Witching & Bitching (Las brujas de Zugarramurdi)
Álex de la Iglesia's manic horror comedy is a career high point, thanks to its titular villainesses.
Álex de la Iglesia (Spain, Midnight Madness)
Saturday, September 14, 11:59 p.m.
Ryerson Theatre (43 Gerrard Street East)
Sunday, September 15, 12 p.m.
Scotiabank 14 (259 Richmond Street West)
A band of bumbling thieves and their hostages, all unhappy with the women in their lives, are pursued by a coven of Basque witches with sacrifice on their minds in Álex de la Iglesia’s frenzied battle of the sexes Witching & Bitching.
To further complicate things, divorced dad José (Hugo Silva), the heist’s ringleader, has brought his eight-year-old son along for the ride, incurring the wrath of his ex-wife who herself is being chased by a pair of bickering police officers. Waiting for all of them is witch queen Carmen Maura (in a role she was born for), who is preparing to invoke the Great Goddess in a spectacular ceremony to bring about a new world order.
Iglesia’s anarchic take-no-prisoners style is much in evidence in this frenetic horror farce. While it runs a little long and not every joke hits the mark, this is one of Iglesia’s most mature and accomplished films, and an early Halloween treat for naughty girls and boys.