MYSTICS OF BALI has to be seen to be believed. Up until this time (1980) Indonesian cinema had been following along India cinema - where the movies pretty much had EVERYTHING in them - musical numbers, slapstick comedy, violence, horror, etc. MYSTICS was one of the first times they tried to make just a flat-out horror film and specifically for Western horror audiences. The film is a strange blend - with some genuine creepy moments and others that will have you unintentionally laugh out loud. Obviously they had no budget to pull off the special effects so when the woman's head leaves her body and she becomes this flying head with her entrails still connected - well, she looks like a badly made prop from George Romero directing Let's Go Fly A Kite in Mary Poppins. A western women comes to Bali to study their "black magic" and gets in too deep and before she knows it, Indonesian forest witches control her and make her become this nocturnal flying head that flies around....and there is one scene where she attacks a pregnant woman and bad effects or not - it is downright creepy. The other truly bizarre thing in this film is the evil witches - they are gnarled old women with bad teeth and long fingernails and they laugh/cackle for five solid minutes at times (or so it seems) - it becomes comical because they are giving it 110% percent in their evil laughing but it ends up sounding like Witchiepoo from H.R. Pufnstuf. What a weird film - check it out.
21 Reviews
Wicked Mystic.
BA_Harrison9 August 2012
Cathy (Ilona Agathe Bastian), an American student of witchcraft, travels to Bali in order to learn about Leák, the most powerful of all black magic. With the help of local man Mahendra (Yos Santo), Cathy becomes an apprentice of the Leák queen (Sofia W.D.), an ugly old hag who talks like Yoda and laughs like Salacious Crumb. But although the queen seems happy to reveal the secrets of her dark arts, she is actually using the young woman to increase her own powers, detaching Cathy's head from her body and sending it on night-time missions to collect the regenerating blood of new-born infants.
Despite featuring such bonkers sights as a flying head with vampire teeth and dangling entrails feeding on a woman about to give birth, talking fireballs engaged in mortal combat, Cathy and the queen transforming into animals (including a pig creature with breasts!!), Cathy vomiting up live mice in green goop after a night spent in the form of a snake, and a supernatural showdown with lightning bolts and electric fingers, Mystics in Bali isn't quite as enjoyable as one might imagine: the action is rather repetitive, the queen's incessant manic laughter gets really, really annoying, Mahendra's romance with Cathy is as dull as ditch-water (no gratuitous nudity here, folks!), and the visual effects are absolutely dire.
For a slightly more satisfying example of Indonesian craziness, check out The Queen of Black Magic.
Despite featuring such bonkers sights as a flying head with vampire teeth and dangling entrails feeding on a woman about to give birth, talking fireballs engaged in mortal combat, Cathy and the queen transforming into animals (including a pig creature with breasts!!), Cathy vomiting up live mice in green goop after a night spent in the form of a snake, and a supernatural showdown with lightning bolts and electric fingers, Mystics in Bali isn't quite as enjoyable as one might imagine: the action is rather repetitive, the queen's incessant manic laughter gets really, really annoying, Mahendra's romance with Cathy is as dull as ditch-water (no gratuitous nudity here, folks!), and the visual effects are absolutely dire.
For a slightly more satisfying example of Indonesian craziness, check out The Queen of Black Magic.
Occasionally amusing and gruesome Indonesian horror.
HumanoidOfFlesh15 August 2007
An American woman named Cathy asks her Indonesian boyfriend Hendra to help her investigate Balinese black magic known as 'Leyak'.Leyak is the most powerful black magic there is and she soon begins to pay a terrible cost when she turns into a flying head that feasts on unborn babies.I have seen my share of crazy Indonesian horror cinema and "Mystics in Bali" is perhaps the most known of 'em all.It is based on Indonesian mythology and for a supernatural culture largely undiscovered by Western movie fans.The special effects are incredibly cheesy and inept,the dubbed dialogue is absolutely hilarious,still there's a flying head which has the body's internal organs trailing behind,along with a little foetus eating and an evil sorcerer for all of you fans of Indonesian trash.The main actress Llona Agathe Bastian is incredibly wooden-in fact she was never an actress at all,but a German tourist spotted in Bali by one of the producers.Give this amusing trash a look.7 out of 10.
Black Magic
sol-13 October 2017
'Mystics in Bali' - sometimes known as 'Leák' - this Indonesian horror film focuses on an American woman whose research into black magic leads her Bali where she gets more than she bargained for upon befriending a local witch. With her constant cackling, unusually long fingernails and snake-like tongue, the local witch makes for a genuinely creepy character and all her scenes are divine. The low budget special effects also work more often than not, with gooey transformation effects, lots to like in the sheer bizarreness of a floating human head with entrails attached and a highly unsettling bit in which the said head confronts a pregnant woman. Whether the film has much to offer beyond its sheer weirdness is debatable. The protagonist's romance with a local Bali man lacks sparks and comes off as under-developed (does she really love him or is she just using him since he can help her with her research?). The acting is hardly top notch here either. There is, however, enough zany and offbeat imagery on hand that the film engages the whole way through. Quite a few aspects of the plot resonate too, especially how quickly she becomes a victim of the very black magic that she is trying to disprove and how her sheer skepticism makes her all the more vulnerable. The film almost in fact works as a cautionary tale regarding the risks of dabbling in things that one does not properly understand.
So bad it's good
haimoff5 July 2004
This is the story about a woman doing research on black magic. After having learned everything about Voodoo, she travels to Indonesia to meat and great "Leak", a monster-ghost.
Nearly everything is horrible in this movie, from the special-effects, over the acting to the story. On the other side it's so bad that it becomes funny. Everybody in the movie-theater was laughing tears (what you can not say of most of the newer Eddie Murphy Films). So if you have the chance to see this Indonesian horror movie do it ! In Europe this film was shown under the title of "Mystics in Bali".
There are many strange horror-fantasy- films from countries like Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia and even Nigeria and Ghana to discover if you are open minded enough
Nearly everything is horrible in this movie, from the special-effects, over the acting to the story. On the other side it's so bad that it becomes funny. Everybody in the movie-theater was laughing tears (what you can not say of most of the newer Eddie Murphy Films). So if you have the chance to see this Indonesian horror movie do it ! In Europe this film was shown under the title of "Mystics in Bali".
There are many strange horror-fantasy- films from countries like Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia and even Nigeria and Ghana to discover if you are open minded enough
Worth seeing for the dated, but disturbing effects
dbborroughs9 September 2004
Finally tracked down a copy of this gruesome horror story about a young woman who wants to learn the black arts of Bali. She does and becomes a vampire in the process.
To be honest this isn't a very good film. Its okay, and were it not for the vampire, this film would be long forgotten. The first 40 or so minutes are mostly endless talk as the woman finds a teacher and then learns the magic. When the master sends her out in her vampire form to get the blood of newborns for her, all hell breaks loose. These sequences are the reason the movie exists, the very non-western vision of a vampire on the prowl. They are creepy. There is something disturbing about the sequences even when you can see how they were done (which is very obvious).
After this the film plods along for another 50 minutes as teacher uses her pupil for vile ends while her boyfriend and his family try to free her from the evil.
That sounds more interesting then it is. Its rather dull with only the magic/vampire scenes being of any real interest. Frankly while they are low or no budget, they are effective and make this film worth renting for those who love horror films. Just don't expect to be feeling scared or singing the praises of anything other than the beasties.
6.5 out of 10
To be honest this isn't a very good film. Its okay, and were it not for the vampire, this film would be long forgotten. The first 40 or so minutes are mostly endless talk as the woman finds a teacher and then learns the magic. When the master sends her out in her vampire form to get the blood of newborns for her, all hell breaks loose. These sequences are the reason the movie exists, the very non-western vision of a vampire on the prowl. They are creepy. There is something disturbing about the sequences even when you can see how they were done (which is very obvious).
After this the film plods along for another 50 minutes as teacher uses her pupil for vile ends while her boyfriend and his family try to free her from the evil.
That sounds more interesting then it is. Its rather dull with only the magic/vampire scenes being of any real interest. Frankly while they are low or no budget, they are effective and make this film worth renting for those who love horror films. Just don't expect to be feeling scared or singing the praises of anything other than the beasties.
6.5 out of 10
"I just need to borrow your head for a moment."
manisimmati7 August 2017
American author Catherine travels to Bali to learn the art of "Leák" – some kind of black magic. Her native boyfriend Mahendra introduces her to a shady Leák mistress. The witch teaches Catherine strange rituals including (but not limited to) maniacal laughter, erratic dancing and pig transformations. Pretty awesome, isn't it? Well, unfortunately the witch turns out to be evil. She takes control over Catherine's head at night and forces her to gather blood. Mahendra tries to cut the bond between Catherine and the witch, but that's easier said than done.
"Leák" (better known as "Mystics in Bali") is an Indonesian horror movie about the mythological figure Leyak: a flying head floating trough the night and sucking the blood of newborn babies, with the entrails of its former body still hanging from it. For Indonesians, this legend might be familiar, but for us westerners it's decidedly weird, especially because the director H. Tjut Djalil doesn't feel the need to explain what's happening on screen. But regardless of our cultural background, I think we can all agree that this movie wonderfully crazy trip which will conjure a smile on the face of every trash fan out there.
The plot is strange from beginning to end, and there's no point in me listing all the lunatic scenes - you have to experience them first-hand. What makes "Leák" so funny is the fact that neither Catherine nor Mehandra seem to be bothered by the outrageous events. They're like: "Let's meet with this disfigured witch and learn black magic! You can't go wrong with that, can you? Oh, could it be that Catherine killed someone?! Ah well, whatever. Let's kiss and be all lovey-dovey!" Those two might be the most carefree couple in film history.
Amidst all the chaos there are some quite effective scenes. The cheap special effects are disturbing at times. But "Leák" seldom is truly scary. The story is told roughly. The ending is an overhasty jumble: Things seem to happen at random, and then the movie ends abruptly.
All in all, "Leák" is an interesting yet clumsy introduction to Indonesian mythology. The shocks are few and far between, but the movie amuses with obscure ideas and visuals.
"Leák" (better known as "Mystics in Bali") is an Indonesian horror movie about the mythological figure Leyak: a flying head floating trough the night and sucking the blood of newborn babies, with the entrails of its former body still hanging from it. For Indonesians, this legend might be familiar, but for us westerners it's decidedly weird, especially because the director H. Tjut Djalil doesn't feel the need to explain what's happening on screen. But regardless of our cultural background, I think we can all agree that this movie wonderfully crazy trip which will conjure a smile on the face of every trash fan out there.
The plot is strange from beginning to end, and there's no point in me listing all the lunatic scenes - you have to experience them first-hand. What makes "Leák" so funny is the fact that neither Catherine nor Mehandra seem to be bothered by the outrageous events. They're like: "Let's meet with this disfigured witch and learn black magic! You can't go wrong with that, can you? Oh, could it be that Catherine killed someone?! Ah well, whatever. Let's kiss and be all lovey-dovey!" Those two might be the most carefree couple in film history.
Amidst all the chaos there are some quite effective scenes. The cheap special effects are disturbing at times. But "Leák" seldom is truly scary. The story is told roughly. The ending is an overhasty jumble: Things seem to happen at random, and then the movie ends abruptly.
All in all, "Leák" is an interesting yet clumsy introduction to Indonesian mythology. The shocks are few and far between, but the movie amuses with obscure ideas and visuals.
A true original.
Hey_Sweden27 July 2012
Adventuresome film lovers looking for the most warped stuff from around the globe would do well to check out this terminally weird Indonesian horror film. "Leak", a.k.a. "Mystics in Bali", is a real trip, one where you won't believe what you're seeing. It's equal parts cheesy, creepy, silly, and mysterious, and establishes an interesting lore. It's this lore that intrigues an American named Cathy (Ilona Agathe Bastian), who seeks to know more about the powerful magic known as Leak, supposedly more powerful than any other form of magic. Well, she really gets in over her head, as the female Leak cult member whom she meets (Sofia W.D.) is willing to mentor her in all things Leak, but the horrific old crone mainly wants to use Cathy for her own ends. It's up to Cathy's good friend Mahendra (Yos Santo) to help save the day. The special effects in this thing may not always be terribly slick, but it's this very crudeness that makes them so endearing and, sometimes, hysterical. The audience may howl with appreciative laughter seeing the way that the crone manipulates Cathy's body, separating her head from her body on occasion and sending it out on killing missions. There are also a couple of transformations, as Cathy is shown how to become lower animals, such as a pig and a snake. The music, by Gatot Sudarto, is very atmospheric, as is the jungle setting; director H. Tjut Djalil handles everything with a certain degree of panache, ensuring that the stupefied viewer will keep watching. As can be expected, the actors performing the dubbed in voices are hilariously bad, while the people on screen gamely perform this material with the straightest faces imaginable. It's worth sticking with this just to see how this wild story will resolve itself. While it was a big hit in Asia back in its day, it never got a proper release stateside as it was thought North American audiences wouldn't be able to appreciate its weirdness. Of course, now we can watch it on the DVD from Mondo Macabro and soak up its ambiance and flair. Anybody who's a fan of strange cinema is advised not to pass it up. Eight out of 10.
A matter-of-fact and amusing little horror flick for children and grown-up scaredy-cats
fertilecelluloid30 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
"Leak" is a more appropriate title, but "Mystics in Bali" will suffice. In the early 80's, Indonesia had a healthy fantasy film industry and this became one of its poster children. It's really quite a silly, juvenile horror flick with awful performances, inventive but cheesy effects, and some hackneyed ideas.
The Baliness people are known for being quite laid back and philosophical about life. Their days aren't ruled by the clock and they don't exhibit a great deal of stress. One interesting exchange of dialog is testament to this admirable demeanor; it goes something like this --Demon: "I want fresh blood." American girl: "Not right now. I'm busy." The premise is simple. An American woman asks her Balinese boyfriend to help her learn about the black arts in Bali. The helpful chap arranges for her to meet the local Leak, a shape-changing demon who laughs a lot. Before you can say "Flying Head!", the Leak and the American lass are holding laughing parties and upsetting the peace.
The premise is little more than an excuse to wheel out a barrow full of surreal effects.
Because everything is so matter-of-fact (the local exorcists sit down for a smoke before charging off to exterminate demons), the tone is more amusing than scary. Come to think of it, showing them this film might be a good way to get children interested in horror. Or swearing off it for life.
The Baliness people are known for being quite laid back and philosophical about life. Their days aren't ruled by the clock and they don't exhibit a great deal of stress. One interesting exchange of dialog is testament to this admirable demeanor; it goes something like this --Demon: "I want fresh blood." American girl: "Not right now. I'm busy." The premise is simple. An American woman asks her Balinese boyfriend to help her learn about the black arts in Bali. The helpful chap arranges for her to meet the local Leak, a shape-changing demon who laughs a lot. Before you can say "Flying Head!", the Leak and the American lass are holding laughing parties and upsetting the peace.
The premise is little more than an excuse to wheel out a barrow full of surreal effects.
Because everything is so matter-of-fact (the local exorcists sit down for a smoke before charging off to exterminate demons), the tone is more amusing than scary. Come to think of it, showing them this film might be a good way to get children interested in horror. Or swearing off it for life.
This movie is incredibly ridiculous and over-the-top... and I enjoyed it an awful lot.
Milo-Jeeder11 April 2021
In "Mystics in Bali", a woman named Catherine, who is visiting Indonesia, wants to investigate about a black magic cult known as "The Leák". Her boyfriend, a local man named Mahendra, arranges a meeting between her and a master of the Leák magic, who is simply known as "The Queen". Catherine gets to meet the evil witch, a creepy old woman who promises to train her in the dark arts. After being taught a few things by the Leák master, Catherine ends up paying a very high price, as she becomes the old witch's personal slave, who uses her to get young blood that she needs to keep herself alive and strong.
Well, let's see: "Mystics in Bali" may be a lot of things, but boring ain't one of them. This flick is definitely a wild ride and it is almost impossible to lose interest, even if you think the movie is dumb. While it's certainly cannot be taken seriously, it features some redeeming qualities and some mildly creepy moments (not necessarily scary, though), but, first, we'll talk about the awful.
One of the biggest problems that I had with "Mystics in Bali" is that the narrative clumsiness damages the movie considerably. There are a few poorly edited narrative ellipsis, which severely affects the connection between one situation and the other, to the point that, in some cases, it is difficult to tell whether a scene has ended or if it's still going on. For example, at one point, the two main characters, Cathy and Mahendra, head to the forest to meet with the witch for the first time. After having an exchange with her, we then see Cathy and Mahendra again, walking around in the same forest, wearing different clothes and through a dialog, we learn that they are expecting to see the witch for the second time, but this is shown in a very confusing way. While it is true that the characters have different clothes and explicitly say that a whole day has passed, the way this is shown gives the impression that there's a continuity error, rather than the idea that this is a different scene.
In addition to the clumsy narrative ellipsis, the characters also reference certain situations that happen off-screen, but these mentioned events are too important to be left out like that, which is something that made me feel somewhat alienated and confused. If I had to guess what the hell happened here, I would say that, perhaps, some scenes could not be shot due to budgetary reasons or maybe they were shot, but they weren't included in the final edit, because they did not come out as expected. For example: at some point, the two main characters are talking about how Cathy murdered some innocent people and whatnot. These types of narrative flaws are very frustrating and one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to story telling.
This is a horror flick that deals with shapeshifting creatures and witches and warlocks shooting magic energy at each other, which is challenging, to say the least. Considering the time and the modest budget, the CGI should have been avoided or, at least, used with a little bit of restraint ... but it wasn't the case here. Apparently, they absolutely felt the need to use CGI and it just came out truly awful, which is something that definitely adds up several points in the "unintentional hilarity" department. Be that as it may, after a while, I finally ended up accepting the fact that the awful CGI was just part of the charm (?) and, somehow, I sort of managed to reluctantly "forgive" it.
On the other hand, the practical effects are somewhat well made. A few scenes are done with such care and dedication, that they manage to look good, regardless of the budget. Specifically, a scene comes to mind in which Cathy and the Queen Leák turn into snakes. Yes, sure, the effects are not at the level of a big production, but something so difficult to do is achieved in a way that it is genuinely horrifying and disturbing.
"Mystics in Bali" features a large amount of "what the fudge?!" type of moments and, obviously, I cannot list them all, but I will mention the two that "stayed" with me.
At some point, our beloved main girl, Cathy, begins to vomit what turn out to be two mice. The boyfriend, Mahendra, who watches in horror as she is puking the two rodents, tries to calm her down, by telling her that she probably has an indigestion, as a result of having had an eating binge the night before. Uh ... buddy, throwing up two mice (not one, but TWO!) is not a sign of indigestion.
Second most random and bizarre moment is when the witch literally transforms into a humanoid pig type of creature, with big saggy boobs, while fighting with her old rival. It's just something that one doesn't forget so easily in an entire lifetime. This image will haunt me for good.
Bizarre as it is, "Mystics in Bali", as I said before, has its redeeming qualities: the main characters are very likeable and people who watch a lot of horror flicks may know very well that this isn't always achieved. Though the acting appears rather stiff, probably as a result of the dubbing, more than anything, both Mahendra and Catherine are characters that are easy to root for, which is something that I very much appreciate. As for our main baddie, the wicked witch of Bali, ridiculous and over-the-top as she is, she's also a very fun and creepy villain (and pulling off "creepy" and "ridiculous" at the same time is not easy).
Look, ridiculousness is just part of the charm here and I can assure you that regardless of what you think of it, "Mystics in Bali" is definitely not a flick that you'll easily forget. You decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. It is definitely a wild ride and bizarre things constantly happen, so, really, there's no room for surprises. While it's probably nobody's classic, it delivers for sure... and then some!
Well, let's see: "Mystics in Bali" may be a lot of things, but boring ain't one of them. This flick is definitely a wild ride and it is almost impossible to lose interest, even if you think the movie is dumb. While it's certainly cannot be taken seriously, it features some redeeming qualities and some mildly creepy moments (not necessarily scary, though), but, first, we'll talk about the awful.
One of the biggest problems that I had with "Mystics in Bali" is that the narrative clumsiness damages the movie considerably. There are a few poorly edited narrative ellipsis, which severely affects the connection between one situation and the other, to the point that, in some cases, it is difficult to tell whether a scene has ended or if it's still going on. For example, at one point, the two main characters, Cathy and Mahendra, head to the forest to meet with the witch for the first time. After having an exchange with her, we then see Cathy and Mahendra again, walking around in the same forest, wearing different clothes and through a dialog, we learn that they are expecting to see the witch for the second time, but this is shown in a very confusing way. While it is true that the characters have different clothes and explicitly say that a whole day has passed, the way this is shown gives the impression that there's a continuity error, rather than the idea that this is a different scene.
In addition to the clumsy narrative ellipsis, the characters also reference certain situations that happen off-screen, but these mentioned events are too important to be left out like that, which is something that made me feel somewhat alienated and confused. If I had to guess what the hell happened here, I would say that, perhaps, some scenes could not be shot due to budgetary reasons or maybe they were shot, but they weren't included in the final edit, because they did not come out as expected. For example: at some point, the two main characters are talking about how Cathy murdered some innocent people and whatnot. These types of narrative flaws are very frustrating and one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to story telling.
This is a horror flick that deals with shapeshifting creatures and witches and warlocks shooting magic energy at each other, which is challenging, to say the least. Considering the time and the modest budget, the CGI should have been avoided or, at least, used with a little bit of restraint ... but it wasn't the case here. Apparently, they absolutely felt the need to use CGI and it just came out truly awful, which is something that definitely adds up several points in the "unintentional hilarity" department. Be that as it may, after a while, I finally ended up accepting the fact that the awful CGI was just part of the charm (?) and, somehow, I sort of managed to reluctantly "forgive" it.
On the other hand, the practical effects are somewhat well made. A few scenes are done with such care and dedication, that they manage to look good, regardless of the budget. Specifically, a scene comes to mind in which Cathy and the Queen Leák turn into snakes. Yes, sure, the effects are not at the level of a big production, but something so difficult to do is achieved in a way that it is genuinely horrifying and disturbing.
"Mystics in Bali" features a large amount of "what the fudge?!" type of moments and, obviously, I cannot list them all, but I will mention the two that "stayed" with me.
At some point, our beloved main girl, Cathy, begins to vomit what turn out to be two mice. The boyfriend, Mahendra, who watches in horror as she is puking the two rodents, tries to calm her down, by telling her that she probably has an indigestion, as a result of having had an eating binge the night before. Uh ... buddy, throwing up two mice (not one, but TWO!) is not a sign of indigestion.
Second most random and bizarre moment is when the witch literally transforms into a humanoid pig type of creature, with big saggy boobs, while fighting with her old rival. It's just something that one doesn't forget so easily in an entire lifetime. This image will haunt me for good.
Bizarre as it is, "Mystics in Bali", as I said before, has its redeeming qualities: the main characters are very likeable and people who watch a lot of horror flicks may know very well that this isn't always achieved. Though the acting appears rather stiff, probably as a result of the dubbing, more than anything, both Mahendra and Catherine are characters that are easy to root for, which is something that I very much appreciate. As for our main baddie, the wicked witch of Bali, ridiculous and over-the-top as she is, she's also a very fun and creepy villain (and pulling off "creepy" and "ridiculous" at the same time is not easy).
Look, ridiculousness is just part of the charm here and I can assure you that regardless of what you think of it, "Mystics in Bali" is definitely not a flick that you'll easily forget. You decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. It is definitely a wild ride and bizarre things constantly happen, so, really, there's no room for surprises. While it's probably nobody's classic, it delivers for sure... and then some!
One of the most bizarre films you're ever likely to see
pj75pj7520 June 2007
This film has an atmosphere of creeping evil and a sense of the presence of the unknown that's highly unnerving. It's something to do with the almost documentary like way it's shot. The most bizarre scenes and exotic transformations are shown straightforwardly, with no hint of flashiness. And this makes them even more strange and unsettling. In many ways it's reminiscent of Cocteau's theory of the fantastic, approaching it from the perspective of realism rather than announcing how strange it is through camera angles and clever tricks.
There's no denying that the film was shot on a shoestring. However, the obvious commitment of all involved and the unusual use of the scope frame lift it to a level above that of many low budget Asian horrors of the period. It actually makes a virtue of its limited means, forcing us to use our own imagination to fill in the blanks.
Anyone searching for something out of the ordinary, something truly unique, will find lots to treasure in Mystics in Bali. It's a film that can be watched again and again. It has an almost hypnotic quality that draws the sympathetic viewer into a strange, hallucinatory dream.
There's no denying that the film was shot on a shoestring. However, the obvious commitment of all involved and the unusual use of the scope frame lift it to a level above that of many low budget Asian horrors of the period. It actually makes a virtue of its limited means, forcing us to use our own imagination to fill in the blanks.
Anyone searching for something out of the ordinary, something truly unique, will find lots to treasure in Mystics in Bali. It's a film that can be watched again and again. It has an almost hypnotic quality that draws the sympathetic viewer into a strange, hallucinatory dream.
You think you know crazy?
BandSAboutMovies16 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
You think that American genre cinema is the absolute peak of weirdness? You study Italian horror, post-armageddon movies from the Philippines and Japanese musicals about murderous families and you think you've seen it all. Then you discover this movie, straight out of Indonesia, where low-budget exploitation films like this - that said, there's no real movie like this - were released domestically and then sent to Japan.
H. Tjut Djalil is probably the foremost director of Indonesian grindhouse, if there's such a thing. He's also known for Lady Terminator, which we'll be getting to soon. Here, he focuses on the Southeast Asian and Balinese mythology of the Leyak, a paranormal creature which takes the form of a flying, disembodied head with entrails and internal organs intact and hanging down from the neck. Get ready. Mystics In Bali is about to ruin your brain.
Catherine "Cathy" Kean (Ilona Agathe Bastian, who was not an actress but a German tourist on vacation) has traveled to Bali to write a book about voodoo and black magic. Her lover Manendra offers to help her study further and takes her to several rituals. The following evening, they meet the Queen of the Leák, an ancient witch with an ever-changing face. Before she leaves their first meeting, a handshake between her and Cathy ends up leaving our heroine with a severed arm in her grasp.
Cathy wants to learn more, so the next night, she and Mahendra bring blood for the Queen to drink. That evening, the Queen appears in the form of a tongue that orders Cathy to strip before carving a spell into her upper thigh. Cathy is to return the next evening alone.
This is where a normal human being would just stop and walk away. But no - Cathy returns and she and the Queen transform into pigs before destroying a wall of fire. That means that somewhere, someone has been killed. However, she grows sick with the Queen telling her to return to be healed the next evening.
This is when Mahendra starts to think something weird is going on, so he asks his uncle to teach him how to combat the Leák's magic. But it's too late - this movie is about to go off the rails in a way few movies can live up to.
The Queen tells her that she's going to borrow her head and Cathy becomes a leyak, which means that her head, organs, and entrails detach from her body and fly away to the home of a pregnant woman, where she sucks an unborn baby right out of that poor woman's womb by positioning herself between the thighs and just going to town. If you thought a severed head performing oral favors in Reanimator was the limit, Mystics In Bali is ready to turn your brain into Ayam Bakar Taliwang.
The blood from the fetus cures Cathy and makes the Queen young and strong. Together, they become snakes and escape before Cathy wakes up and throws up mice. Yep, this movie doubles down on a severed head eating a baby through someone's vagina and raises you vomited up vermin.
After killing someone else while in fireball form, Mahendra and his uncle decide to bury Cathy's body so her head can't find it. A climactic battle in a graveyard ensues, with the Queen electrocuting Machesse and slicing his neck, killing the old man. Mahendra's former girlfriend also is killed by the Queen before another of Mahendra's uncles, Oka, stabs the Queen - now a humanoid pig - in the heart, turning her into a masked figure. The old wizard and the Queen blast energy at one another which explodes, just as the sun kills both Cathy and our villain.
Mystics In Bali is said to be the Holy Grail of Asian cult cinema. Brought to Western attention by the maniacs at Mondo Macabro (you can get it at their site), this is a movie that can still shock and excite nearly forty years after it was made.
The film was made on the Indonesian island of Java rather than on location in Bali, as locals were too superstitious about the black magic rituals it depicts. The roles of the Queen and Machesse (and Oka) were played by the husband and wife duo of Sofia W.D. and W. D. Mochtar, who each appeared in many, many movies. Sofia even directed her own movie, Badai-Selatan, which played the 1962 Berlin International FIlm Festival.
While I highly recommend the Mondo Macabro release, you can also watch this movie on the Internet Archive. But be warned: once you watch this, you can never truly go back. This is the darkest of film craziness, where you are forever changed by the movie you just witnessed!
H. Tjut Djalil is probably the foremost director of Indonesian grindhouse, if there's such a thing. He's also known for Lady Terminator, which we'll be getting to soon. Here, he focuses on the Southeast Asian and Balinese mythology of the Leyak, a paranormal creature which takes the form of a flying, disembodied head with entrails and internal organs intact and hanging down from the neck. Get ready. Mystics In Bali is about to ruin your brain.
Catherine "Cathy" Kean (Ilona Agathe Bastian, who was not an actress but a German tourist on vacation) has traveled to Bali to write a book about voodoo and black magic. Her lover Manendra offers to help her study further and takes her to several rituals. The following evening, they meet the Queen of the Leák, an ancient witch with an ever-changing face. Before she leaves their first meeting, a handshake between her and Cathy ends up leaving our heroine with a severed arm in her grasp.
Cathy wants to learn more, so the next night, she and Mahendra bring blood for the Queen to drink. That evening, the Queen appears in the form of a tongue that orders Cathy to strip before carving a spell into her upper thigh. Cathy is to return the next evening alone.
This is where a normal human being would just stop and walk away. But no - Cathy returns and she and the Queen transform into pigs before destroying a wall of fire. That means that somewhere, someone has been killed. However, she grows sick with the Queen telling her to return to be healed the next evening.
This is when Mahendra starts to think something weird is going on, so he asks his uncle to teach him how to combat the Leák's magic. But it's too late - this movie is about to go off the rails in a way few movies can live up to.
The Queen tells her that she's going to borrow her head and Cathy becomes a leyak, which means that her head, organs, and entrails detach from her body and fly away to the home of a pregnant woman, where she sucks an unborn baby right out of that poor woman's womb by positioning herself between the thighs and just going to town. If you thought a severed head performing oral favors in Reanimator was the limit, Mystics In Bali is ready to turn your brain into Ayam Bakar Taliwang.
The blood from the fetus cures Cathy and makes the Queen young and strong. Together, they become snakes and escape before Cathy wakes up and throws up mice. Yep, this movie doubles down on a severed head eating a baby through someone's vagina and raises you vomited up vermin.
After killing someone else while in fireball form, Mahendra and his uncle decide to bury Cathy's body so her head can't find it. A climactic battle in a graveyard ensues, with the Queen electrocuting Machesse and slicing his neck, killing the old man. Mahendra's former girlfriend also is killed by the Queen before another of Mahendra's uncles, Oka, stabs the Queen - now a humanoid pig - in the heart, turning her into a masked figure. The old wizard and the Queen blast energy at one another which explodes, just as the sun kills both Cathy and our villain.
Mystics In Bali is said to be the Holy Grail of Asian cult cinema. Brought to Western attention by the maniacs at Mondo Macabro (you can get it at their site), this is a movie that can still shock and excite nearly forty years after it was made.
The film was made on the Indonesian island of Java rather than on location in Bali, as locals were too superstitious about the black magic rituals it depicts. The roles of the Queen and Machesse (and Oka) were played by the husband and wife duo of Sofia W.D. and W. D. Mochtar, who each appeared in many, many movies. Sofia even directed her own movie, Badai-Selatan, which played the 1962 Berlin International FIlm Festival.
While I highly recommend the Mondo Macabro release, you can also watch this movie on the Internet Archive. But be warned: once you watch this, you can never truly go back. This is the darkest of film craziness, where you are forever changed by the movie you just witnessed!
Great great great piece of work, my kinda flick.
j-maare20 May 2004
A great piece of foreign obscure. Complete with laughing witches, black magic, flying heads, gore, percussion tunes and Indonesian people running around with traditional clothing.
Plot line: This Australian girl, expert in voodoo, want to learn more about the original Indonesian black magic called ""leák"", the strongest en most dangerous form of black magic known to mankind. When she arrive she's been helped out by this local citizen guy. He introduced here to the master of the leák, the ugliest and having the most nasty laugh of them all. Pretty soon the local town is experiences all kind of strange voodoo things attacking them.
8 out of 10
Plot line: This Australian girl, expert in voodoo, want to learn more about the original Indonesian black magic called ""leák"", the strongest en most dangerous form of black magic known to mankind. When she arrive she's been helped out by this local citizen guy. He introduced here to the master of the leák, the ugliest and having the most nasty laugh of them all. Pretty soon the local town is experiences all kind of strange voodoo things attacking them.
8 out of 10
Meh.
killer-robot!26 March 2009
This movie is full of all manner of bizarre and offensive imagery and yet I was bored to tears by it. This is because while it is certainly insane, it lacks the commitment to go completely insane in the manner of films such as Lady Terminator.
It has been said that there is a version of this movie that is 30 minutes longer. Egads! I do not use that word often, but I felt I had to use it now. I could not imagine this movie being any longer than it already is. It may run under 90 minutes on the US DVD but it feels like it is several hours long.
I have given it a 5 mainly for the pig people as they made me laugh. As for the rest of the movie, once you've seen the head fly around once you've seen it enough. I'm sure there is a way to make a version of this movie that is a blast but this is not it.
Watch it if you must humans. You may be slightly amused.
It has been said that there is a version of this movie that is 30 minutes longer. Egads! I do not use that word often, but I felt I had to use it now. I could not imagine this movie being any longer than it already is. It may run under 90 minutes on the US DVD but it feels like it is several hours long.
I have given it a 5 mainly for the pig people as they made me laugh. As for the rest of the movie, once you've seen the head fly around once you've seen it enough. I'm sure there is a way to make a version of this movie that is a blast but this is not it.
Watch it if you must humans. You may be slightly amused.
Thumbs up (off?) to the flying head
laze-21 June 1999
"Mystics in Bali" is a wonderfully bizarre, off-the-beaten path Indonesian horror/supernatural flick about an American writer researching black magic. She's experienced the voodoo of the Caribbean, but she runs into some real trouble as a student of the Leak in Bali.
There are a lot of disjointed plot points and the dialogue is weak, but the music (I doubt traditional Balinese music has been used in a horror flick before) and total oddity of a flying head make this a worthwhile view for fans of the unusual.
There are a lot of disjointed plot points and the dialogue is weak, but the music (I doubt traditional Balinese music has been used in a horror flick before) and total oddity of a flying head make this a worthwhile view for fans of the unusual.
Greatest Indonesian Horror Film ever?
delbruk4 January 2004
Seriously, how many Indonesian horror films have you come across? This one is the only one I know of and that makes it an interesting watch right off. There is some real creativity here with the flying head and transformation scenes as the story follows a Serpent and the Rainbow kind of plotline. The acting is not bad but the dialogue is hokey (my version was dubbed) but the real success is the soundtrack which varies from spooky to psychedelic rock and the witches cackle which was perfect except overdone. Havent heard a cackle like that since Margaret Hamilton. The films editing is a bit choppy as it combines elements of early 80's f/x ("Tron" style) with Asian martial arts. Overall worth the watch, but not the Indonesian Psycho...but how would I know.
Mythological Horror In Cult Fashion: A Landmark Of Indonesian Cinema
meddlecore27 October 2018
In Balinese mythology a Leyak (or Penanggalan) is a vampiric, disembodied head that flies around, dragging along it's entrails, as it heads into the night to find pregnant women, so that it can feed on the blood of their newborn babies.
There are two female and one male Leyak. The Queen of the Leyak being the widow-witch Rangda.
She leads her army of evil witches against the forces of Barong- who is a lion headed creature that represents the good shamans.
And together, they engage in the Barong dance...during which Rangda and her forces are defeated...so as to restore order to the universe.
It is around this mythology that the tale that plays out in the Indonesian cult horror classic Mystics of Bali- made by H. Tjut Djalil in 1981- takes place.
And, despite it's obvious flaws, it has become a landmark of Indonesian cinema.
It tells the story of a young female anthropologist, who has come to Bali, from America, so that she can learn more about; and be initiated into the Leyak tradition- the most powerful black magic tradition known to man.
She has a local boyfriend, who acts as her fixer...setting her up with a shapeshifting old witch who lives in the woods.
She promises to teach the young woman; but only if she offers her fresh blood, and agrees to do her bidding.
After a few meetings, the young anthropologist becomes a full blown Leyak...after which the old witch takes control of her head, in it's disembodied, entrail laden state...so as to seek out fresh blood so that the old witch can retain her youthful beauty forever.
However, the white shamans are monitoring the situation, under the tutelage of her boyfriend's uncle- who is the main nemesis of the old witch.
A whole lot of cheesiness ensues, alongside some mild hilarity...and what is surely the model that Dragonball Z would use as inspiration for the battle scenes in their later cartoons.
And in the end, it is all a graphic reinterpretation of the aforementioned Barong dance- where Rangda and Barong face off; and during which Rangda is defeated, in order restored to the universe (and all in comic book stylized fashion).
It's part psychedelic; part schlock; and comes off like a Japanese B movie with some humourously odd animation sequences...but that is what brings the film some of it's charm.
The special effects are awfully cheesy and downright budget, but totally hilarious at the same time.
With the disembodied flying heads and scenes where the two Leyak women transform into pigs, being the highlight.
The way they tied in the vampire theme (associated with the Leyak) in with the Great Goddess mythos- by having the witch take on a different form every time she makes an appearance- is also intriguing.
The main problem that plagues this film, concerns it's storyline and plot structure.
It just doesn't have very good flow.
There are some things that go wholly unexplained...like how they knew they needed/where they got all that bottled blood- that was offered to the witch during their first meeting- from.
While other elements of the film are way too confusing. For example, I had no idea what was going on when the young anthropologist first started killing people in her sleep after being turned. At one point her boyfriend calls her a murderer...and we have no idea why. We only come to suspect the answer later.
It's almost as if the film suffered from a series of government induced cuts...and ended up how it is (or something).
Criticisms aside, however, it's actually a pretty damn entertaining film.
One of those "it's so bad it's good" kind of films. Though, really not so bad.
Except for the end.
The end is so abrupt it is just confusing.
I'm still waiting for the sequel... (unless that was Shrunken Heads (1994))...
6 out of 10.
There are two female and one male Leyak. The Queen of the Leyak being the widow-witch Rangda.
She leads her army of evil witches against the forces of Barong- who is a lion headed creature that represents the good shamans.
And together, they engage in the Barong dance...during which Rangda and her forces are defeated...so as to restore order to the universe.
It is around this mythology that the tale that plays out in the Indonesian cult horror classic Mystics of Bali- made by H. Tjut Djalil in 1981- takes place.
And, despite it's obvious flaws, it has become a landmark of Indonesian cinema.
It tells the story of a young female anthropologist, who has come to Bali, from America, so that she can learn more about; and be initiated into the Leyak tradition- the most powerful black magic tradition known to man.
She has a local boyfriend, who acts as her fixer...setting her up with a shapeshifting old witch who lives in the woods.
She promises to teach the young woman; but only if she offers her fresh blood, and agrees to do her bidding.
After a few meetings, the young anthropologist becomes a full blown Leyak...after which the old witch takes control of her head, in it's disembodied, entrail laden state...so as to seek out fresh blood so that the old witch can retain her youthful beauty forever.
However, the white shamans are monitoring the situation, under the tutelage of her boyfriend's uncle- who is the main nemesis of the old witch.
A whole lot of cheesiness ensues, alongside some mild hilarity...and what is surely the model that Dragonball Z would use as inspiration for the battle scenes in their later cartoons.
And in the end, it is all a graphic reinterpretation of the aforementioned Barong dance- where Rangda and Barong face off; and during which Rangda is defeated, in order restored to the universe (and all in comic book stylized fashion).
It's part psychedelic; part schlock; and comes off like a Japanese B movie with some humourously odd animation sequences...but that is what brings the film some of it's charm.
The special effects are awfully cheesy and downright budget, but totally hilarious at the same time.
With the disembodied flying heads and scenes where the two Leyak women transform into pigs, being the highlight.
The way they tied in the vampire theme (associated with the Leyak) in with the Great Goddess mythos- by having the witch take on a different form every time she makes an appearance- is also intriguing.
The main problem that plagues this film, concerns it's storyline and plot structure.
It just doesn't have very good flow.
There are some things that go wholly unexplained...like how they knew they needed/where they got all that bottled blood- that was offered to the witch during their first meeting- from.
While other elements of the film are way too confusing. For example, I had no idea what was going on when the young anthropologist first started killing people in her sleep after being turned. At one point her boyfriend calls her a murderer...and we have no idea why. We only come to suspect the answer later.
It's almost as if the film suffered from a series of government induced cuts...and ended up how it is (or something).
Criticisms aside, however, it's actually a pretty damn entertaining film.
One of those "it's so bad it's good" kind of films. Though, really not so bad.
Except for the end.
The end is so abrupt it is just confusing.
I'm still waiting for the sequel... (unless that was Shrunken Heads (1994))...
6 out of 10.
Elevated to greatness by the hilariously bad english dub
nostromo-29-25608718 February 2018
It can't be adequately described in words so I implore you to experience this bizarre film yourself, but every line by the main characters is delivered in an uninterested deadpan monotone, and they act as though there was nothing remarkable happening. Meanwhile the female lead is turning into animals, vomiting up snakes, witnessing black magic duels and having her severed head fly around as a vampire-like creature. The juxtaposition is very funny. Why she puts herself in this insanely dangerous situation is never really explained either, she just says she's "studying black magic", which may as well have been "I thought it would be a laugh."
I'm guessing that at least some of the lower scoring user reviews saw a subbed version?
I'm guessing that at least some of the lower scoring user reviews saw a subbed version?
Mystics in Bali (1981)
jonahstewartvaughan4 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Cult Cuts Volume 17 (80s Horror Retrospective #1)
#1/4: Mystics in Bali (1981)
(8/10): Watching Mystics in Bali is an experience, being as it is an Indonesian film lots of its cultural significance is lost in translation.
The film is about a young woman who goes to Bali to learn about the dark arts for research and then becomes a servant to an evil witch who is using her to gain power.
What we get atop of the already poor dubbing is a surreal display of a flying vampire head with internal organs hanging from the neck that eats the fetus out of a pregnant woman's womb, people transforming into pigs, a woman puking up mice and a light show laser battle that when you watch it gives you the feeling of being high on bath salts.
Bizarre isn't even how I'd describe this film, it's just the only word I can think of, but it's beyond bizarre.
The visuals are shocking and will keep you questioning what will happen next and the practical end of it ranges from being not too bad to so-so depending upon how you look at it as they seem to implement many different techniques.
Overall it's pretty unforgettable film that features some of the most memorably bizarre moments in Eighties horror I've seen and has made it one of the quintessential 80s horror cult classics.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to have their mind blown by an assault of weird.
#1/4: Mystics in Bali (1981)
(8/10): Watching Mystics in Bali is an experience, being as it is an Indonesian film lots of its cultural significance is lost in translation.
The film is about a young woman who goes to Bali to learn about the dark arts for research and then becomes a servant to an evil witch who is using her to gain power.
What we get atop of the already poor dubbing is a surreal display of a flying vampire head with internal organs hanging from the neck that eats the fetus out of a pregnant woman's womb, people transforming into pigs, a woman puking up mice and a light show laser battle that when you watch it gives you the feeling of being high on bath salts.
Bizarre isn't even how I'd describe this film, it's just the only word I can think of, but it's beyond bizarre.
The visuals are shocking and will keep you questioning what will happen next and the practical end of it ranges from being not too bad to so-so depending upon how you look at it as they seem to implement many different techniques.
Overall it's pretty unforgettable film that features some of the most memorably bizarre moments in Eighties horror I've seen and has made it one of the quintessential 80s horror cult classics.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to have their mind blown by an assault of weird.
Lips, Shadows
tedg4 May 2008
Let me warn you that in terms of nearly every element this is just too cheesy to bear.
I came to this knowing something of its history. It is based on magical principles as described in what was thought to be an authoritative book, and had to be produced on another island for fear of "offending" Balinese. This was underwritten by the corrupt government as an attempt to get foreign currency.
The reason I was excited was because I know a bit about Balinese religion. Its a sort of Haiti/New Orleans of the Pacific where old pantheism and ancestor worship mixes with the colonial religion. In this case, that wrapper a strange brew of old Hinduism with Buddhist rituals. And the whole is surrounded geographically by strident Islam which tends to make the minority religion stronger.
I know, for instance, that ritual and theatrical displays are at the heart of this magic. And I know that it is highly cinematic in its potential. Julie Taymor's work, even with her recent Beatles project is based on this inner ritual. There's a powerful old film, "Legong" that captures a bit of the genuine stuff, and is pretty darn haunting.
So imagine my surprise to encounter not something Balinese or even magical but Starwars in Indonesian garb. Yes, folks, Star Wars, most particularly the second film (now numbered what, 5?). You have the two young skywalkers, Yoda, the senior Jedi, the evil dark emperor (here a witch). Yes, you even have the levitation and light saber effects. The telekinetic objects lifted and thrown in battle.
What's taken from the old magical tradition are the notion of a disembodied head with attached ka who stalks villagers as a vampire. And the special power of vaginal blood, especially when accompanied and caused by a miscarried or aborted fetus. Its powerful stuff but made comic here by the Ed Woodish nature of the thing.
Its a miss folks. Maybe next time.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
I came to this knowing something of its history. It is based on magical principles as described in what was thought to be an authoritative book, and had to be produced on another island for fear of "offending" Balinese. This was underwritten by the corrupt government as an attempt to get foreign currency.
The reason I was excited was because I know a bit about Balinese religion. Its a sort of Haiti/New Orleans of the Pacific where old pantheism and ancestor worship mixes with the colonial religion. In this case, that wrapper a strange brew of old Hinduism with Buddhist rituals. And the whole is surrounded geographically by strident Islam which tends to make the minority religion stronger.
I know, for instance, that ritual and theatrical displays are at the heart of this magic. And I know that it is highly cinematic in its potential. Julie Taymor's work, even with her recent Beatles project is based on this inner ritual. There's a powerful old film, "Legong" that captures a bit of the genuine stuff, and is pretty darn haunting.
So imagine my surprise to encounter not something Balinese or even magical but Starwars in Indonesian garb. Yes, folks, Star Wars, most particularly the second film (now numbered what, 5?). You have the two young skywalkers, Yoda, the senior Jedi, the evil dark emperor (here a witch). Yes, you even have the levitation and light saber effects. The telekinetic objects lifted and thrown in battle.
What's taken from the old magical tradition are the notion of a disembodied head with attached ka who stalks villagers as a vampire. And the special power of vaginal blood, especially when accompanied and caused by a miscarried or aborted fetus. Its powerful stuff but made comic here by the Ed Woodish nature of the thing.
Its a miss folks. Maybe next time.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
Absolutely wild and delirious Indonesian effort
kannibalcorpsegrinder21 March 2018
Arriving in Indonesia to study black magic, an aspiring writer hears about a powerful witch in her search and begins her training in order to understand its power only to suddenly come under a series of supernatural inflictions believing the lessons were a lie and must fight them off.
This is one of the finest foreign exploitation offerings. Most of its enjoyment comes from the utterly delirious and bizarre series of sequences presented here which make this one such fun to sit through. From seemingly omniscient tongues that have a mind of their own, bizarre black magic rituals, body transformations and full of trashy low-budget charm, there's a feverish intensity to the scenes here that oftentimes feels like it was simply throwing ideas out simply because they could. The initial meetings of the two out in the woods, where the witch uses the tongue to slurp up blood or writing markings on the body to the later scene of the witch engaging in ritualistic dances or the two transforming into animals creates a lasting visual impression here. The final half is where this one really takes a turn and becomes even more delirious and bizarre. The witch turning the student into a fanged being with only her head and interior organs dangling beneath her to go around and attack a random house with a pregnant woman about to give birth is a fantastic sequence, while the later moment showing the two transforming in detail into snakes and slithering off into the jungle together has some stellar moments here. The mid-air battle of the fireballs adds some nice action into it all while the idea that the witch can control her with various spells and transformations allows for some demented fun. Aside from being so bonkers, the film does have another positive quality. This one takes great care towards the supernatural and superstitions of locals, not being content to whip it out in just any scenario but only just to utilize it for effect and impact. Numerous times there's mention of it being warped or dangerous yet the whole film continually reverts back to its power being about those that wield it. While the two may indeed have the best of intentions about studying black magic, there's always the warped way in which the lessons take that provide the horror which is always brought back to how she uses it. Especially prominent is the use of the good magic to combat the witch as that creates a fine distinction between the two forms as seeing how the local priest uses his skillset against the witch offers plenty of supernatural thrills in the finale. These here allow this one a ton to like, as the only real issue to be had here is the low-budget quality to the special effects which always manage to look low-budget and it can ruin some scenes. Otherwise, there's not much to dislike here.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Language.
This is one of the finest foreign exploitation offerings. Most of its enjoyment comes from the utterly delirious and bizarre series of sequences presented here which make this one such fun to sit through. From seemingly omniscient tongues that have a mind of their own, bizarre black magic rituals, body transformations and full of trashy low-budget charm, there's a feverish intensity to the scenes here that oftentimes feels like it was simply throwing ideas out simply because they could. The initial meetings of the two out in the woods, where the witch uses the tongue to slurp up blood or writing markings on the body to the later scene of the witch engaging in ritualistic dances or the two transforming into animals creates a lasting visual impression here. The final half is where this one really takes a turn and becomes even more delirious and bizarre. The witch turning the student into a fanged being with only her head and interior organs dangling beneath her to go around and attack a random house with a pregnant woman about to give birth is a fantastic sequence, while the later moment showing the two transforming in detail into snakes and slithering off into the jungle together has some stellar moments here. The mid-air battle of the fireballs adds some nice action into it all while the idea that the witch can control her with various spells and transformations allows for some demented fun. Aside from being so bonkers, the film does have another positive quality. This one takes great care towards the supernatural and superstitions of locals, not being content to whip it out in just any scenario but only just to utilize it for effect and impact. Numerous times there's mention of it being warped or dangerous yet the whole film continually reverts back to its power being about those that wield it. While the two may indeed have the best of intentions about studying black magic, there's always the warped way in which the lessons take that provide the horror which is always brought back to how she uses it. Especially prominent is the use of the good magic to combat the witch as that creates a fine distinction between the two forms as seeing how the local priest uses his skillset against the witch offers plenty of supernatural thrills in the finale. These here allow this one a ton to like, as the only real issue to be had here is the low-budget quality to the special effects which always manage to look low-budget and it can ruin some scenes. Otherwise, there's not much to dislike here.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Language.
See also
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