# Bollywood Horror



## ravenus (Jan 6, 2007)

*Bollywood Horror Collection Vol.1* 

This is a double-disc set by cult horror film label *Mondo Macabro* containing the Ramsay studios classics *Bandh Darwaza* *(Closed Door)* and *Purana Mandir (Ancient Temple)*, probably the first time that Indian horror has got an international release. 

I watched *PM* which is my fav of the Ramsay horrors. The print quality appears to be taken from a video master and is unfortunately as shabby as you would remember from the days of the video boom when you'd rent tapes that were played enough to get significantly worn but at least I have it on a durable format. The movie still retains its hold; its best scenes like the nocturnal hearse chase where the possessed axe-man (OK, woodcutter) is carrying the head of the monster to join with its body and bring it back to life, bear an undeniable power, and the ability to skip the songs and the asinine comedy scenes makes for a much tighter movie experience. 



I also saw the 2 main extras: 

*Freddy Jason...and Saamri*!

This is a look at the Ramsay studios horror heritage but mainly concentrating on *BD* and *PM*. Critic *Omar Khan* of  The Hot Spot Online goes into the background of these films and into the history of homegrown horror films in India. Very pleasant watching, the only missing factor being a detailed look at the life and career of *Ajay Agarwal*, who played the memorable monster in both these and several other Ramsay movies. 



*South Asian Horror* 

Originally a BBC Channel 4 program this one is a fairly detailed if rather erratic look at the horror/cult cinema in India and Pakistan. 

The Bollywood segment talks again about the Ramsays and then goes on to their chief rival and godfather of the lower-budget horror cinema, *Mohan Bhakri*. They manage to get in interviews with Bhakri and his son. Bhakri comes across as a nice mixture of an amusingly honest man and a general asshole. He talks about how he watches "only English films" and tries to see atleast 2 a day so he can filch some ideas into his movies. 

The Paki aka Lollywood segment looks more at the no-budget revenge action film genre. My retinas are permanantly scarred by the sight of *Hasina Atom Bomb* _*(Beauty Atom Bomb)*_ a reworking of _*I Spit on Your Grave*_ that features possibly the most grotesque female ever to face a movie camera. Also some brief references to _*Zinda Laash (Living Corpse)*_ the b&w  *Horror of Dracula* ripoff which I really need to see. 

The last part of this docu looks at this South Indian movie called *Ammoru (Mother Goddess)* which is one of these modern-day mythologicals using a lot of (low-budget) CGI for the special FX. This movie looks quite interesting and needs to be tracked down. For the sort of movie that normally functions as a 'family' entertainer it has a fair amount of blood including one of the most gruesome decapitation scenes I have come across in an Indian movie. Must...see...NOW!


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