If you know me even a little bit, you’ll know that I have a serious boner for anthology horror. Short films of any subject are fascinating, but horror has always done quite well in short form. There is a lot of room to play and to tell an entertaining, yet bite-sized tale, proving that a simple story with a quick payoff can be just as rewarding as a complex mythology. And it’s always exciting to see a group of filmmakers come together around a particular theme and create something entertaining and fun.
MEXICO BARBARO features work from eight different Mexican filmmakers, each focusing on a different aspect of Mexican history and culture. Myth, legend, modern day horrors, traditions and superstitions all interplay in the segments, which run the gamut from being darkly humorous to straight up horrifying. Each segment has something a little different to offer, while still exploring and celebrating the dark side of Mexico in a different way.
From an island of creepy dolls, to a young woman haunted by an unearthly presance, to the incorporation of strange Aztec rituals into the modern world – MEXICO BARBARO pulls together a variety of different influences from Mexico’s colorful history and culture and weaves them into a fascinating collection of stories.
Ulises Guzman's "Seven Times Seven," for example, follows a man who painstakingly completes an ancient magic ritual in order to restore life to the rotting corpse of a man, only to take horrible revenge on the man once his soul has been restored. Another high point was Edgar Nito's "Jaral de Berrios," which finds a pair of robbers seeking shelter in a broken down, dilapidated house, only to discover that they are not alone.
This collection of shorts is wonderfully unique and spectacularly filmed. They are all notably different from one another in terms of style, and are all equally gorgeous. Gigi Saul Guerrero dives into the rich colors and traditions of "Dia de los Muertos," while Aaron Soto makes great use of sound design in "Drena," Each segment stands out from the others in a unique way, and even if you find a story that is not to your liking, it's hard to argue that technical components at play here aren't memorable and enriching.
Anthologies are always a lot of fun in that they offer something different to everyone. We all have our favorite segments in CREEPSHOW, TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE and V/H/S – sometimes they overlap and sometimes they don’t. Horror appeals to everyone a little differently, but anthology projects generally have something that appeal to everyone. So whether your thing is ghost stories, crazy retro creature-features, tales of revenge or the darker side of Dia de los Muertos, chances are you'll be able to find something to connect with and enjoy in this collection.
MEXICO BARBARO hits dvd and VOD on November 3rd. Just because Halloween is over, doesn't mean the viewing party has to stop!
