When
Franco was around there wasn’t any demonic possession in Spain. The
Generalissimo simply wouldn’t stand for it. Things are different now. Everyone
soul is vulnerable to infernal forces during these godless times, even the son
of the country’s favorite matador and flamenco dancer. His name is Damien, by
the way. You can watch his head spin around and projectile-vomit in Claymation courtesy
of Sam [Samuel Ortí Martí]’s Possessed (trailer here), which screens
tonight during the 2015 Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal.
Trini
was once the greatest dancer Spain had ever seen, but she retired from public
performance after her husband’s untimely death. While grief-stricken, she also
believed her son Damien needed more attention. He is a bit of a strange kid,
who is prone to disruptive behavior at school. She has had him examined by
child psychologists, but they are never around long enough to do much good. Her
mother-in-law is convinced the boy is possessed, but her obtuse manager remains
skeptical.
Eventually,
Trini accepts the wild supernatural bedlam going on around them and seeks the
Church’s assistance. Unfortunately, the corrupt Bishop will not be much help in
a fight of good against evil. She needs the righteous, but disillusioned Father
Lenin, the black sheep son of 1930s Communists.
If
ever there was a Claymation movie unsuitable for kids it would be Possessed. In addition to the demonic
horror, there is what you might call graphic cartoon violence. Plenty of mature
subject matter is also referenced, but that is small potatoes compared to the
faces that get lopped off. Call it a double standard, but if Possessed were a live action film it
would be rather disturbing, yet it is all pretty funny in animated film. Think
of it as Wallace & Gromit torturing Mr. Bill in Hell.
Yes,
“Sam” and co-screenwriter Rubén Ontiveros’s anti-Catholic attitudes get
tiresome, but they are stuck with the fundamental High Church world view
inherent in the demonic horror genre. They also dig their flamenco, which counts
for something. Ultimately, you just can’t nitpick such gory and scatological humor.