Thank you again "Something Weird". This is an obscure and dirty little gem that comes from the shadows in Brazil.
I'm not a huge fan of Coffin Joe but I always admire Mojica Martins effort in Horror.
In "O Exorcismo Negro" Mojica tries to capitalize the success of "The Exorcist" but with a low budget (very low), creepy ideas that also deal with witchcraft, revenge, a soap-opera like sub-plot, and a crazy but spooky ritual. Eh, not to mention the creepy dancing sequence! The word "exorcism" shouldn't be taken literally. I mean, it's more of an inner battle between Mojica and his character (who laughs diabolically as the ending credits roll, brr).
Let me explain myself... The movie deals with Mojica Martins spending Christmas and some more days in a good friend's cabin (and his colorful family). There, Mojica while trying to write a new book and giving VERY interesting explanations towards the supernatural, his vision to Horror movies and novels; starts experiencing horrific situations that may led him believe his Coffin Joe character is actually a real evil force and that something really wrong is happening...
He witnesses along with Betinha how a tarantula and a serpent are hanging in the Christmas tree! Then, he has a creepy encounter with the possessed and tender grandpa who tells him something like "I'm more powerful than you! You can't stop me!" (in demonic voice). We later learn that it was Coffin Joe talking to him damn it!. You can notice the needed exorcism requirements in the old man's behavior.
Then Mojica, in probably the movie's creepiest moment, encounters another possessed family member standing in the woods, and when Mojica talks to him, he turns around, speaks in devil voice, has make-up a la "Evil Dead", starts speaking creepy things, and fights with Mojica until both fell into a dirty pond. You get the idea...
But in intercuts we learn that an old Witch who possesses EXTREMELY CREEPY devilish figures and status, set a curse on the family. You see, there was a pact that established that in order to have a baby, one of the relatives went to seek the aid of the witch who promised her a daughter in 9 months (although her husband was out of town due to work duties) in ex-change of that when a grown-up she would marry whoever the witch establishes. Oh, but the girl marries someone else and the witch believes it's time to make her marry the son of Satan! A groovy Brazilian guy.
Then, through a satanic ritual; everything should be solved. That's when Coffin Joe makes a creepy appearance while Mojica watches in disbelief.
Expect the witch tearing a black chicken's head with her teeth and pouring it's blood, some hand and finger chopping, stranger cannibals eating body parts, the throwing of corpses in a center, satanic chanting sand images (horrible statues and procedures such as moving the figures in a direction), and an eerie dancing where naked hot Brazilian chicks perform. That's my kind of entertainment! At the end, Mojica confronts Coffin Joe and tells him that "I created you! You can't exist" but Coffin makes his statement by reflexing about evil, imagination, and sends a message for the Horror audience. Nice!.
Still, "O Exorcismo Negro" gets dull, repetitive, not to mention boring at some points. Sure, there are creepy scenes but that's mainly because of the amateur look of the movie and some creepy sounds. Other sequences may look very cheesy and cheap but it somehow works because adds tension to the vibe.
I can't say this movie is creepy by any means, but it's a prime example of how an atmosphere can carry on it's back the whole fear factor of a movie with the word exorcism.
The acting was just good. I've read that some of the actors had experience in Brazilian television, and you can say so. The grandpa was a good actor. He looked tender while having Christmas dinner. Betinha got on my nerves with her screaming but at the ending she made a point while talking about her dead dog. (A dog that gets his neck broken, not sure if that pleases animal lovers).
Oh and Vilma has hot! ;) Give it a chance. It's a piece of obscurity that demonstrates how Brazilian Horror can be creepy, critic, clever, and atmospheric.
I'm not a huge fan of Coffin Joe but I always admire Mojica Martins effort in Horror.
In "O Exorcismo Negro" Mojica tries to capitalize the success of "The Exorcist" but with a low budget (very low), creepy ideas that also deal with witchcraft, revenge, a soap-opera like sub-plot, and a crazy but spooky ritual. Eh, not to mention the creepy dancing sequence! The word "exorcism" shouldn't be taken literally. I mean, it's more of an inner battle between Mojica and his character (who laughs diabolically as the ending credits roll, brr).
Let me explain myself... The movie deals with Mojica Martins spending Christmas and some more days in a good friend's cabin (and his colorful family). There, Mojica while trying to write a new book and giving VERY interesting explanations towards the supernatural, his vision to Horror movies and novels; starts experiencing horrific situations that may led him believe his Coffin Joe character is actually a real evil force and that something really wrong is happening...
He witnesses along with Betinha how a tarantula and a serpent are hanging in the Christmas tree! Then, he has a creepy encounter with the possessed and tender grandpa who tells him something like "I'm more powerful than you! You can't stop me!" (in demonic voice). We later learn that it was Coffin Joe talking to him damn it!. You can notice the needed exorcism requirements in the old man's behavior.
Then Mojica, in probably the movie's creepiest moment, encounters another possessed family member standing in the woods, and when Mojica talks to him, he turns around, speaks in devil voice, has make-up a la "Evil Dead", starts speaking creepy things, and fights with Mojica until both fell into a dirty pond. You get the idea...
But in intercuts we learn that an old Witch who possesses EXTREMELY CREEPY devilish figures and status, set a curse on the family. You see, there was a pact that established that in order to have a baby, one of the relatives went to seek the aid of the witch who promised her a daughter in 9 months (although her husband was out of town due to work duties) in ex-change of that when a grown-up she would marry whoever the witch establishes. Oh, but the girl marries someone else and the witch believes it's time to make her marry the son of Satan! A groovy Brazilian guy.
Then, through a satanic ritual; everything should be solved. That's when Coffin Joe makes a creepy appearance while Mojica watches in disbelief.
Expect the witch tearing a black chicken's head with her teeth and pouring it's blood, some hand and finger chopping, stranger cannibals eating body parts, the throwing of corpses in a center, satanic chanting sand images (horrible statues and procedures such as moving the figures in a direction), and an eerie dancing where naked hot Brazilian chicks perform. That's my kind of entertainment! At the end, Mojica confronts Coffin Joe and tells him that "I created you! You can't exist" but Coffin makes his statement by reflexing about evil, imagination, and sends a message for the Horror audience. Nice!.
Still, "O Exorcismo Negro" gets dull, repetitive, not to mention boring at some points. Sure, there are creepy scenes but that's mainly because of the amateur look of the movie and some creepy sounds. Other sequences may look very cheesy and cheap but it somehow works because adds tension to the vibe.
I can't say this movie is creepy by any means, but it's a prime example of how an atmosphere can carry on it's back the whole fear factor of a movie with the word exorcism.
The acting was just good. I've read that some of the actors had experience in Brazilian television, and you can say so. The grandpa was a good actor. He looked tender while having Christmas dinner. Betinha got on my nerves with her screaming but at the ending she made a point while talking about her dead dog. (A dog that gets his neck broken, not sure if that pleases animal lovers).
Oh and Vilma has hot! ;) Give it a chance. It's a piece of obscurity that demonstrates how Brazilian Horror can be creepy, critic, clever, and atmospheric.
