhelmed by any competing sounds. Kinetic moments make an impression when necessary, but even the more subdued environmental sounds engage the surround speakers in a truly memorable way. With each location, ambient details flesh out the world at large. The audio track delivers on all fronts. Optional English and English SDH subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Shelagh Rowan-Legg, author of The Spanish Fantastic: Contemporary Filmmaking in Horror, Fantasy and Sci Fi, and podcaster/writer Joe Lipsett provide a commentary track that explores how this fits into the career of filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia, the historical context that ties into the story, the thematic layers of the narrative, the background of the performers, and more. This track allows you to appreciate the film on a deeper level. 

• The Dark Carnival of History: A 12-minute video essay from film historian and academic Alexandra Heller-Nicolas that delves into various aspects of Spanish history and how it informs the content in The Last Circus. 

• Making The Last Circus: A nearly 16-minute archival piece that explores the creation of the film through on-set interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and more. 

• Behind The Scenes Footage: A nearly eight-minute compilation of moments from the set. 

• Visual FX Comparison: An 11-minute look at the evolution of the visual effects in the film. 

• U.S. Trailer (2:04)

• International Teaser (0:43)

• International Trailer (1:44)

• Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring new writing by film critic BJ Colangelo is provided that analyzes the film and puts it into context with the output of Álex de la Iglesia. 

Final Thoughts

The Last Circus is a surprisingly layered nightmare from director Álex de la Iglesia that weaves in historical subjugation with toxic masculinity in effective ways. The movie is emotionally bombastic with big performances to complement it. It is not always the most pleasant watch, but it is one that will stick with you for quite a while. Magnolia Pictures has released a Blu-Ray featuring a favorable A/V presentation and a strong selection of supplemental features. If you are a fan of the filmmaker, this is the version to pick up. Recommended 

The Last Circus is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Magnolia Pictures and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.