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The Day of the Beast

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Wikipedia article




'The Day of the Beast' is a 1995 Spanish-Italian black comedy film[https://belfastfilmfestival.org/films/the-day-of-the-beast 'The Day of the Beast'], belfastfilmfestival.org with horror elements co-written and directed by lex de la Iglesia and starring lex Angulo, Armando De Razza and Santiago Segura.

The plot concerns the unorthodox attempts of a Basque priest (Angulo) to avert the birth of the Antichrist in Madrid during Christmas Eve, teaming up with a metalhead (Segura) and an occult fraudster (De Razza). The film, marketed as "a satanic comedy", was well received by critics and audiences in Spain, and sparked interest in the director's filmography and style of directing.

It earned numerous accolades, including the Goya Award for Best Director for lex de la Iglesia.

Plot summary



ngel, a Basque priest and professor of theology, confesses to another priest that he intends to commit as much evil as he can. The other priest is shocked until ngel whispers his reasoning. When the other priest agrees to help him, a large cross falls and crushes him.

ngel goes into downtown Madrid, committing various sins and crimes such as taking money from a homeless man, pushing a street performer over, and telling a dying man to go to Hell and stealing his wallet. He goes to a record store and meets Jos Mara, a self-described Satanist and heavy metal fan from the popular neighborhood of Carabanchel, who gives him a tape of the most "evil" band he can think of. Jos Mara puts ngel up in his mother's boarding house where he lives with his mother, grandfather, and Mina, a woman he is attracted to that helps his mother with the business. ngel then attempts to steal a book from a book store written by occult TV show host Professor Cavan, who he believes can tell him how to sell his soul to Satan. He tries to explain to the store manager his theory: a secret code in the Bible says that the Antichrist will be born at midnight on Christmas Eve, and he intends to sell his soul before the night is out to get into the birth ceremony and kill the Antichrist. The store manager does not believe him and he flees.

sign where Jos Mara hangs from is on the Edificio Carrin.|alt=The corner of a building with neon signs advertising Capitol, Vodafone and Schweppes.

ngel and Jos Mara team up to kidnap and tie up Cavan, who they intimidate into telling them how to complete a ritual in which ngel can sell his soul to the Devil. The ritual requires the blood of a virgin, so ngel first tries to get it from Cavan's girlfriend Susana, but after knocking her out by mistake, Cavan admits that she is not a virgin. ngel then goes back to the boarding house, drugs Mina, and draws some of her blood, but Jos Mara's mother sees him and tries to kill him with a shotgun. ngel escapes with some of the blood, but accidentally kills Jos Mara's mother in the process. ngel, Jos Mara, and Cavan are able to burn a piece of paper, take LSD, and complete the ritual, which Cavan believes like most of his "occult" practices" is made up. However, a he-goat appears in the room and stands on its hind legs in front of ngel, then disappears. ngel then finds a message in the burnt scraps of paper in which the devil taunts him, not fooled by ngel's actions. ngel, Jos Mara, and Cavan flee the apartment when the police arrive on suspicion of Cavan's kidnapping.

, a commercial street in Madrid, specially crowded during Christmas.|alt=A crowded street with decorative lights.

ngel and Jos Mara frantically drive around town looking for a sign to point ngel in the right direction. ngel first tries to get the information on the birth of the Antichrist out of a man giving a speech about the predictions of Nostradamus, resulting in a chase in which three men dressed as the Three Wise Men are shot by police by mistake. He then tries to find the information at a heavy metal show, but is beaten up by the attendees. Cavan goes on television and asks ngel to call him, telling him that he's realized ngel was right and he knows where the birth of the Antichrist will be.

Cavan points out that the devil uses his own markings, similar yet opposite to the Christian cross, in order to mock God, and points them toward a pair of buildings in the same shape of the devil's mark: the Gate of Europe. The three men engage in a fight with an extreme-right gang that has holed up there and has been seen throughout the film murdering homeless people and spray painting everywhere. Their leader is revealed as the devil when he throws Jos Mara off the building to his death. The gang beats Cavan badly, but ngel gets hold of a gun and kills the gang, which was also killing a baby who is the Antichrist. He then shoots the devil as well.

Some time later, another actor takes over Cavan's show, and ngel and Cavan become homeless drifters; while Cavan constantly complains that they will never be able to tell anyone how they saved the world, ngel simply misses Jos Mara, but has accepted the events as the duo's fate.

Cast



Production



A Spanish-Italian 80%20% co-production, the film was produced by Andrs Vicente Gmez' Iberoamericana Films Produccin alongside Sogetel and M.G. S.R.L in collaboration with Sogepaq and Canal Plus Espaa. It had a 300 million budget. A soundtrack for the film was released in Spain and Korea. It featured bands such as Ministry, HeadCrash, Pantera, Sugar Ray, and Def Con Dos.

Release



The film opened in Spanish theatres on 20 October 1995. It grossed 4,367,321.

Reception



In a retrospective review of the film for Popoptiq, reviewer Ricky D. wrote, "Delirious, demented and diabolically funny, 'The Day of the Beast' is essential viewing."[https://www.popoptiq.com/25-days-of-christmas-day-of-the-beast/ 'The Day of the Beast'], popoptiq.com

In a retrospective review for Daily Grindhouse, reviewer Johnny Donaldson wrote that 'The Day of the Beast' "may not exactly be a traditional Christmas movie, even by the standards of the horror genre, but its a perfect one for those who want to thumb their noses at the Christ part of Christmas."[http://dailygrindhouse.com/thewire/advent-calendar-14-day-of-the-beast/ 'The Day of the Beast'], dailygrindhouse.com

Accolades



|-

| align = "center" rowspan = "14" | 1996 || rowspan = "14" | 10th Goya Awards || Best Film || Sogetel, Iberoamericana Films, M.G. S.R.L. || || rowspan = "14" |

|-

| Best Director || lex de la Iglesia ||

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| Best Actor || lex Angulo ||

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| Best Original Screenplay || Jorge Guerricaechevarra, lex de la Iglesia ||

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| New Actor || Santiago Segura ||

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| Best Art Direction || Arturo Garca "Biafra", Jos Luis Arrizabalaga ||

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| Best Cinematography || Flavio Martnez Labiano ||

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| Best Editing || Teresa Font ||

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| Best Production Supervision || Carmen Martnez ||

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| Best Original Score || Battista Lena ||

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| Best Sound || Carlos Garrido, Gilles Ortion, Jos Antonio Bermdez, Miguel Rejas, Ray Gillon ||

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| Best Makeup and Hairstyles || Jos Antonio Snchez, Jos Quetgls, Mercedes Guillot ||

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| Best Special Effects || Juan Tomicic, Manuel Horrillo, Reyes Abades ||

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| Best Costume Design || Estbaliz Markiegi ||

|}

See also



* List of Spanish films of 1995

* Def Con Dos appear as 'Satannica' and provide part of the soundtrack

References



Bibliography



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