Witching & Bitching

Witching & Bitching (Las brujas de Zugarramurdi "The Witches of

Zugarramurdi") 

2013

Director- Álex de la Iglesia 

From Spain

Cast- Hugo Silva, Pepón Nieto, Mario Casas, Carolina Bang, Terele Pávez, Jaime Ordóñez, Carmen Maura, Macarena Gómez, Santiago Segura, Gabriel Delgado

            

     It’s not easy to concisely describe this frenetic horror-comedy from Álex de la Iglesia, who gave us the brilliant Day of the Beast.  The plot is simple; hapless bank robbers stumble upon a village of witches. Saying anything else about this movie requires a lot more.

            Jose (Hugo Silvia) and Antonio (Mario Casas) rob a high end pawn shop and steal a fortune in gold, mostly pawned wedding rings. Right off the bat you can tell this movie is filled with absurdities. Jose brings his little son Sergio (Gabriel Dealgado) along for the robbery because it’s his day for visitation. Jose is chastised by Antonio in the middle of the robbery for bringing his son along and victims of the robbery chime in as they argue about the expense of child support. Did I mention they were all in costumes (you won’t see Spongebob Squarepants the same ever again).

           

     

   Not surprisingly, the robbery goes afoul and why while escaping they take hostages; a cab driver and a man trying to get to work. The robbers, hostages and child make for the French border followed by Jose’s angry ex-wife (Macarena Gómez who played the mermaid priestess in the excellent Lovecraftian film Dagon). Their journey takes them to the town of Zugarramurdi, which legend says is inhabited by witches.

            Turns out the legends are true. The group happens upon a generational family of witches. The grandmother (Terele Pávez from Day of the Beast) is more senile than evil and likes to employ a deadly pair of razor dentures. The mother (Carmen Maura) is the mastermind and head of the family. The daughter, Eva, (played memorably by Carolina Bang who steals the show) is violent, independent and very sexual.

           

   The witches have a plan to use Jose’s son in a ritual to bring about the end of western civilization. In the process we are treated to witchcraft, cannibalism and a giant fertility goddess that swallows people whole.

            The movie is fun and not meant to be taken seriously. If you are looking for chills, then you better look somewhere else. But if you want something weird and humorous, then you can’t go wrong with Witching & Bitching.