Fernando Arrabal is an author of books and plays. He was part of the panic movement of theater, which also included Alejandro Jodorowsky and Roland Topor. In fact, in the beginning of "Viva La Muerte" we see some morbidly surreal drawings by Topor. The film is semi-autobiographical and takes place during the Franco era in Spain during World War II. Fando witnesses his father seized by soldiers. Fando thinks that his father is dead. Later he finds out his father is still alive and that his mother turned him in to authorities for suspicion of communist activities. The film shows how war affects children. Fando has many grotesque, sadistic, surreal daydreams about his father being tortured by the fascist army. The daydream sequences are done in bright neon filters, with strange music and sound effects, even a children's song. The film makes a strong anti-war statement, and is filled with satirical and blasphemous imagery. Some of the images are extreme, including a real cow slaughter and Fando's mom torturing his dad. She even takes a dump on his head. The extended torture sequences may remind some of what the U.S has been doing to Iraqi prisoners. Although the film is brutal at times, it still is beautiful in its subversive poetry. "Viva la Muerte" is a masterpiece of surrealism and makes an important statement about the evils of war.

A wife's betrayal of her husband, leads to a son's nightmares about his father's disappearance, torture and murder at the hands of a totalitarian state.His visions are made literal with brutal, grotesquely eschatological and scatological imagery. Do not expect linear narrative; the feverish imaginings of the boy are the plot, much like paging though Goya's "The Disasters of War", and "Caprichos", or a long leisurely look at one of Bosch's more apocalyptic paintings, to which there are visual allusions in the film, the narrative is driven by episodes of ever- increasing malaise, which give it its power.A special treat, and little masterpiece of horror all unto itself, are the beginning credits, with a haunting song sung by children over monstrous, but beautiful, drawings by Roland Topor.Invite the whole family over for a screening; you'll forever after feel like a functional family unit.

For the reputation it has, Viva La Muerte is a terrific disappointment and a muddled mess that really does not in any way expose the horrors of Franco's Spain but rather exposes Arrabal's juvenile and pretentious preoccupation with perversity and cruelty. The story goes absolutely nowhere, and the characters have all the depth of cardboard. Even fellow "panic" artist Alejandro Jodorowsky (whose first release "Fando Y Lis" is based on an Arrabal play) had a notion of plot and was able to breathe life into the most bizarre characters and shocking situations. For my part I consider this a waste of perfectly good film stock.

Viva la Muerte begins with the credits over a view of surreal Roland Topor images while a pleasant tune plays. The film's central figure is a young boy named Fando, who lives with his mother. His father has been arrested during the Spanish Civil War. Fando later finds a letter and discovers his mother turned his father in to the authorities. This triggers off the many fantasy sequences of Fando. Arrabal uses grainy filtered footage during these sequences and gives them several different colours. The film is full of frenzy. It was created by someone with a furious imagination. The bull slaughter scene is a masterful surrealist sequence. It is a remarkable film and essential viewing for anyone interested in surrealism.