Angustia

Undoubtably one of the scariest and under-raved horror films of all time. Zelda Rubinstein is unforgettable, and if u liked her in the Poltergeist films she is even more stellar here. Known to horror buffs as the all-time movie within a movie... but its psychological mind-warp scene is as tense as it gets. The under-tones of the snails and doves contribute highly to the paranoia. A re-release definitely should be in order; this film deserves a second look by all. Anyone who has extreme phobia of "anything" to do with harm to the eyes- beware! Unfortunate that most mark this off as a "gore-fest" when its anything but. It is a brilliant study of the mind, and will blow you away with its oddity.

I was surprised to see some of the reviews of Anguish (Angustia). I had the opportunity of playing an L.A. cop in the film - it must have been 100 years and 25 pounds ago! As the film seems to have elicited some interest, I'll volunteer some background information.

The film was mostly shot in.... Barcelona, on an obviously shoestring budget. I was initially "signed on" as an ambulance attendant, but either my "delivery" or size turned me into a cop with a couple of lines, learned the same day as the shoot.

The exteriors for the "new movie" sequences were shot on a street created in a large parking lot in the "Zona Franca" of Barcelona. Apparently a stock background depicting Culver City Ca. was shipped to Spain, and a good portion of Barcelona's American cars were used to create the traffic background.

Did I mention the shoestring budget? Most of the scenes I participated in were shot at least twice - from different angles - because only one camera was used.

I don't say this as a criticism - if anything it is a tribute to Bigas Luna, who was able to create a piece of America on the Mediterranean, and to make a number of non-actors seem credible even with speaking roles (including yours truly).

While the movie was a disappointment, I (like many viewers I'm sure) was stunned by the cameo of the young actor, John Shelly, who played Patti's father. While he was only in the film for about 15 seconds, WHAT AN AMAZING 15 SECONDS IT WAS! Mr. Shelly (no relation to me - my name has an e before the y) in his all too brief moments on the screen indeed ran the gamut of emotions, from a deep brooding, DeNiro-like pathos (though DeNiro pales in comparison) at the thought of his daughter's near brush with psychopathic mayhem, to a charming whimsicality (a devilish smile reminiscent of Gable) when he realized she was in safe hands with the doctor, lacklusterly played by a journeyman actor who beat out Mr. Shelley for the part - no doubt due to directorial malfeasance - AND ALL THIS RELAYED TO THE AUDIENCE MERELY BY HIS REPEATED BLINKING. Through research I have discovered, to my endless bewilderment, that Mr. Shelly did not pursue his acting career, this despite a clamor from Hollywood and the repeated pleas of Copolla, Scorcese, Spielburg, and an endless parade of agents and stars (Meryl Streep apparently camped outside his door for a week before he could get a restraining order). Who can fathom what personal demon made him turn his back on this God-given gift, but the movie-going public has been denied a great star, one who could have brought the peoples of the world together in a ringing affirmation of their common humanity. God Bless You, Mr. Shelley, wherever you are!

Before the film even begins, a message is displayed on screen warning you about the possibility of hypnosis and dizziness etc. In my opinion, that's a great way to hype someone up. And with hype, disappointment usually follows. But not with Anguish, this was a really cool little flick.

The flick actually is pretty much two movies in one. I'll only describe the first story, since if I tell you about the second, it's kinda ruining it for you. The initial story follows a son who is being hypnotized and forced into murder by his mother, played by Zelda Rubinstein, the tiny lil paranormal investigator in Poltergeist. It's a pretty simple premise at first, but once the other story kicks in, the movie's tension and entertainment value is severely upped.

The direction and atmosphere is all fantastic, the only minor problems is the acting, it's pretty amateur to a degree. But there are also strong performances as well, the son/murderer did a really good job. And it's killing me trying to recall what I remember him from! And at under 90 minutes, the movie doesn't last too long. Poifect!

It's a rare lil horror flick that should definitely have more of a following. With a cool idea leading the way Anguish is one flick any fan of horror or of our beloved lil Zelda should without a doubt check out.

A demented mother telepathically directs her middle-aged son on bloody missions of revenge.And when he's finished murdering his victims,he gouges their eyes out and adds them to the bizarre family collection.But that's only a movie:The real horror is in the cinema where the audience watching this terrifying vision is being murdered one by one."Angustia" is a pretty bizarre Spanish horror film.The concept is certainly interesting and the director J.J.Bigas Luna perfectly mixes the line between the reality and the fantasy world of film.The acting is first-rate and there is plenty of gore and tension to satisfy fans of slasher films.The film is relatively unknown,but if you get a chance watch it.Highly recommended.8 out of 10.