PERDITA DURANGO

Spain, 1997, 125 minutes, Colour.
Rosie Perez, Javier Badim, Harley Cross, Aimee Graham, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Don Stroud, Alex Cox, Carol Badim.
Directed by Alex de la Iglesia.

A lot of audiences would find this film difficult to sit through - and if they didn't, one might wonder why. It is one of those sociopaths on a violent spree movies that seems to relish a lot of what it dramatises while many will find it repulsive. It is a macho interpretation of pseudo-macho behaviour.

Rosie Perez's Perdita is meant to be the centre of the film, a woman hurt by violence, without a conscience - almost. But Javier Bardem's extraordinary manic performance as an insane drug dealer who delves into Santeria rituals focuses the show on himself - as he dreams of being Burt Lancaster in the 1956 Vera Cruz.

Filmed in Mexico and the US in some difficult to understand English by Spanish Alex de Iglesia, it relishes what is called the Tarentino style of hip violence with hip dialogue. But there is an ugliness in this film that undermines it. Ugly.

1. The work of Alex de la Iglesia? Spanish stories? Violence? Black humour? Critique?

2. The connection of this film to Wild at Heart? The characters? Themes? The road movie to Las Vegas?

3. The locations, the west, the Mexican border? The desert locations? The Gothic tone? Hotels, motels, the rendezvous?

4. The structure of the film, Perdita and Romeo together, the mission? The interactions? The flashbacks? Their insertion, revelation of character?

5. The character of Perdita, the prostitute, the sisters and nephews and their murder? Her brother-in-law killing himself?

6. Romeo, the drug dealer, the background as a witchdoctor? His relationship with his partner, tricking Shorty, the share of the bank robbery?

7. Perdita and Romeo, at the border, the interaction, lovers, sharing the crime? Romeo and his agreement to deliver the cargo? The foetuses? Reggie urging him on, the gangland boss, Marcello Santos?

8. Their behaviour, characters, manic attitudes? The decision to kidnap Duane and Estelle? Romeo and the rape of Estelle? Perdita and Duane, his being more accommodating?

9. Romeo and his occult ceremonies, the relationship with Estelle, the decision that she should be a human sacrifice? Her not being killed, Shorty, the gang, the interruption? The confrontation with Shorty, Romeo killing him, the taking of the necklaces which protected him?

10. The gang, the violence, the escape, taking the package? Romeo and the confrontation with the nightclub owner, the pressure on his grandmother? His discovery about Reggie, the tricks?

11. Romeo, the confrontation, trying to get the foetuses back? The ambush? The American police?

12. Romeo, going by himself, leaving the group behind, giving the cargo to his cousin? Estelle, the information, the double cross? Duane and Estelle freed, her pursuit of Romeo?

13. Reggie, the confrontation, Romeo and his being shot – why? Perdita, her violence, killing Reggie?

14. The police, the investigations, Perdita and her going to Las Vegas – to what purpose?

15. A violent and ugly film? Narrative, characters, critique, black humour?