ALUCARDA – Alucarda, la hija de las tinieblas – The Dungeon Review!
“They gave their souls to Hell… but the Devil wanted MORE!”
This deliciously sacrilegious and surreal bit of insanity from 1978 is pure exploitative gold. They just don’t make them like this anymore!
Justine takes residence in a convent after the death of her parents. She befriends Alucarda on her first night. The two immediately form a bond and are soon frolicking through the forest and rolling down hills giggling. One day the two girls come upon a tomb which Alucarda is anxious to investigate. This is the very tomb where Alucarda’s mother, impregnated by the devil, gave birth to her fifeteen years previous. Immediately upon her birth she is handed off to a shady looking guardian to be taken to a safe place. Needless to say, her entry into this most unholy of places stirs the demon forces and the two girls become possessed. It is going to be a hot time in the old convent tonight folks!
The sets are imaginative and quite impressive. The convent has the appearance of a cave and the multiple tiered Christs hanging from the ceiling is one of the most brilliant props I have ever seen! Instead of traditional habits, the nuns are clothed in what appears to be torn bloodied bandages. Tina Romero, who plays Alucarda gives a brooding and wonderfully wicked performance. When the action starts, it keeps a spirited pace right through to the end. There is more hysterical
female screaming then I’ve ever witnessed in a single film! The dialogue is over dramatic at times and there are a few moments that are bordering on cheesy but Moctezuma’s strange, daunting and moody presentation keeps it from slipping into silliness. There is some great bonus material on the dvd, including a brief doc on the films director, Juan López Moctezuma and an interview with Guillermo Del Toro. You will be treated to bizarre images, flagellating nuns, satanic rituals, copious nudity, lesbianism, and bloody violence. It is all complimented nicely by some trippy organ music. This little gem from
Mexico City is a must see for horror fans! Highly recommended!
Dungeon Ratings: 5/5
Directed By: Juan López Moctezuma
Starring: Claudio Brook, David Silva, Tina Romero, Susana Kamini, Lili Garza, Tina French, Birgitta Segerskog and Adriana Roel
GOREGIRL'S DUNGEON 
June 15, 2009 at 1:31 pm
That last picture alone is almost enough to sell me on this one. HAHA! Sounds like one of those odd foreign films that I need to own and I always love a dvd with good special features.
June 15, 2009 at 5:24 pm
What a mouthful of a title, huh? It really rolls off the tongue… I saw this one time at a horror film-themed film snob gathering in Houston, and I was truly unprepared for what laid before me. I laughed, I cried, I became a vampire (but only for a little while!). It was great. Good movie, fantastic review! Thanks for bringing back some good memories, Goregirl!!!
June 16, 2009 at 10:21 am
I love my 70’s era horror! There are images in this film that will definitely stay with you!
May 11, 2010 at 11:26 am
[…] is a bad thing, I was just expecting something more hysterical and over the top along the lines of Alucarda. This aside, Don’t Deliver Us From Evil is a fascinating film and is quite mesmerizing. The […]
April 1, 2011 at 7:30 am
[…] (1973) – The Dungeon Review! I’m a big fan of Juan López Moctezuma’s film Alucarda and was anxious to check out his other efforts. Moctezuma only directed five films and besides […]
August 29, 2012 at 9:36 pm
One of my personal favorites here, the ending always being an ever-so-yummy, cathartic experience. I need to get my hands on more Mexican stuff.
August 29, 2012 at 9:55 pm
I have a lot more Mexican cinema to explore but I enjoyed The Curse of the Crying Woman (early 60s) and I highly recommend checking out Jodorowsky’s Santa Sangre.
August 29, 2012 at 9:57 pm
That one’s on my to-buy list; Holy Mountain and El Topo are both masterpieces. I haven’t heard of The Curse Of The Crying Woman until now but I am going to add it to the list, thank you!
January 24, 2015 at 7:44 am
chestnut hill orange va
ALUCARDA – Alucarda, la hija de las tinieblas – The Dungeon Review! | GOREGIRL’S DUNGEON