Perdita Durango (1997)

Director:

Álex de la Iglesia

Writers (WGA):

Barry Gifford (novel)
Barry Gifford (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

31 October 1997 (Spain)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Get On The Road

Plot:

A psychotic criminal couple kidnaps a random teenage couple. The woman rapes the male captive, and lets him watch his lover being raped by the man. They then plan to sacrifice the couple.

Plot Keywords:

Sacrifice | Rape | Hit And Run | Nipples Visible Through Clothing | Mafia

Awards:

6 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Rosie Perez	...	Perdita Durango
Javier Bardem	...	Romeo Dolorosa
Harley Cross	...	Duane
Aimee Graham	...	Estelle
James Gandolfini	...	Willie 'Woody' Dumas
Screamin' Jay Hawkins	...	Adolfo
Demián Bichir	...	Catalina
Carlos Bardem	...	Reggie San Pedro
Santiago Segura	...	Shorty Dee
Harry Porter	...	Ford
Carlos Arau	...	Phillips
Don Stroud	...	Santos
Alex Cox	...	Doyle
Miguel Galván	...	Doug
Regina Orozco	...	Lilly

Also Known As:

Dance with the Devil (USA) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence including rape, sexuality, language and some drug content.

Runtime:

126 min | Australia:125 min | USA:115 min (R-rated version) | USA:121 min (unrated version) | South Korea:95 min | Hong Kong:118 min | Germany:125 min (DVD version)

Country:

Mexico | USA | Spain

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Iceland:16 | UK:18 (cut) (original rating) | UK:18 (2006 re-rating) | Australia:MA (cable rating) (cut) | Australia:R (cut) | USA:R (cut) | Spain:18 | Argentina:18 | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:(Banned) | Netherlands:16 (video premiere) | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Canal+ España

Trivia:

The character of Perdita Durango appeared in Wild at Heart (1990) by 'Lynch, David', also based in a novel by Barry Gifford, and was played by Isabella Rosselini.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Shadow of the dolly and cameraman during the scene in the airplane junkyard.

Quotes:

Perdita Durango: [Perdita to Estelle, while Estelle holds a gun to her, threatening to shoot] If you really wanna do something, you just do it. But you don't think about it. That's the difference between you and me.
[Estelle gives Perdita the gun. Perdita then knocks Estelle to the ground and makes her kiss her foot]

Movie Connections:

References Batman (1989)

Soundtrack:

I Walk The Line

Wild at Heart and Weird on Top

Being a huge Barry Gifford fan, having enjoyed De La Iglesia's Day of the Beast, and of the opinion that Wild at Heart was one of the best novel to film adaptations in the history of cinema, needless to say, my expectations for this movie were very high. I couldnt have imagined it being so satisfying.

De La Iglesia's adaptation of Perdita Durango takes its liberties but (like Wild At Heart) finds its inspiration in the original source material without destroying the spirit.

Romeo and Perdita carve their way through the world with violence, magic, and sex. They are sadistic, perverse, and perfect for each other. From their first fateful meeting, to their kidnapping of two suburban white kids, to driving a truck full of fetus destined to be black market makeup, it is a dark destiny, a collision of two black souls. If the movie has any message, it is that even the most wicked person has a diabolic soulmate. Love does not discriminate.

The performances are great. Javier Bardem as Romeo was totally unrecognizable as the same guy who played the stud in Jamon, Jamon. He plays Romeo as charming, self preserving, and almost noble killer because of his beliefs in darkness, sacrifice, revenge, and amoral spirituality. My fears of Rosie Perez, an actress I am not fond of in any way, were unfounded as she embodied Perdita perfectly with sadism and sizzle. James Gandolfini, as the Wile E Coyote like DEA agent Dumas, was also very good, perpetually abused and doggedly determined.

De La Iglesia handles with the film with great skill. The pacing is fast and furious. Every scene is alive with energy, and his composition is masterful. He has vastly improved from the flawed, yet entertaining, Day of the Beast, and demonstrates that his is a talent that continues to grow. Given the proper material and time, I can see him providing a enjoyable body of manic, surreal, and outrageous work.