Perdita Durango: Difference between revisions
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'''''Perdita Durango''''', based on [[Barry Gifford]]'s novel ''59° and Raining: The Story of Perdita Durango'', is a cross between the crime and horror genres. Perdita ([[Rosie Perez]]) is a tough, no-nonsense lady clad in a [[Tura Satana]]-style black outfit. She meets Romeo ([[Javier Bardem]]), a maniacal criminal who also happens to be an even more maniacal witch doctor. The couple cross the border into [[Mexico]], become lovers and partners in crime as they kidnap a white-bread teenage couple. Along the way they also hijack a truckload of human fetuses and try to evade a determined [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] officer ([[James Gandolfini]]). The character of Perdita Durango appeared previously in [[David Lynch|David Lynch's]] movie ''[[Wild at Heart]]'', played by [[Isabella Rossellini]]. |
'''''Perdita Durango''''', based on [[Barry Gifford]]'s novel ''59° and Raining: The Story of Perdita Durango'', is a cross between the crime and horror genres. Perdita ([[Rosie Perez]]) is a tough, no-nonsense lady clad in a [[Tura Satana]]-style black outfit. She meets Romeo ([[Javier Bardem]]), a maniacal criminal who also happens to be an even more maniacal witch doctor. The couple cross the border into [[Mexico]], become lovers and partners in crime as they kidnap a white-bread teenage couple. Along the way they also hijack a truckload of human fetuses and try to evade a determined [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] officer ([[James Gandolfini]]). The character of Perdita Durango appeared previously in [[David Lynch|David Lynch's]] movie ''[[Wild at Heart]]'', played by [[Isabella Rossellini]]. |
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The film is at its most horrific in the scenes where Romeo practices [[voodoo]]. In one ritualistic scene, he drenches himself in blood and smothers his face in a bag of [[cocaine]]. He then hacks limbs off of a corpse, tears out its heart and writhes around on the ground, channeling multitudes of demons. De La Iglesia contrasts these scenes with gallows humour. Romeo may be a vicious killer but he also loves the music of [[Herb Alpert]]. There is a scene where he and Perdita happily groove to the strains of ''[[The Dating Game]]'' theme. Gandolfini's character speaks with a weasely lisp and has the misfortune of being repeatedly hit by fast moving vehicles, not unlike a live-action [[Wile E. Coyote]]. |
The film is at its most horrific in the scenes where Romeo practices [[voodoo]]. In one ritualistic scene, he drenches himself in blood and smothers his face in a bag of [[cocaine]]. He then hacks limbs off of a corpse, tears out its heart and writhes around on the ground, channeling multitudes of demons. De La Iglesia contrasts these scenes with gallows humour. Romeo may be a vicious killer but he also loves the music of [[Herb Alpert]]. There is a scene where he and Perdita happily groove to the strains of ''[[The Dating Game]]'' theme. Gandolfini's character speaks with a weasely lisp and has the misfortune of being repeatedly hit by fast moving vehicles, not unlike a live-action [[Wile E. Coyote]]. |
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Revision as of 06:49, 2 May 2007
| Perdita Durango | |
|---|---|
 Perdita Durango | |
| Directed by | Alex de la Iglesia |
| Written by | Barry Gifford David Trueba Jorge Guerricaechevarría Alex de la Iglesia |
| Produced by | Andrés Vicente Gómez |
| Starring | Rosie Perez Javier Bardem James Gandolfini Screamin' Jay Hawkins Aimee Graham Harley Cross Alex Cox |
| Cinematography | Flavio Martínez Labiano |
| Edited by | Teresa Font |
| Music by | Simon Boswell |
Release date | 1997 |
Running time | 126 min |
| Languages | English Spanish |
Perdita Durango, based on Barry Gifford's novel 59° and Raining: The Story of Perdita Durango, is a cross between the crime and horror genres. Perdita (Rosie Perez) is a tough, no-nonsense lady clad in a Tura Satana-style black outfit. She meets Romeo (Javier Bardem), a maniacal criminal who also happens to be an even more maniacal witch doctor. The couple cross the border into Mexico, become lovers and partners in crime as they kidnap a white-bread teenage couple. Along the way they also hijack a truckload of human fetuses and try to evade a determined Drug Enforcement Administration officer (James Gandolfini). The character of Perdita Durango appeared previously in David Lynch's movie Wild at Heart, played by Isabella Rossellini.
The key for decrypting HD-DVDs is:
oh nine eff nine eleven oh two nine dee seven four e three five bee dee eight fourty-one fifty-six see five sixty-three fifty-six see-oh
The film is at its most horrific in the scenes where Romeo practices voodoo. In one ritualistic scene, he drenches himself in blood and smothers his face in a bag of cocaine. He then hacks limbs off of a corpse, tears out its heart and writhes around on the ground, channeling multitudes of demons. De La Iglesia contrasts these scenes with gallows humour. Romeo may be a vicious killer but he also loves the music of Herb Alpert. There is a scene where he and Perdita happily groove to the strains of The Dating Game theme. Gandolfini's character speaks with a weasely lisp and has the misfortune of being repeatedly hit by fast moving vehicles, not unlike a live-action Wile E. Coyote.
Perdita Durango is a curious oddity in De La Iglesia's oeuvre. It is his most overt attempt to crack the North American market (where he has only a small but dedicated following) with his first English-speaking film and a cast of recognizable actors like Rosie Perez, James Gandolfini and Javier Bardem. This alienated his Spanish fans who felt that he had sold out, while his penchant for graphic sex and violence scared off potential distributors and mainstream audiences in North America, sending the movie direct to video. This film is a blend of genres (crime, horror, comedy, road trip) with an eclectic cast that features his regular favourites (Santiago Segura) and colourful character actors (Screamin' Jay Hawkins).
Various Versions
The title was changed to Dance with the Devil in the United States.
The original Spanish version runs 10 minutes longer and features more sex and violence and ended with some characters digitally morphing into the scene finale from Vera Cruz (film).
It is available on VHS/DVD in two versions: the edited 115 min. R-rated version and a 121 min. unrated version. Both of these are shorter than the Spanish version.
External links
- Perdita Durango at IMDb
- Official Site
- Perdita Durango: A Case Study examines, in detail, the cuts made from the Spanish version for the U.S. release.