Viva la Muerte (film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Viva la Muerte (English: Long Live Death) is a 1971 French-Tunisian drama film shot in Tunisia and directed by Fernando Arrabal.
The film was based on Arrabal's novel Baal Babilonia (1959).
Viva la Muerte takes place at the end of the Spanish Civil War, telling the story of Fando, a young boy whose father was turned in to authorities as a suspected communist by his fascist-sympathizing mother.
It has gained cult popularity as a midnight movie. The opening credits sequence features drawings by acclaimed artist, actor and novelist Roland Topor.
The film features lots of dirt transgression and animal cruelty in the style of Viennese Actionism and Mondo films.
Synopsis
When Fando's fascist-sympathizing mother turns his father into the authorities as a suspected communist, Fando (Mahdi Chaouch) is told that his father was executed. In truth the father is actually just imprisoned and eventually begins to search for him, constantly imagining what his father might be up to or what might have happened to him.
Cast
- Anouk Ferjac as La Tante
- Núria Espert as La Mère
- Mahdi Chaouch as Fando
- Ivan Henriques as Le Père
- Jazia Klibi as Thérèse
- Suzanne Comte as La Grand-mère
- Jean-Louis Chassigneux as Le Grand-père
- Mohamed Bellasoued as Colonel
- Víctor García as Fando - 20 ans
Soundtrack
- Grethe Agatz - "Viva la Muerte" - Ekkoleg (1971)
- Hindewhu (Whistle Solo) The Ba-Benzélé Pygmies, from the The Music of the Ba-Benzélé Pygmies (1966)
- Massikoulou Orchestra, Mandombé Ensemble, from African Gems