Review by claudio_carvalho

When the snoopy reporter of a music magazine Ricardo Souto (Abel Salazar) travels from Mexico City to the countryside to pay a visit to the former pianist and conductor Samuel Magno (Enrique Rambal), he finds that he lives secluded in a house with his mother Cornelia (Ofelia Guilmáin) and his protegee Laura (Martha Roth). Ricardo briefly interviews Samuel and learns that he is preparing Laura to be introduced in a Tchaikovsky concert where he will be the conductor very soon. What Ricardo does not know is that the envious Samuel has made a pact with the devil to be the best pianist of the world, and he killed the number one, Alejandra (Martha Roth). However, the devil has played a prank on Samuel and, when he plays piano, he becomes a monster. Now Samuel wants to prepare Laura to become the best pianist and break the curse.

"El hombre y el monstruo (1959)" is an unknown Mexican film with a plot that entwins Faust, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Werewolf. The musician becomes a werewolf-like monster when he plays piano or hears the music that Alejandra was playing when he killed her. The devil, instead of keeping his soul, prefers to play a prank in this story. In addition, the black and white cinematography is wonderful and the exhibition of a great part of Piano Concerto No. 1 by Tchaikovsky gives a touch of class to this movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Homem e o Monstro" ("The Man and the Monster")