Ten Hispanic Horror Films To Make You Pee Your Pants
The end of October rapidly approaches. That means the days are getting shorter, the leaves are falling off the trees, and in the right light the naked branches look like gnarled, bony fingers clawing at the grey sky. SPOOKY. It’s the perfect time of year for hot toddies and a good ol’ scary movie marathon. In case ABC Family’s constant looping of Hocus Pocus isn’t doing it for you, our producer Angie Mendoza – a SERIOUS horror film fanática – has put together a list of the 10 quintessential Hispanic horror films that will rob you of sleep for weeks. Check ’em out!
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1. TESIS (Spain, 1996)
This is Alejandro Amenabar‘s directorial debut. You’ve seen his other films Open Your Eyes or its crappy remake Vanilla Sky. Or how about his American directorial debut, The Others (also an amazing Latin Horror film). This flick is about a college student who finds a snuff film in a secret room at her university in Madrid. She teams up with the resident shock film aficionado to try and figure out the source and makers of this film.
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2. THE ORPHANAGE (Spain, 2007)
This film is produced by Mexico’s Guillermo del Toro but directed by Juan Antonio Bayona of Spain. Spain has really been on the forefront in the foreign horror genre in the last 20 years. This one has an incredible creep factor and just turns up the tension throughout. Who’s not afraid of creepy kids? Especially ones in weird masks. Yikes.
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3. CRONOS (Mexico, 1993)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, this is his directorial debut and more of a pure horror film than, say, Pan’s Labyrinth. This is a new take on the vampire tale and features an awesome steampunk device that promises eternal youth.
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4. MAS NEGRO QUE LA NOCHE (Mexico, 1975)
Hot girl inherits creepy old house and is forced to watch after a black cat. What can go wrong? They used to play this on Univision back in the day when they used to have old Mexican movie marathons on Sundays. This flick is filled with famous 70s & 80s Mexican telenovela stars: Lucia Mendez, Claudia Islas, Elena Rojo, and Susana Dosamantes (aka Paulina Rubio’s mom).
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5. EL SANTO CONTRA LAS MOMIAS DE GUANAJUATO (Mexico, 1972)
This is a cult classic. Lucha Libre legend, El Santo, fights mummies in Guanajuato. It’s technically a horror movie, although, depending on your age, you may or may not be frightened. Either way, you will be entertained.
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6. KM 31 (Mexico, 2006)
This one is secretly about La Llorona. I have to admit, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending but the rest of the film was amazing. The production value was on par with a Hollywood horror film. This one is about the power of twins. One has an accident that leaves her in a coma. The conscious twin tries to figure out what happened to her sister and winds up in the tangles of a curse on the highway’s Kilometro 31.
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7. EL EXTRAÑO HIJO DEL SHERIFF (Mexico, 1982)
A classic film starring cult film favorite, Mario Almada (the Almada brothers kick ass together in a bunch of B-movie action flix. They’re basically the Mexican Chuck Noriss in Brother form). Eric Del Castillo is also in this, he’s Kate del Castillo‘s (La Reina del Sur) dad.
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8. REC (Spain, 2007)
Spain is at it again with this cinéma vérité (aka mock documentary aka found footage) style zombie flick. Scary as hell! Don’t let the crappy American version, Quarantine, fool you. This one will make you check behind the shower curtain when you pee.
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9. MACABRA LA MANO DEL DIABLO (Mexico, 1986)
This one is known as Demonoid: Messenger of Death in the U.S. It’s also a cult classic and reminds me a lot of Italian Giallo films made famous in Italy by directors like Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci except a lot more craptastic. I’m pretty sure Idle Hands ripped off this movie.
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10. CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (Italy, 1980)
Speaking of Italy, this film is an Italian & American production. In this case, I’m broadening my definition of Latino to people descended of Latin-speakers, and on that basis this film made the list. It’s shot in part in the Amazon if you want to be self righteous in your definition of Latino… Cannibal Holocaust is the grandaddy of found footage films (i.e. Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, V/H/S, [REC]). If you want to see where these present day filmmakers got their inspiration, check this film out. But be warned, it is NOT FOR THE QUEASY. It is so incredibly disgusting and gory that the filmmakers were accused of making a snuff film. It was rumored that people were actually killed on screen! These accusations, of course, were all B.S. and it just added to the intrigue. To this day, it’s a cult sensation.
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