When it comes to horror I don’t think a lot of people think of Mexico. Here’s some titles I’ve come across over the years that are certainly note worthy and I find essential. Now the early horrors from the country came in the form of campy Aztec mummies and Santo wrestling which does very little for me. So let’s start with classic black & white late nighters and keep the horror alive. There is some great stuff here from directors Chano Urueta, Fernando Mendez, Rene Cardona, Juan López Moctezuma, Rafael Baledon, Ruben Galindo Jr., Gilberto Martinez Solaes and Guillermo Del Toro.

Dracula
d. George Melford 1931 104 min B&W
Universal DVD
This was produced in Hollywood but I thought this is a good place to put it. The Spanish version is interesting in the fact that instead of dubbing, a completely different film was made. Shot at night with the same sets as the English version, using the identical script and many of the shots are in the same fashion. The result? This is the better of the two films, especially in the photography department. The famous shot of Dracula on the stairs with the camera panning up to him is much better here. And this runs 29 minutes longer than the English with a little more gloom. Bela makes a better Dracula than Carlos Villarias but for fans of the original and the Universals classics, this is a must see.

The Vampire - 1957
d. Fernando Mendez 1957 83 min B&W
Casa Negra 2 DVD w/ Photo Essay of Mexican Horror Cinema, Radio Spot, Abel Salazar’s Obituary, Trailers, Cast Bios, Still & Poster Gallery Fullframe
Marta [Ariadna Welter] finds herself in a real predicament when she unknowingly brings Dr. Enrique [Abel Salazar] who has a secret to her uncles run down gloomy grim cobweb strewn mansion. Marta learns her Aunt has just died and has been buried [alive], while her other---suspiciously young looking---Aunt Eloisa is a vampire under the control of ‘El Vampiro’ Count Karol de Lavud [Germán Robles], who now sets his sights on Marta. At the same time the Count is planning to revive his neck biting brother who has been dead for 100 years. Writer Ramón Obón weaves a interest story, the vampire turning into a bat scenes are well done and the atmosphere is thick and similar to what would later be seen in Roger Corman’s Poe, Hammer Studios and Mario Bava’s gothic films. Every nook and cranny is filled with gloomrata, from the swirling fog bound cemetery and eerie woods to the excellent decaying structure of the mansion. Muy bueno in my eye of terror. “El Vampiro” is an absolute classic from director Fernando Mendez. Uncut on CasaNegra DVD with the Spanish language track that is much better than the cheesy English dub that’s also available.

The New Invisible Man
d. Alfredo Crevenna 1958 96 min B&W
BCI DVD Fullframe
Here’s a Mexican adaptation of H. G. Wells “The Invisible Man”; written by the tireless horror scribe Afredo Salazar a doctor working a serum to make things invisible creates one just in time to spring his brother who is falsely accused murder from jail. Now finely tuned genre fans and I both know this kind of behavior always comes with a price. Now invisible with the police on his trail, the brother wants nothing more than to clear his name and go away with his bride to be. But the drug threatens to make him go mad or even kill him unless an antidote can be found. The invisible f/x are passable and at times creative in this slick low budget late nighter that is another stick of proof that Mexican 50’s & 60’s black & white B movies are strong contenders in the sport. a. k. a. EL Hombre que logró ser Invisible, El Hombre Invisible, Invisible Man in Mexico

The Black Pit of Dr. M
d. Fernando Mendez 1959 82 min B&W
Casa Negra DVD w/ Photo Essay, Essay about the Director, Gaston Santos Bio, Black Pit Rock Video, Original English Script, Mexican Trailer, Stills Poster Gallery
One has to wonder about the title change when the original “Misterios de Ultratumba – Mystery’s from Beyond the Tomb” is so fitting. Either way this is late night B&W classic horror excellence from famed director Fernando Mendez. Dr. Jacinto Aldama dies and from beyond the grave helps his partner Dr. Masali---head of a Sanatorium---in an experiment to find out what’s beyond death and return to the living. But things go horribly wrong which is so right for the viewer. Take a gander and see what makes these old 60’s gothic chillers so bueno. Mucho bueno in facto. Foreboding doom and creepiness, with dark house settings, the dank sanatorium, eerie cemeteries, séances, foggy howling wind nights and a brassy repetitive score, she’s a moody atmospheric picture that’s mandatory for gothic chiller fans. Uncut in Spanish with subs and the English dub on CasaNegra DVD.

The Brainiac
d. Chano Urueta 1961 77 min B&W
Casa Negra DVD w/ An Essay, Press Kit, US Radio Spot, Cast Bios, Posters & Stills Gallery Fullframe
Ah yes “El Baron del Terror – The Baron of Terror” from director Chano Ureta is for schlock fans and is the equivalent of “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” or “The Brain that Wouldn’t Die” in the sense of pure cheese with ridiculous charm. I love a good schlocker now and then and here’s a good one. 1661---our good Baron is sentenced by black hooded inquisitors to be tortured for necromancy, witchcraft, heresy and other favorable acts as well as being burned a the stake where he vows to return in 300 years---with the aid of a comet---to kill each and every one of their foul descendants. 1961---“The Baron of Terror” makes good on his threats and returns as a hairy-pulsating-headed-pointy-nosed-serpent-tongued-fly-armed-creature [that can also take his human form] to extract his diabolical revenge by sucking out the brains of his enemies. Can I get a Hell Yeah?
CasaNegra DVD offers the Uncut Spanish version with subs and English the dub.

Infernal Dolls
d. Benito Alazraki 1961 73 min B&W
Crypt of Terror BCI DVD Fullframe
“Muñecos Infernales” is a late nite black & white delight from the first wave of Mexican horror. Tagline: “A psychedelic trip into the 5th dimension”. What deserving fate awaits a group of archeologist that violates a sacred tomb in a temple? Well like any good horror picture they one by one fall victim to creepy little murderous voodoo dolls, or doll people, or “Devil Doll Men”. Call ‘em what you want, they are as I said creepy little fuckers. Much better than Bert I. Gordon’s doll late nighter “Attack of the Puppet People” that came out a few years prior, this is a rewarding little late nighter that moves right along with a good story from Alfredo Salazar, writer of many Mexican horror classics with a creepy house, a ghoulish zombie, a freaky medicine man with an evil hypnotic gaze, some cool & fun f/x [for the day] and plenty of dark shadowy atmospheres and campy charm. The even a very interesting doll autopsy. This BCI DVD also has the English version---missing about 10 minutes---under the US TV title “Curse of the Doll People”, and the Spanish & English versions of “Night of the Bloody Apes”.

The Curse of the Crying Woman
d. Rafael Baledon 1961 80 min B&W
Casa Negra DVD Fullframe
Mucho Bueno! Baring the Mexican title “La Maldicion de la Llorona”, this is neck and neck with “Misterios de Ultratumba” as the best of the gothic Mexican chillers I’ve seen. The opening scene with the woman in black with three leased dogs before her bares a striking resemblance to the scene with Barbara Steele in Mario Bava’s “La Maschera del Demonio-The Mask of Satan” made the preceding year. Here we have a b&w classic late night delight based on the Mexican legend of La Llorona; a crying ghost/witch. Rosita Arenas and Abel Salazar find themselves in bad way when Rosita digs into her family’s dark past filled with secrets, murder and death while at the doomed house of her Aunt, who at times is eyeless and oddly enough casts no reflection or shadow in the mirror. Not to mention the fact that she intends to use Rosita to bring the rotting corpse of an condemned immortal ancestor back to life. Oozing with brooding atmosphere like most of the Mexican films of the era, there’s gothic goodies at every turn from the ominous score, to the web strewn house with candle lit rooms, howling wind, foggy exteriors with gnarled trees, spooky imagery, hidden rooms, a scarred butler and excellent f/x for the time that still hold fast. Directed by Rafael Baledon, this is defiantly recommended to say the least, and a must for 60’s gothic chiller fans. You can find it on CasaNegra DVD in a pristine print Uncut in Spanish with subs or the English dubbed audio tracks.

The Witch’s Mirror
d. Chano Urueta 1962 76 min B&W
Casa Negra DVD w/ Chano Ureta Bio 1.66:1
Directed by Chano Urueta the man that brought us “La Bruja – The Witch” ‘54 and the ever popular “The Brainiac”, I’m happy to report that “El Espejo de la Bruja” [the print title] is a B&W gothic late night---slightly melodramatic---horror classic. It all takes place in an atmospheric candle lit castle of gloom & doom with the added bonus of being visually stunning right down to the foggy cemetery. Deep in the vein of classics like: ”The Awful Doctor Orlof”, and “Eyes Without a Face”, this is excellent viewing for 60’s atmospheric horror fans. As protection against a overbearing husband/surgeon, a witch gives her daughter a magic mirror to protect her. But the mirror fails and the husband murders his wife. Vowing revenge the witch uses the mirror that causes an unfortunate accident to happen to his new wife, forcing the surgeon to use stolen corpses for skingraphs in an attempt to restore his new loves beauty. Creative f/x like dismembered hands, a melting hand and the appearing disappearing ghost and even a little mild gore are agreeably campish among the smoke and mist. CasaNegra DVD offers a great print with the original Uncut Spanish version with subs as well as the English dub.

Satánico Pandemonium [La Sexorcista]
d. Gilberto Martinez Solares 1973 90 min Color
Mondo Macabro DVD w/ 2 Featurettes, Trailers 1.85:1
First let me say B-L-A-S-P-H-E-M-Y!! I love it. Second this is as good as place as any to give a ‘Hell Yeah’ to Mondo Macabro DVD for the fine assortment of films they have resurrected. Like this little gem that surly caused a bit of a stink when it was unleashed in its catholic based home land of Mexico. In her last movie lovely Cecelia Pezet is Sister Maria a pure soul until she meets the devil and turns Tagline: “From Bride of Christ to Slave of Satan” which means getting naked, trying to have sex with a young boy and murdering the innocent like any standup evil nasty nun would do. Amen sister. The gore f/x are cheap as they get, check out the retractable knife with squirting blood, but quickly over looked as this turns into a sinable slice of seventies nasty nun Satanic Sinema. Notable Subbing: “I do not fear hell… I am hell”. Look for it on Mondo Macabro DVD in Spanish with subs and a great print.

Alucarda
d. Juan López Moctezuma 1975 74 min Color
Mondo Macabro DVD w/Original Trailer, Interview with the Director, Stills Gallery, Documentary on the film’s director, Text interview with the Director Fullframe
Hip, hip, Hell’a-ray!! Originally titled “Alucarda, la hija de las tinieblas – Alucarda, The Daughter of the Dark”, this shocker is even more outrageous that “Satánico Pandemonium”. It picked up titles like “Sisters of Satan”, “Innocents From Hell” and I first saw it as “Mark of the Devil 3”. Alucarda is a chick that moves into the questionable St. Archangelo convent where she makes a new friend Justine and with the help of a troll looking dude---that’s too tall to be a troll---and a little grave violation are possessed by Satan and go on to raise HELL with the nunnery. This firm favorite is wrought with nudity, fog, thunder and lightning, candles, lots of screaming, a goat headed devil, blood o’ plenty, whipping, a exorcism that makes things much worse, burning nuns and general blasphemy. Yes sir sinners, it’s an unforgettable slice of 70’s Satanic Sinema directed by Juan López Moctezuma. Mondo Macabro DVD is the best way to see this must have in Spanish with subs or dubbed in English.

Cementerio del Terror
d. Ruben Galindo Jr. 1985 88 min Color
BCI DVD Fullframe
Truthfully this isn’t quite essential but I had to add this low budget slasher meets zombies splatter directed by Ruben Galindo Jr. that is a ripping good time in the second half. Hugo Stiglitz is a doctor hell-bent on cremating dead satanic serial killer Devlon while foolish medical students steal his corpse for a Halloween prank and take it to a “Cemetery of Terror” where they try to raise the corpse from the dead with a ceremony and yet another Necronomicon-like book of satanic verse. Their little ceremony works and Devon returns in stalk and kill mode for some gory violence and the rotting dead shambling out of their graves for some zombie nosh. Low budget and thinly plotted, it follows the American 80’s formula with decent atmosphere, cheap but very passable gore, with throats ripped open, gutted abdomens, faces slashed and all the things we’ve seen before. UNCUT on a scratchy print from BCI DVD---with “Ladrones De Tubas-Grave Robbers”--- in Spanish with English subs.

The Devil’s Backbone
d. Guillermo del Toro’s 2001 108 min Color
Columbia Pictures DVD w/Director Commentary, Making of…, Thumbnail/Storyboard Comparisons, Galleries 1.85:1
After the success of “The Sixth Sense” ghost stories started popping up again like Alejandro Amenábar’s award winning “The Others” ‘01 and writer-director Guillermo del Toro’s third feature length horror feature, the superb “El Espinazo del Diablo”. A intriguing horror mystery thriller that centers around 12 year old Carlos, who is the latest arrival at a decaying school for orphans during the last days of the Spanish civil war. Carlos soon begins to uncover dark secrets that reside with the inhabitants of the orphanage, including a restless ghost the kids call ‘one who sighs’, who is as creepy as any ghost you’ll see. Stylishly directed and very well written it’s a virtual flawless story that deals with love, betrayal, human cruelty and murder with excellent suspense and mood heavy atmosphere. A Instant classic this comes highly recommended.