Old-skool Mexican Horror

[ravenus]

Saw Book of Stone earlier and now Black Pit of Dr. M aka Misterios de Ultratumba. Black Pit was an atmospheric B&W horror loosely in the Poe tradition. A doctor wanting to know what lies beyond death compels his dying colleague to arrange for him to have an "afterlife" experience, with tragic consequences. Melodramatic and cheesy in parts, but in a good way, with strong shadowy visuals and clever understated camera tricks, like a predecessor to the classics of Mario Bava.

So...any other recommendations for Mex-films in this vein?

Has anyone here seen anything from the Nostradamus series of films with George Robles playing an evil successor of the famous seer?

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Venenos Para Las hadas (Poison for the fairies). Despite some really awful make-up for the one glimpse of a bruja or witch that the film gives us, it is for the most part a restrained, gripping tale that plays on the immense potential for evil that a child may possess. The first viewing is effective because it walks a very clever tightrope on the thin high-wire between a supernatural ending and a psychological one. The story firmly opts for one of the two by the end, but the ending would have been horrific either way. A second viewing, when you know the big reveal, can still be interesting because you see what was going on more clearly. The early scenes also interestingly portray the world from a child's point of view, avoiding showing adults at all. I'd hesitate to accord it classic status, but it's got some excellent atmosphere and is at least as good as Book Of Stone.

Haven't seen the other films you mention; I shall look out for Black Pit.

 

[Foxbat]

Can't say I've ever seen any Mexican Old-Skool Horror (I thought they just made films about masked wrestlers saving the world)


Still, if you want to try some Mexican New-Skool Horror We Are What We Are seems to be getting some good things said about it. Haven't seen it myself yet but I intend to view it when I get the chance.

 

[ravenus]

My in-depth impressions of the films I saw HERE

 

[Foxbat]

Had a look at your (excellent as usual) reviews. They look like very interesting movies. The stills for The Black Pit make it look like a very atmospheric film.

Methinks my Amazon account will be taking a couple of DVD hits soon