Rituales sangrientos

"De Johnsons" is a rare Dutch horror gem and actually a lot better than the negative-minded reviews around here suggest. It has an original and oddly compelling storyline, involving anthropology myths, incest and teenage-sexuality. The complex and ambitious script tells the story of seven portentous brothers that have only one goal in their life: impregnate their virgin-sister so that she can give birth to a creature that'll bring the world to an end. Their father once went along with a scientific expedition near the Amazone, and he got obsessed with a local monster called "Xangadix". The subject matter seems far too complicated for a modest Dutch production like this, but director Rudolf van den Berg upholds the tension and credibility surprisingly well. The film contains several disturbing moments and there even are a couple very well-mounted gore sequences. Especially the scenes inside the fort (where the septulets got institutionalized after butchering an entire nursery home) and Emalee's nightmares result in very powerful horror cinema. The cast is good, with some 'famous' Dutch stars (Monique van de Ven, Kenneth Herdigein) as well as convincing new talent (Esmée de la Bretonière). Sure, it also has its flaws (like the somewhat disappointing climax-scene) but it's definitely recommended. Tip: invite some friends and organize a Dutch horror night! You can program this film, alongside "Amsterdamned" and "De Lift".

This is a real Dutch treat for horror fans.. not. I bought this film after reading some internet hype about it. The only cool thing about this movie is the little frozen fertility dude, and even then you only get to see him briefly. The black professor and his father really suck and the dad is especially stupid and unfunny. The seven bros story is made weak by a script that feels only half complete. The most glaring weakness that shows that they needed filler material is a long retarded scene about finding a file in a hospital. Stay away from the horror genre you crazy dutch ! Just kidding man, but seriously some good ideas get drowned in bad acting, filler material.. the result is a long mentos commercial of pure sucktitude. This is a really bad, really slow, really boring flick. I love horror and I know my horror from cult to cheese to giallo to the elite films and this movie blows. One star out of Four.

The first half of this Dutch horror movie is great. A 14-year old girl begins having horrific dreams about a group of strange children in a deserted building smearing blood on the walls. Meanwhile, a professor of anthropology is consulted by an FBI-type police organization about seven maniacs who, when they were children, slaughtered their schoolmates. The government doesn't know what to do with them & wants to know why they went crazy.

This first half of the film is great. The dream sequences are creepy & frightening & you are led to wonder what is the connection between the girl & her dreams & the maniacs in the prison. The fact that the film was made in Holland adds to the eeriness since everything is just a little bit "off"--it's not a standard formula Hollywood scare film & anything is likely to happen. Watching this part of the film at night, alone in the dark is guaranteed to terrify anyone.

Unfortunately, the second half of the film isn't nearly as good. As the secrets are revealed, they turn out to be fairly pedestrian & even silly. The addition of some foolish comic relief (in the form of the anthropologist's father, a voodoo priest) and some unlikely coincidences lead the film astray & throw away all of the spookiness that the early part of the film had created. The maniacs, so frightening and intimidating in the beginning, become laughably easy to kill as the film becomes just another cheap-o "slasher" film.

The film is a little different in that the leads are two women (the girl and her mother) and a black anthropologist. The guy playing the professor is good, the young woman is also good but her mother is kind of annoying.

This film is worth a try, but expect to be disappointed.

Twenty-one years after the birth of seven siblings, Professor Keller (Kenneth Herdigein) is summoned by a government agency to give support to the treatment of the seven men that became killers since they were seven years old. Professor Keller finds a connection with an ancient Indian cult to bring evil to destroy Earth. Meanwhile the photographer Victoria Lucas (Monique van de Ven) is invited to take pictures in an isolated place and she travels with her fourteen-year-old daughter Emalee Lucas (Esmée de la Bretonière), who is under psychological treatment due to gruesome nightmares she has, and they camp nearby the facility where the seven brothers are. Out of the blue, the seven brothers escape and hunt Emalee. What is the connection among them?

I saw "De Johnsons" on 05 September 1998 and I liked this Dutch horror movie. Yesterday I decided to see this old VHS again and I found a film with great potential if a higher budget and better conclusion were available. Vader Keller, for example, is the awful father of Professor Keller and a silly unfunny character. The destruction of rare footages and notes is ridiculous. The idea of an incest to bring evil on Earth is magnificent; but the stupid conclusion with explosion is terrible. The photographer Victoria Lucas lives in a building apparently alone since there is no movements of neighbors or people on the street. But the story is dark and the main idea is interesting. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Os Filhos da Morte" ("The Sons of the Dearh")

Never read any reviews of this movie, until I called it up today. I'd thought it was fairly obscure until Anchor Bay put it out. (Never seen their version.) Had mine for years. Surprised by all the complaints about the dubbing, it's never a problem on mine. I have always liked this one, it's not the usual pile of cliches. It does try very hard to lose it's national character, and could easily pass for some more European origin. the acting is good, but seems stilted by some odd relationships, and a tendency towards cliche in some of the more minor parts. The payoff on the ancient ritual is played like most slasher films, but is elevated slightly by the backstory. And the image of the preserved Xangadix fetus in amber, is rather haunting in the conclusion. Probably aimed at an American audience, but possibly a bit much for some crowds. It's not everybody's cup of fungus, but it isn't bad.