El Dia de la Bestia (1995)
Directed by Alex de la Iglesia
Written by Jorge Guerricaechevarria and Alex de la Iglesia
Starring Alex Angulo, Armando De Razza and Santiago Segura
El Dia de la Bestia or The Day of the Beast is the winner of 6 Goya awards (think Spanish Oscars) and it may be one of the most original films you see. Director Alex de la Iglesia is no stranger to dark comedy and here he runs rampant with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
The story is about a priest, Father Angel (played by Angulo) who discovered that the Apocalypse will begin on Christmas day in Madrid. Thus he embarks on a journey to stop the child of Satan from being born. But first he must become a sinner so that he can envoke Satan and discover the location of the birth. Joining him in his quest is the overweight, Heavy metal listening Jose Maria (played to perfection by Santiago Segura) and a TV psychic named Cavan (Armando De Razza). If you have ever seen Shaun of the Dead, the same style is used, the story is played straight but there is humor around every corner.
Alex de la Iglesia hammers the film with all the subtelty of a rabid elephant in a china shop but that’s his charm. He pulls some incredible shot, seemingly out of no where and he keeps the story moving at a madcap pace that Sam Raimi should envy (and take a few notes).
The flick doesn’t shy away from violence and there is some decent gore and some amazing effects (Satan just looks awesome). I highly recommend this flick. It is only available on VHS in the US but there are several Region 2 DVD’s floating around. This is definitely worth tracking down.
