Rojo sangre

One of the great Spanish horror actors, Paul Naschy plays the role of Pablo Thevenet as if it is autobiographical, and it may very well be.

He is washed up as an actor. Current directors want only pretty faces and lots of silicone. He lands a job as a doorman that allows him to use his prodigious talents as he was meant to.

It is obvious that Pablo is entering a deal with the devil, but when the devil's assistant looks as good as Bibiana Fernández (Almodovar's Matador & his La Ley del Deseo), who cares? Apparently Pablo had some unpleasant experiences in life besides his downward fall as an actor and he snaps. This is where the horror begins. He is to spill blood copiously to get revenge.

Christian Molina, in his first directorial project has managed to give us a new view of horror in a very stylized way, almost as good as Argento. I am looking forward to seeing his other films.

Paul Naschy, star of an innumerable amount of Spanish exploitation classics (including the "Hombre-Lobo" cycle) returns in this wondrously bizarre and imaginative film that premiered at the International Festival of Fantasy Films. I'm pretty convinced that "Rojo Sangre" won't be very successful and that's a damn shame because it finally is a truly odd and eccentric Spanish horror effort again, and the fans have seen far too few of these recently. The premise is a variant on the legendary "Faust" tale but, as much as every other aspect in this film, it's a very VERY demented take on Goethe's classic story. Naschy shines as the veteran actor-in-low-water Pablo Thevenet. He despises the young generation of actors and actresses for being untalented and he's frustrated about the fact that new and arrogant casting directors don't know him. Desperate for work, he accepts a job as a living sculpture in a fancy brothel ran by extravagant people. But something seems to have snapped in Pablo's head and he starts a violent killing spree, focusing on those who were responsible for artistic downfall. The plot really gets complex when Pablo's employers turn out to be unworldly and ultimately messed up. The story doesn't make much sense half of the time (and the other half is downright confusing) but still you love what you see because it's so vivid and nostalgic. You fancy yourself back into the glorious days of euro-exploitation and that's a feeling I personally missed enormously. "Rojo Sangre" features a lot of old-fashioned sleaze, good music and adorably insane characters (a transsexual business lady or a millionaire snuff-fanatic, anyone??). The dialogues are exceptionally well-written and the cinematography is astonishingly beautiful!It actually doesn't look leak a cheap exploitation film at all, as the camera-work is ingenious and the visuals are very creative. The gore and make-up effects aren't as outrageous as I expected (or hoped!) them to be, but there certainly are a couple of marvelous gruesomeness-highlights, including nasty images of a cut up corpse, multiple stabbings and professionally slit throats! Despite the devastating material, the screenplay also makes room for genuine black comedy and a couple of very comical anecdotes. The film opens with one, when Pablo gives a detailed description of his bizarre sexual fetish! That sequence is hilarious and you already consider "Blood Red" a success before it even properly begun! Paul Naschy is brilliant as Pablo Thevenet (it might even be his best performance ever) and maybe that's because he really feels related to his character's situation. No worries Paul, I can assure you that the godly Paul Naschy is still worshiped by a limited group of cult-lovers! Watch "Blood Red" when you've got the chance!

Rojo Sangre is a Spanish full feature debut by Christian Molina. These kind of debutes are perfect measurements to see if there's any talent hidden inside the director. Writer and leading man Paul Naschy came up with a brilliantly confusing and quite frankly almost fantasy/dream-like story line based around an actor who has nothing going for him.

Veteran actor Pablo Thevenet has no luck: His daughter has been murdered, his wife has left him, he finds no job, his agent wants to leave him and directors will never give him a role. He hates current talent less stars on TV talk shows. Suddenly, he is hooked up for a job as a living sculpture in a whore house working for Mr. Reficul and his transsexual assistant Dora Grizzel. In the end. Pablo becomes an artistic murderer, searching for those he thinks responsible of his current state.

It's a great mish mash of extravagant characters and wildly over the top character development. The film can be very subtle and at the same time it will randomly burst into something rather unsubtle. It's definitely an unpredictable story line and above it all: an unpredictable leading role. There's something about the vibe that will draw your attention from the first to the very last minute. It really is something you can't accurately describe, but you'll find it amusing and disturbing at the same time... once you get into it.

The very first scene definitely sets the tone for what's yet to come. A pretty messed up conversation about shoving toy cars up your rectum isn't quite what I was expecting. It's a clear indication that this film is served with a dark sense of humor. It's one of the many qualities. Christian Molina dares to take risks story wise, as well as visually. He has some cool tricks up his sleeves. His scene transitions are amazingly creative.

Rojo Sangre is not really a slasher, nor is it anything else in particular. It's a surprisingly well made mixture of genres with great performances (Paul Naschy really knows how to put on a show) and the many twists will keep you guessing throughout the entire film. A must see!

In "Rojo Sangre", that god of Eurohorror, Paul Naschy, plays a thinly veiled analogue of himself as an actor in the twilight of his career. At one stage he lists some of the movies he has made, and Naschy fans will instantly recognize many films from Naschy's own career. Sadly, as Naschy is here portraying an actor whose career has gone to seed, those titles aren't the only glaring reference to the actor's real life.

Pablo Thevenets is an actor who the world has sidelined due to his age. He is ridiculed by casting directors, all younger than him, who regard him as a relic of a bygone and embarrassing era. When he finally lands a role, it is humiliating, and doesn't even involve acting on stage or screen: rather, he is relegated to dressing as macabre historical figures in front of a restaurant - and generally in the pooring rain while passers-by jeer at him.

This job pays well, but for Thevenets - who has recently lost his daughter to murder and wife to another man - it is a final straw, and it begins to feel a bit like Naschy does "Death Wish", only with the criminals being puffed up showbiz hacks. Before we take Thevenets as a Paul Kersey clone, however, there is also the fact of his new boss, Mr Reficul, and what that name spells when reversed.

This is all, of course, a treat for Naschy fans, for whom "Rojo sangre" is unmissable. If you have never seen a Naschy film, this one might not sell you completely - there are a ton of films from his back catalogue that are required viewing for anyone who is interested, particularly "El Caminante", "Night of the Werewolf", "Inquisicion", "Panic Beats", "Horror Rises from the Tomb", "The People Who Own the Dark", "The Werewolf Woman Versus the Vampire Woman". "Rojo Sangre" is a fans-only must-watch, but is a must-watch, nonetheless.

Paul Naschy for years was among the top John Belushi look alikes in the world. He of course was also a big horror star in Spain and re-edited versions of his best known werewolf films played on chiller theater TV packages as I, and many other horror fans grew up. Most of the stars of 60's horror films are gone sadly and now that horror films are again very popular they aren't around to enjoy a final film. Christopher Lee of course is alive and well, but has so far "only" been in non horror films during this new interest. Vincent Price was in some films for Tim Burton, but these too were small parts in non genre films. And lets not think too hard back a few years to Bela Lugosi going on working for Ed Wood or those last few lousy Boris Karloff Mexican productions.

So congratulations to Paul Naschy for being in what is a very creative horror film and showing that he's a better actor and still a very cutting edge writer all these years later. This is a slick film, gruesome and creative on many levels. It's a good and or better than anything he's ever been in or made. Though he's playing a character somewhat like himself, a former horror icon, there is little trace of self consciousness in his performance.

Naschy had recently been in two American Horror films, but let's admit that they are two lousy films from two lousy filmmakers. He also had a fun small role in a not so bad Spanish film SCHOOL KILLER a few years ago. But for him in his native land to get this film made,let alone for it to be a good film, it's just well almost unheard of triumph.

There is little nostalgia in my thoughts towards this film. It stands on it's own even if you aren't a Naschy fan, or if you think of him as sort of a camp figure from the past. If you haven't heard of him this would be a great introduction.

Most actors could only wish for a comeback film like this in any genre. Let's hope this isn't the final film for Naschy because he shows he's still got it in him to do cutting edge horror.