What would happen is you crossed The Maltese Falcon with an Alchemical Vampire film?
Well, for one, something mighty close to this.
But that hardly begins to describe this grisly and touching story which is very likely the best vampire film of the 90s.
Del Toro layers symbols, mythic hidden meanings and obscure references to alchemism, classic horror (and non horror) film in his feature length debut. He will return later to themes of childhood, innocence, old age and death. Sometimes close to selling out or compromising, but other times being wholly truthful to his apparent artistic principles.
Along the way, we see a macabre sense of humor, a skewering of Mexican stereotypes (that mortician guy may be Universal, but he is distinctively Mexican in his braggadocio, machismo, ineptitude and valemadrismo*. Also, possibly, the funniest thing on the film, at least to other Mexicans who will identify with him. Others may think this scene is a bit overboard.)
Not all horror movies deal openly with death, or prepare one to accept our ultimate fate, but this is certainly one of them. Along the way we will also be treated to Bunuelian and Cronenbergian themes and images of insects, insects crawling out of bodies, mutant insects, a transformation to a sort of New Flesh, decay, disgust and thirst for precious bodily fluids, death, etc. The beginning is a nifty reference to The Asphix.
Hopefully we can get more films out of Del Toro of this caliber as he matures as a filmmaker.
* The best translation might be a personal (or even cultural) philosophy of "To Hell With It, ("Me vale Madre.")
Well, for one, something mighty close to this.
But that hardly begins to describe this grisly and touching story which is very likely the best vampire film of the 90s.
Del Toro layers symbols, mythic hidden meanings and obscure references to alchemism, classic horror (and non horror) film in his feature length debut. He will return later to themes of childhood, innocence, old age and death. Sometimes close to selling out or compromising, but other times being wholly truthful to his apparent artistic principles.
Along the way, we see a macabre sense of humor, a skewering of Mexican stereotypes (that mortician guy may be Universal, but he is distinctively Mexican in his braggadocio, machismo, ineptitude and valemadrismo*. Also, possibly, the funniest thing on the film, at least to other Mexicans who will identify with him. Others may think this scene is a bit overboard.)
Not all horror movies deal openly with death, or prepare one to accept our ultimate fate, but this is certainly one of them. Along the way we will also be treated to Bunuelian and Cronenbergian themes and images of insects, insects crawling out of bodies, mutant insects, a transformation to a sort of New Flesh, decay, disgust and thirst for precious bodily fluids, death, etc. The beginning is a nifty reference to The Asphix.
Hopefully we can get more films out of Del Toro of this caliber as he matures as a filmmaker.
* The best translation might be a personal (or even cultural) philosophy of "To Hell With It, ("Me vale Madre.")
