El escapulario

Mexico's "La Epoca Del Oro" was noted for blending primitive superstition with baroque religious symbolism (isn't that what santeria is?) and all I can say is, that very Catholic country loved putting the fear of God into the devout.

A ghost story set around the time of the Mexican Revolution, THE SCAPULAR concerns an old woman on her deathbed who tells the priest giving her last rites of the strange and powerful influence a religious medal had on her four sons. It's told mostly in flashback and the fog-bound atmospherics "Golden Age" cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa provides in abundance makes it look like we're observing the otherworldly goings-ons through the mists of time. If using black & white was a deliberate choice for this 1968 flick, it was a stoke of genius. An impressed 8/10 but only because I'm not into organized religion (although I'll grant it's pretty scary).

Between Mexico and Brazil has many similitudes, mainly to be colonized by twin countries like Spain and Portugal who brought their settles with strong beliefs in Christian faith, that endures until today, among this specially in the beginning of last century they used a sort of talisman self-called scapular coming from Christian roots whom loads it at your neck stays protected by all evil that may approaching, his uses dates back almost a thousand years by catholic church since, also nobody should buy such sacred object for himself, it must had given for someone else as gift for everlasting protecting.

The director Servando González wisely adapted his unearthly story into widescreen hoping make a huge success in Mexico, however the picture just stays six weeks on display at there, although through the years slowly this gem has been discovered by many cinephiles around the world gaining cult status afterwards,

The Story takes place in the mid-last century when a dying woman asking for a attendance of a priest Andres (Enrique Aguilar) she had four male children and starting telling the story of each them in flashbacks, the older one Julian Fernandez (Calos Cardán) as Mexico's Army Officer who became a caudillo due the Mexican government imposes a harsh and oppressive procedure against the starving people enforced by powerful Army, Julian wore the scapular until her death at ambush settled by Mexican's Army.

In same night that Julien died another man called as Federico (Federico Falcon) stolen the scapular soon sending by poor man called Pedro (Enrique Lizalde) who has an impossible affair with a gorgeous rich Lady Rosário (Alicia Bonet) promptly hampered by her greedy uncle whom manages by all means cheat to take over Rosário's inheritance, afterwards kills Pedro in a failed ambush, thus the patient Priest hear all stories of such woman, that at last gives to him the sacred scapular for good, that one of his son is missing,.

The outcome is too compelling and moving, exposing how the fate driven us without noticed it should be a fable of spiritual nature, accurately photographed in black and white it gave to the picture the astonishing atmosphere that the story requires, a near masterpiece from Mexico carried out by the craftsman director Servando Gonzalez, don't miss!

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First watch: 2023 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.5.