Young Fenix (Adan Jodorowsky) is a child magician at his parents’ circus. His father, Orgo (Guy Stockwell) owns the Circus Gringo and also performs as the knife thrower. Fenix’s mother, Concha (Blanca Guerra) is the trapeze artist. The circus is a rather rundown affair that tours around Mexico performing. Among the circus performers are a dwarf named Aladin (Jesus Juarez), a tattooed woman (Thelma Tixou) and her adopted daughter, Alma (Faviola Elenka Tapia), who is a deaf mute. Alma is a mime in the circus. Fenix and Alma are friends.
Orgo’s act uses the tattooed woman as his knife throwing target. They are also lovers. When Concha catches Orgo having sex with the tattooed woman she throws sulfuric acid on his genitals. In pain, Orgo cuts off Concha’s arms and then commits suicide. The tattooed woman grabs Alma and takes off. Fenix, who sees all this happening becomes mentally unglued and ends up in an asylum where he grows into adulthood.
On a field trip from the asylum, adult Fenix (Axel Jodorowsky) sees the tattooed woman dancing with a pimp (Teo Jodorowsky). Later the tattooed woman offers the now grown Alma (Sabrina Dennison) to a man for sex. Alma escapes his clutches and runs off into the night. The next day Fenix sees his armless mother, Concha, outside the asylum waiting for him. He escapes from the asylum and follows his mother. That night the tattooed woman is murdered.
Fenix and Concha begin performing acts where he stands behind her and uses his arms and hands as if they were Concha’s. Fenix tries to function without his mother’s influence; however, she has taken over control of his life mentally. Whenever Fenix becomes sexually interested in someone, his mother forces him to kill the object of his affection. She instills in him the idea that his arms belong to her and that he is acting based on her desires.
Alma, having escaped from her mother, wanders around the city until she finally finds Fenix. Before they can escape Concha appears and, once again, tries to exert her dominance over Fenix by ordering him to kill Alma using what she refers to as “her arms”.
“Santa Sangre” was released in 1989 and was directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky. It is a Mexican and Italian psychological horror thriller. The film is very avant-garde and is full of surrealism and symbolism.
It’s not easy to understand without a tour guide. Much of what is going on is Fenix hallucinating. The movie is basically a visual representation of insanity. There are a lot of absurd and strange visuals in the movie. The problem, and the point, of the film is the perverted sexual maturity of Fenix and how the trauma of his life affected his developing sexuality. He is interested in women, but his mother’s hatred of women exacerbates his distorted views on love and intimacy. His “mommy” issues made him do it.
Alejandro Jodorowsky's sons Adan, Axel and Teo all have parts in the film. Adan plays the young Fenix, Axel the adult Fenix and Teo plays the pimp. Alejandro’s other son, Brontis has a bit part as an orderly in the asylum.