La herencia Valdemar

This movie was okay. Not a complete waste of time if you have time to waste. The Gothic atmosphere and the Spanish country side were creepy and beautiful. From the start, I knew it wasn't going to be a masterpiece just purely from the way the woman walked into her boss's office like she was on a runway. This movie starts with modern times and 15 minutes in, we get what I assumed was going to be a flashback but was really the meat of the story. The actors in the olden times are much better comparably to the modern day actors in terms of acting. Also, this is apparently part one and there will be a part two, from the looks of the preview after the movie finished. It feels more like a serial than a movie.

As to the plot, like the previous reviewer stated, they forgot about the modern times after one of the characters starts telling a story about what happened in the past that made the place haunted, so there really is no story or plot for the modern part of the movie. The plot regarding the origination of the haunting was decent, was spooky at some parts, but it still felt lacking. I guess you have to watch both parts in order to really get the crux of the movie.

This movie is not self contained.

"La Herencia Valdemar (Valdemar's Heritage) is the first of a two-part story based on tale written by H. P. Lovecraft. It's the last picture of Spanish actor Paul Naschy whom career is linked to terror (specially with his classical character "Waldemar Daninsky". It is a very good film, with many topics of Cthulhu stories but in the good side. Film has two parts, one in present time, when the character of Silvia Abascal has to make a study about the value of an ancient mansion (Valdemar House); the second one is in the 19th century, and explains the origin of the mansion. There are many little things for smiling, as the names of some minor characters or the handle of the staff of Eusebio Poncela character. An interesting point is the fact that the film had no public money, a good exception in Spanish cinema. Secuel of the film is now in post-production.

The comment made by that reviewer from Canada "I didn't expect much from the Spanish Cinema" is so broad and unfortunate about the Spanish cinema that is almost pitiful.

My previous comment was deleted (by a very sensitive reader no doubt) and I'm very sorry (and worried) to see that is so easy for anyone to erase other people commentaries when they do not coincide with their own: Dark Age minds living and interacting now, in the XXI Century.

I could write a long list of magnificent Spanish directors and movies produced in Spain, but I don't think it worthy of my time trying to enlighten closed and prejudiced minds.

To the movie: It isn't the Second Coming, of course, but it isn't the worse movie ever made either. The production is acceptable, the settings and atmosphere quite good and the plot interesting enough to have a pleasant time watching it.

One is left waiting for the second part (something I never saw) since I'm rewriting this review a long time after my first deleted one and since then I completely forgot about the sequel to this picture. In general: Quite an acceptable pastime.

You could be forgiven thinking this is a TV movie of the week two parter (this one being part 1 of course). But the movie begins quite strong. The actors seem to really get behind the concept and the mystery is building slowly, but in a good way.

Of course this being only half the experience means that some characters are just being introduced more or less, so you can see where they will take this with part 2. The late great Paul Naschy is one of the better known actors in this, though don't expect his role to be big (especially considering the age he was when he shot it). For fans of his work this oddity will work, but some may think he should have had a better "farewell" movie. As it is, the movie does fail to live up to its good beginning.

The majority of critics have been unfair to this movie. This is a nice homage to the classics of the terror genre and to the world of Lovecraft. Aficionados will enjoy the references with delight.

The story is well told and interesting enough, and though it leaves some loose ends (the second installment will see the light on October), the main story (told in a large flashback) concludes in a spectacular climax that is something to be seen.

The production values are top notch.

The only setbacks are some pieces of dialog, too long and literary, that drag the pace in the middle section.

All in all, this is a remarkable first feature from director José Luis Alemán.