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7.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Blood of a Poet remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, you probably know if you’ll like The Blood of a Poet before you even press play. If you want a plot that moves from A to B, run away. If you like weird, jagged edges and stuff that feels like a hallucination, you’ll dig it. It’s for the people who get bored by movies that explain everything.
It starts with a guy just doing his thing, then he falls through a mirror. Classic, right? Except the way he moves through the walls feels so tactile, like the glass is actually liquid. There’s this one shot of a hand with a mouth on it that really got to me—it’s just bizarre and slightly gross in a way that stays in your head for days. 👄
The pacing is all over the place. Sometimes it feels like it’s dragging its feet through a museum, then suddenly everything is chaotic and weirdly aggressive. It reminds me of the manic energy you see in old comedies like Road to Rio, but instead of slapstick, it's just pure existential confusion.
There’s a section involving a hotel that made me feel like I was watching someone else’s nightmare. You can feel the movie trying to be profound, but sometimes it just lands as pretentious nonsense. Then, out of nowhere, a moment hits that is so stark and beautiful you forget you were rolling your eyes a minute ago.
Don't expect the smooth polish you get from a studio film. It feels dusty, handmade, and a bit fragile. It’s not a movie you 'watch' as much as you just kind of sit there and let it happen to you. It’s got that raw, unfinished feeling that makes it way more interesting than anything perfectly shot and color-graded today. 🎞️
If you’re looking for a comfortable watch, stay away. This is the kind of film that makes you feel like you need a shower or a long walk afterwards. Not that that’s a bad thing.