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5.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. A Spanish Twist remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you’re looking for a grounded historical drama, you’re in the wrong zip code. A Spanish Twist is basically a fever dream of cartoon-logic human beings being absolute menaces to society. You’ll probably hate this if you need a story that actually makes sense. You’ll love it if you enjoy watching people get tossed around like ragdolls for seven minutes straight.
It starts with a raft, an octopus, and a total disregard for the laws of physics. Watching these two guys wash up in Spain is like watching a car crash in slow motion, but with more shouting.
The whole bit at the sidewalk café? It’s just stressful. They aren't even trying to be charming. They’re just being loud and annoying, which, I guess, is the whole point. It feels like they’re trying to speed-run getting kicked out of a country. They succeed.
Then we’re in the bull ring. The animation or staging—whatever you want to call this chaotic mess—is frantic. There’s a telegram that shows up out of nowhere because, sure, why not? Apparently, Prohibition ending is the only thing that matters in the entire world. They just drop the whole bullfight plot instantly. They’ve got a drink to find.
It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Family Troubles, where things just happen because the plot says so. There’s no internal logic. Just noise and movement.
The pacing is… well, there isn't any. It’s just a series of bad decisions strung together. You don't watch this for the acting. You watch it to see how many ways two people can get smacked by a bull before they finally decide to go home.
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s barely a movie. But it’s definitely something you can put on if you want to turn your brain off and watch things get destroyed. 🇪🇸🐂