Mexican Horror - The Golden Age

[Quot Bark! Go away Find all posts View Profile Close Quot]

I looked for a dedicated thread, but couldn't find one. Picking up on the discussion from the recent Halloween thread, I've come across a copy of Chano Urueta's 1954 film, The Witch / La Bruja, which looks very interesting.

As a Mexican horror film neophyte, what I can tell from reading and researching, the golden age of Mexican Horror (1950's, plus or minus), featured films that proudly wore their influences on their sleeve and, of course, reeked of the smell of thick and luscious noirror atmosphere.

I like well-made Mexican films in general (especially the cabarateras); any reco's for this La Bruja film (or its filmmaker)?

[Gary Banks Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gary Banks]

La Bruja isn't all that bad but a film that I enjoyed much more is the recently released MONSTER. The latter has subs which is a big help and is somewhat more atmospheric.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I'm gonna move this to international because I'm anal like that.

Quot, get yourself the Casa Negra discs if you can. They're all OOP now but if you're into vintage Mexican horror they are the best thing out there.

[Jens Thomsen Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jens Thomsen]

Another recommendation for the Casa Negra releases. 2-3 of them can still be had at diabolikdvd.com in their "rare, discontinued" section.

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

Quot, you can still find CasaNegra DVD's on amazon marketplace. Don't even worry about which one to get first. Just get 'em.

A shame CasaNegra's website went offline. They used to have a page devoted to the history of Mexican horror films, with a checklist of titles, dates, credits and synopses dating back to the 1920s. That was a useful history and nothing has come online to replace it. I learned all about the 1933 version of La Llorona, for example, a seminal horror film in Mexican culture, which I'm still looking for.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

For what it's worth, I recently threw together an article about the 'golden age' of Mexican horror cinema for an online publication: https://www.thefilmagazine.com/mende...horror-cinema/

This was something I've been burning to write for years but couldn't find an outlet/client interested in it. (I guess it *is* pretty niche, tbh.) I focused on the work of Fernando Mendez, Rafael Baledon and Chano Urueta. Limitations of space prevented a broader scope, so it became a piece focused on the Mexican horror films of about 1957-63. That said, I told the site editor that if they're interested, I'll put together a follow-up article looking at the Mexican horror films of the mid-60s to 1970s.

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

Fantastic essay, Paul!

The biggest revelation of the Casa Negra to me was and still remains THE BLACK PIT OF DR M. Such an underrated film. Deeply delirious and fantastically dark. I might have to give it a spin tonight.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

Fantastic essay, Paul!

The biggest revelation of the Casa Negra to me was and still remains THE BLACK PIT OF DR M. Such an underrated film. Deeply delirious and fantastically dark. I might have to give it a spin tonight.

Thanks, Scott. It was a labour of love, something I've been burning to put together for years - and I feel like I've only scratched the surface. BLACK PIT OF DR M is a wonderful film. Enjoy the viewing! :)

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Yeah, great job Paul (and if you ever find yourself wanting to write stuff like this and can't find an outlet, feel free to drop me a PM).

I wish that the Case Negra well hadn't dried up when it did. All of their titles that I managed to get were great. I think there might have been 1 or 2 comedies that came out towards the end of their time that I didn't get but all the horror titles I definitely still have.

[Gary Banks Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gary Banks]

Fantastic essay, Paul!

The biggest revelation of the Casa Negra to me was and still remains THE BLACK PIT OF DR M. Such an underrated film. Deeply delirious and fantastically dark. I might have to give it a spin tonight.

I was able to send them a copy of the script with English subs just in time for them to put it on the disc. They were going to release it with no English options. A copy of the script is in the extras.

The good old days.

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

I was able to send them a copy of the script with English subs just in time for them to put it on the disc. They were going to release it with no English options. A copy of the script is in the extras.

The good old days.

Well I for one am very grateful for your contribution!

[Gary Banks Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gary Banks]

Thank you!

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

That's awesome. High five, Gary!

[Jared A. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jared A.]

I was able to send them a copy of the script with English subs just in time for them to put it on the disc. They were going to release it with no English options. A copy of the script is in the extras.

The good old days.

WOW. I owe you a debt of thanks as well, since I've revisited this disc many times over the years. I can't believe they were going to release such an wonderful and important film without an English language option.

[Gary Banks Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gary Banks]

Now that I think on it, there was similar situation with the first release of The Aztec Mummy. I had the English script for that too and sent it in. It may have been the Mummy that was going to be in Spanish and not Pit. Things get blurry after 15 years or so.