Rambunctious, kinetic, and aggressively styled, Eisenstein in Guanajuato is Peter Greenaway’s best film in years.

This tale of Sergei Eisenstein’s sexual awakening in Mexico is overflowing with vim and vigour. This is thanks to the four key efforts of an outstanding, almost clown-like, theatrical performance from Elmer Bäck, the in-your-face artistry of Greenaway, the swirling, enrapturing wide-angle cinematography from Reinier van Burmmelen and the beautiful baroque sets from Ana Solares.

The eruptive energy of the first act is impossible to maintain and indeed, by the end, the film almost looks forward to its conclusion as it finally runs out of steam.

Unwieldy in its delivery but joyous nonetheless, Eisenstein in Guanajuato is infectiously inventive and outrageous. It’ll take years to find its true home, but Greenaway’s delivered a treat for cinephiles. 

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Elmer Bäck, Luis Alberti, Maya Zapata

DIRECTOR: Peter Greenaway

WRITER: Peter Greenaway

SYNOPSIS: In 1931, at the height of his artistic powers, Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein travels to Mexico to shoot a new film to be titled Que Viva Mexico…