La maldición del monasterio

Apparently a group of priests/monks many years ago in Mexico were forced to jump from the tower of their monastery by a crazed Mexican landowner looking for gold that had been allocated to the poor of the town. This story supposedly ties into this mess of a movie in a modern-day setting...but don't you believe it. This movie made me scream bloody screams. I was almost unable to stay up throughout the whole boring affair which really tells no story at all except some Mexican guy coming back to his past...Yes, you are right...his past in that town where the falling monks once lived. Naturally, he falls in love with an American girl just going from town to town with no discernible income. The plot is so course that there is literally no cohesion at all from one scene to another. The movie has the look of something some guys with a camcorder might have put together. I don't know what is worse: the sluggish pacing of the film, the total lack of acting talent, has-been Russ Tamblyn shamelessly trying to be funny as he mugs the camera for all its worth, the cheap sets, the irritating fact that someone produced this mess, and the list could go on and on. To give you an idea just how bad this film is...the best part is Tamblyn...NOW that's scary!

The version reviewed here is the Spanish language one.When you 1st watch this movie your reaction is, "it's pretty bad, but Tamblyn is funny". Then for some reason you watch it for a 2nd & 3rd time. You start to think, is this one of those so bad it's good films. By the 4th viewing you realize that you have been looking at this movie all wrong. It's more of a drama within a horror story. And with that perspective the film becomes better appreciated. Central to the plot line are traumatic events that took place in Karen's childhood and how they have translated into nightmares in her adulthood. Jaime Garza, listed as James Garnett in the English language version, plays Ricardo and brings elements from the crime genre into the story as well. Alfred Gutierrez who also had a small part in the horror film Vacaciones de Terror 2, here plays a drunk. Superstar Mário Almada who is not new to horror films, having also appeared in Ladrones de Tumbas some years later, also has a cameo. Fans of the knights Templar films may see some similarities in this film as well. But the best asset this film has is Russ Tamblyn. He has a very funny role and plays it to the hilt. Repeated viewings will still produce laughs.

My review was written in December 1990 after watching the movie on Warner video cassette.

Fans of old-fashioned horror films probably will dig "Blood Screams", a leftover pic shot in Mexico in 1986 and recently distributed on video.

Filmmkaer Glenn Gebhardt obviously is a fan of the late Italian maestro Mario Bava, since his highly atmospheric tale is visualy reminscent of fog-shrouded Bava pics like "Baron Blood".

Originally titled "Monks of Blood" or "Bloody Monks", narrative limns a curse dating from the 16th century, when monks were persecuted by an evil gold miner. Heroine Stacey Shaffer stumbles onto the problem in Mexico and barely escapes with her hide intact.

Along the way, there is a spointless subplot involing magician Russ Tamblyn, who tries to toag along with Shaffer, as well asw an unsuccessful character role as a witch doctor for sex symbol Isela Vega, decidedly unsexy here. Another subplot involving incest is handled tastefully.

Except for excessive verbal exposition, pic is adequately executed. Shaffer, who resembles actress Karen Young, carries the pictuere and Mexican supporting cast (unidentified as to their roles) is adequate.

La Maldición del Monasterio, as the original title goes, tells the story about a haunted monastery on a secluded Mexican town surrounded by gorgeous woods and mountains. The few town citizens become increasingly fearful of the strange things happening surrounding the monastery. Meanwhile, a young American girl and a Mexican psychology student arrive to the town to look for answers on their pasts which are strangely connected to the bizarre place.

The movie is pretty flawed, no doubt about that, but it manages to create a suspenseful and creepy atmosphere specially on the dream sequences of the American girl (with a great use of color) and the foggy nights on the old and ruined mysterious town.

A surprising and funny performance by Russ Tamblyn of West Side Story (1961) and Twin Peaks fame.