PopHorror Let's Get Scared
One of my favorite things I get to do here at PopHorror is review films for film festivals, and one of the best things about that is I get to see films I wouldn’t normally pick or have an opportunity to view. I picked The History of the Occult from Fantaspoa 2021 rather blindly. I read the synopsis and decided to give it a go. I definitely was not disappointed! Read on for my spoiler free review!
Synopsis of The History of the Occult:
It’s 60 minutes to Midnight’s last broadcast, the most famous journalism show on TV. Tonight is Adrian Marcato, who might expose a conspiracy that links the government with an actual coven.
The History of the Occult was written and directed by Cristian Ponce. The film stars Germán Baudino, Nadia Lozano, and Héctor Ostrofsky.
My Thoughts on The History of the Occult
This film isn’t like anything I’ve seen before. The synopsis itself may lead you to believe The History Of The Occult will be boring, but it is far from boring. There are subtitles, which for me sometimes is difficult. My brain sometimes has difficulty reading and following the plot. Not with this film, however. It held my attention and had me waiting for the next step in plot development.
The History Of The Occult is shot in black and white, and I love that so much. It gives everything a real film noir feel, a genre I enjoy. It also had some trippy moments that not only enriched the plot but added to the build up to the final act.
The filmmakers made good use of limited locations and settings. That is sometimes difficult to do, as it may seem dull to have only so many settings. However, the characters in this film are well developed, and you feel like you are right there in the action. The History Of The Occult also makes good use of creating suspense and tension, an aspect that not only draws you in but makes you fully invested in the film.
The build up and the things you don’t see are where the good, old fashion horror elements are. Is the government actually linked to a real life coven? You need to watch the film to find out!
Final Thoughts:
However, The History Of The Occult may be a tad flawed. I did find some of the history hard to follow. It may seem more like the ’70s than the ’80s, making it seem more dated than it is.
With all that said, I do highly recommend seeing this film. This is a throwback to film noir with a twisted plot that is enjoyable to watch!
