Yves Montmayeur's "Sangre Del Toro"
Review by Dennis D. McDonald
My wife said, "Let's watch a documentary." Last week we watched the extraordinary Architecton so I looked for something else as impressive and found Sangre Del Toro on Netflix.
What a documentary! We follow director Guillermo del Toro around as he explains his artistic influences. In the process we’re offered tidbit views of the art he has created or collected, including art by others that fascinates him. In the process key points emerge that help explain his worldview including:
His perspective on the unique characteristics of Mexican culture, including its perspectives on the relationship between life and death.
How he approaches incorporating the grotesque in his art; in this regard the segment quoting David Cronenberg is quite informative.
His comments about Catholicism and its influence on him are insightful. I remember some of the old fashioned Catholic imagery and iconography from my own youth and can see how del Toro has been influenced by it.
I'm sure that mental health professionals will have a field day with what this documentary says about del Toro. It's a lot to digest, especially for someone with little familiarity with del Toro's work or someone with narrow of views of what is "appropriate" to display as art.
My general reaction is simple: I would love to spend some time with Guillame del Toro, ideally with a Mexican beer in hand, discussing his work!
Review copyright (c) 2026 by Dennis D. McDonald
