Who can be a successful ceramicist but a miserable murderer? Archibaldo De La Cruz!
The Criminal Life of Archibaldo De La Cruz follows a privileged man (Ernesto Alonso) and his relentless blood lust. After being given a magic box said to kill on command, the spoiled boy experiences a disturbing trauma that haunts him like a song that you can’t get out of your head; as an affluent gentleman in the future, his obsession with constructing the perfect melodical crime are always a touch out of tune, never reaching the crescendo he desires; he both fantasises and attempts to commit the perfect murder but regularly fails. This film is truly an interesting exploration of a man who cannot distinguish fantasy and reality, and his unconventional interests in art, antiques, and attempted murder…
Director Luis Buñuel’s use of feverish music and visual elements at times of suspense gave an almost expressionistic effect like Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, such as blood dripping down the screen and the eerie tune of the music to reflect his reocurring desires. This film is mixture of comedy and macabre. It has all the hallmarks of crime genre with blood drops, gun shots and juxtaposing moments of comedy and light relief, such as a mix up with a woman and a mannequin!
I found the psychological themes of the film interesting. Ernesto’s experimentations with murder appear to be some sort of manifestation of his deepest desires, which he imagines in detail but does not act upon.
Although the film itself was enjoyable, the experience was tarnished by the audio being delayed, we watched the unpredictable horrors and humours play out, without being able to fully immerse ourselves or join in with the laughter…unless we waited 30 seconds or so. It felt fragmented and frustrating at times, but this error clearly didn’t ruin the impact of the storytelling as, despite audience members grumbling in the foyer afterwards, I heard plenty of gasps and laughter during the film.
Ever since seeing this film, the The Criminal Life of Archibaldo De La Cruz has been on loop in my mind like a song, truly a film to die for!
About the Reviewer
Alice
Alice is a student of English Literature, Medieval History, and Classical Civilisations at Hereford Sixth Form College. Based in Ledbury, Alice has volunteered in the Poetry House and currently takes part in writing for her college newspaper. In her free time, she enjoys reading and comparing Ancient Greek theatre to modern plays, inspiring her to write her own performances.
