SANTA/SANTITA - A. Flores

CRITICAL ANALYSIS TO SANTA/SANTITA USING IACCINO’S
PSYCHOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON CINEMATIC TERROR:
JUNGIAN ARCHETYPES IN HORROR FILMS
AS A FRAMEWORK

As a terse synopsis, Santa/Santita qualifies as a horror film. Why so? Characters “used to depict th[e] struggle between the ‘good and evil’ self” were presented in the film (Iaccino, p. 4). In addition, these characters are what Iaccino describes as archetype. Archetypes, according to Jung, are the left over traits in modern man from time when we walked on four appendages. These primordial traits are buried below our consciousness. “One genre that has provided a suitable outlet” for this archaic trait or expression is the horror film (p. 4). Hence, Santa/Santita qualifies as a horror films for the films portrayals of archetype characters associated with horror.

Starting with the mother/child archetypes, Santa/Santita pushes these characters to the front of the screen. The nun suffering from a dermal disease, the mother who is the intercessor for those who are afraid to or do not know how to approach God, and the daughter who eventually becomes an instrument of god – all archetypes of the “helpful or nurturing agent.” The miracle-performing daughter is endowed with life sustenance, comfort, security, and was associated with fertility. Since archetypes can be both good and evil, the wealthy married woman provided the archetype of ancient Eve – the temptress, the seducer, and the poisoner.

However, the brilliance in portraying the archetype of Santa/Santita or mother/child archetype comes from the miracle worker's great portrayal of playing both good and evil throughout. Her innocence at the beginning of the movie trying to convince people to purchase a protective charm and minutes later kicking a helpless blind handicap. A pretending young sick child later becomes young man’s fertility companion. A miracle worker mystical Virgin Mary figure who asks someone to assist her in a confession. The director throughout included a constant play in mother/child archetypes. Even the young-sickly innocent son of the non-believer survivalist becomes the heroic child making a god-like deed by presenting himself as redeemer. He was or became the ransom for his father’s sins.

The film also presented the persona/shadow archetypes. How many masks did the cobra-tattooed character wear in order to attain his diabolical needs? He was the Dr. Jekyll charmer as he dated the miracle worker, to his son and uncle, and to his “business clients.” He dons the mask of Dr. Jekyll “for the benefit of others and for self-advancement” (Iaccino, p. 6). He instantly becomes Mr. Hyde when threatened or if things do not go his way. He resorts to his phallic symbol, his gun, his manhood to avenge the wrong that was done to him.

Iaccino wrote, “The person’s real ‘face’ remains hidden underneath and may never have a chance to be fully expressed. Sometimes the role that a person plays becomes so strong that he or she becomes a victim on an inflated ego; namely , the role is so convincing that other are not only deceived but also manipulated by this sophisticated (and power-hungry) actor ( p. 6). Hence, the male-hustlers son died, and he demanded the miracle worker to bring the dead back to life, and it was not possible; he resorted to his inherited animalistic way of expressing an unexpressed expression – an action that is similar to a roaring howl. That is as close as you can get to an archetype.

There were also other archetypes portrayed. The wise man/magician archetype. As mentioned earlier, when the miracle worker is desperate for advise, for directions on her God-given power, when things are almost at a lost between choosing carnal pursuits or curing the sick, the wise old man appeared, the alcoholic priest who performs the confession.

Then there is the animus/anima archetype. The male prostitute actually becomes the victim. And Eve reincarnated as Mrs. Hoffman becomes the seducer-vanquisher. The masculine is deceived by the feminine. The conquering warrior is the feminine.
Since all of these archetypes and other archetypes that could not be discussed in this paper are present in the film, and since having these archetypes in the films qualifies as a horror film, Santa/Santita qualifies, according to Iaccino, as a horror film.