Finis Hominis escapes the asylum—again—to fix a world unraveling into chaos and absurdity.
WHEN THE GODS FALL ASLEEP
Finis Hominis returns, an escaped mental patient, as he sets out cause corruption and to right the world’s social unrest he discovers through the news.
Finis Hominis is proof that sometimes, the sanest man in the room is the one everyone’s locked up.
José Mojica Marins brings back the enigmatic Finis Hominis, unleashing him on a Brazil awash in unrest and hypocrisy. Social order trembles as this accidental messiah stumbles through scenes equal parts satirical and psychotronic, blurring the line between horror show and social farce. If you like your cult cinema with a side of existential absurdity, grab a seat.
— SassyFlix Programmer
When the Gods Fall Asleep is a 1972 Brazilian comedy-drama-horror film directed by José Mojica Marins about Finis Hominis, a mental patient who escapes his asylum to confront the social, religious, and political chaos he sees in the world.
Synopsis
Again hospitalized, he sees in the news increasing social, religious, and political unrest in the world, and again feels the need to escape the institution to put order in the streets. He wanders through society, influencing and interfering in isolated incidents, correcting wrongs and exposing corruption primarily in a strictly accidental or coincidental manner.
There is also a parallel sub-plot regarding the impending closure of the asylum due to the cessation of funding from an anonymous benefactor.
Why Cult
Cult icon José Mojica Marins resurrects his infamous character, Finis Hominis, for another surreal rampage through Brazil’s dark corners.
Tagged as a psychotronic and exploitation film, this one delivers a wild mix of genres, mood swings, and unhinged set-pieces.
The film skewers social, religious, and political unrest through Finis Hominis’s accidental interventions in everyday corruption.
Writer-director José Mojica Marins injects his unmistakable blend of horror, dark comedy, and social critique.
Trailer
Questions from the Vault
What is When the Gods Fall Asleep about? +
When the Gods Fall Asleep follows Finis Hominis, a mental patient who escapes his asylum to intervene—mostly by accident—in Brazil’s turbulent social, religious, and political landscape.
When was When the Gods Fall Asleep released? +
When the Gods Fall Asleep was released in 1972.
Who directed When the Gods Fall Asleep? +
When the Gods Fall Asleep was directed by José Mojica Marins.
How long is When the Gods Fall Asleep? +
When the Gods Fall Asleep has a runtime of 77 minutes.
What genre is When the Gods Fall Asleep? +
When the Gods Fall Asleep is a blend of comedy, drama, and horror.
Where can I watch When the Gods Fall Asleep? +
When the Gods Fall Asleep is available to stream on SassyFlix.
