PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I know almost zilch about 1980’s Mexican horror cinema. I mean, I have a weird affinity for the “Coffin Joe” films, but those are Brazilian, and Paul Naschy did a plethora of Spanish language films, but other than the work in the last two decades from Guillermo Del Toro and his brethren, I’m completely ignorant of what was going on South of the border in what many consider to be the golden age of genre cinema.
That changed with Vinegar Syndrome’s double feature Blu-ray of Vacation of Terror I & II…
With both films on one disc, I dove right into part one (that was the logical move).
Directed by Rene Cardona III (Shriek of Terror), and opening with a requisite sepia-toned “I curse you ALL!” witch-burning scene, Vacation of Terror (1989) tells the tale of the perfectly coiffed Fernando (the very suave Julio Aleman; The Green Wall), his pregnant wife Lorena (Nuria Bages), his bratty twins Pedrito (Ernesto East) & Jamito (Carlos East Jr.), his young daughter Gaby (Gianella Hassel Kus, who may possess the most annoying voice of any child actor in cinematic history save for whoever dubbed Giovanni Frezza in House By The Cemetery), and his gorgeous niece Paulina (Gabriela Hassel; Don’t Panic), who is the frequent subject of Fernando’s lecherous stares.
Fernando, it turns out, has just recently inherited a “vacation home” from his mysterious Auntie, and the family is soon packing for a relaxing weekend in the country. Joining them is Paulina’s boyfriend Julio (Pedro Fernandez; Hell’s Trap) a lanky, Latino Stallone, who just traded his Walkman for an ominous-looking amulet.
Arriving at a total shit-hole of a dwelling (it, for real, looks like it was hit with cannon fire), our not-so-happy family soon has to recover Gaby from an abandoned well (complete with a surprisingly dry and well-lit tunnel complex) where she finds an old doll. Then it gets…crazy.
Soon we’re subjected to every horror film trope imaginable—witchy visions, wonky electric service (that ALWAYS means demons), rats, snakes, spiders, and some that are wholly new—bleeding trees, snakes on the ceiling (!), exploding eggs (?) and stuffed toy murder. Gaby’s little doll, it seems, contains the evil essence of the doomed from the opening, and in the fine tradition of “evil doll” flicks, all Hell breaks loose.
Frenetically paced, cheap, and goofy as fuck, Vacation of Terror is still a fun watch for the sheer batshit nuts quality of the story. It’s a strange conglomerate of varied and unrelated tropes thrown into a big ol’ pot and left to simmer unattended. You can see some Amityville influences, and maybe a dash of Evil Dead, but Vacation of Terror is it’s own schizophrenic animal.
It threatens to go completely off the rails at several points but manages to right itself to come crashing (literally) into a fiery Hammer-esque conclusion. Ably acted, and quickly paced, it’s not terribly frightening or engaging but as a portal into the Mexican genre cinema of the time, it works as a great set-up to its inevitable sequel…
Apparently, Vacation of Terror was such a success (it’s regarded as a cult classic in Mexican cinema, and a re-make is in the works) that a sequel was in order! Two years later, Vacation of Terror II (Directed this time by Pedro Galindo III) hit the ground running with a returning Pedro (Fernandez again), this time with a more luxurious and full mullet, and running an antique store.
Popular singer Mayra (Mexican pop star Tatiana) wanders in looking for a gift for her sister Tanya’s (Renata Del Rio) 7th birthday party. A little flirtation and Pedro gets the invite to that evening’s fiesta while watching in horror as he sees little Tanya in the car with what appears to be the doll that terrorized his ex’s family (seriously, what are the odds??)! Rushing (not really, nobody EVER acts with any real urgency in this thing) with a pocket full of ancient talismans to the party, our doomed trio is soon in a struggle for their lives and souls.
Upping the gore quotient, and featuring a much more complex plot, Vacation of Terror II is a marginally better film than its predecessor…marginally.
The set up of the horror-themed party being held at her Dad’s (Joaquin Cordero) film studio is a new one and serves the plot well, but then, apparently, famous genre directors can only afford to drive a shitbox Ford Tempo (must be an Indie guy…) which kinda shatters the illusion. Not to be outdone by Chucky, the evil doll quickly morphs into a slimy-looking devil thing that was definitely inspired by Demons, but again, rather than using it sparingly, which would have been more effective, they basically just shoot the creature in direct lighting, walking around and even standing still, It’s this ham-fisted approach to the craft that makes Vacation of Terror II an exercise in unfulfilled potential.
It’s a decent film, but it could have been better. That’s not to say there aren’t any redeeming qualities: a bizarre cake tableau, little Tanya running around in black metal facepaint, Mayra shrunk into a sugar figurine, evil pumpkin decorations, and what appears to be a pooping phone all add a smidgen of weird charm that turns a film that seems plodding and overlong in parts, into a mildly entertaining watch.
Both films look sharp and crisp, transfer-wise, and the audio, including the subtitles, is very well-balanced. The disc features reversible artwork, the usual (and very cool) transparent Vin Syn case, and contains interviews and clips of the actors and artists responsible for these little funky slices of Mexican horror.
While I’m not going to run out and buy a copy of every Mexican horror film for the 80’s, Vacation of Terror I & II are both fun and interesting, looks into a niche of horror that I was, up until now, ignorant to. Off-kilter and very strange, they’re definitely worth a look for the curious.
Vacation of Terror I & II are available now from Vinegar Syndrome directly and at all the usual retailers.
