take 68: 19.3.2014

Seldom Showed & Seen

20h30: Russia 1993, 94min. english

 

Elizabeth is tortured by horrible visions from her childhood. She travels to a primative island to discover the truth about her dark past. On the island Elizabeth finds a malevolent order of nuns. There seems to be no escape from the menacing evil that inhabits this strange island.  

This extremely stylish and unique horror film is undoubtedly a must-see for every true horror fan - but also for every film admirer in general. "Dark Waters" (released in the U.S. as "Dead Waters") offers everything one might expect from an Italian director: Beautifully shot sequences, uncanny settings, some relentlessly violent moments and a creepy, thoroughly tantalizing atmosphere. Not to forget the disturbing plot that leaves room for various interesting analyses.

Especially remarkable is the fact that there is very few dialogue. This makes the whole film an even more intriguing and breathtaking experience. The story takes place in a convent on a Ukrainian island, which gives gifted director Baino a lot of space to increase the ever mounting tension as the plot unfolds. Another interesting fact that makes this movie unique is that the important characters are all women; men seem to have no importance without at least one woman, or they die quickly. 

22h15: Mexico 1980, 86min. english subs

Intrepid Hells Angels-style Mexican bearded punks with inverse Mohawks, led by a silicone-implanted blonde superstripper and a masked pro wrestler in gold costume, go around robbing, blackmailing, and raping people, sometimes lighting them on fire while playing rock tunes in neighboring rooms or enjoying a casual game of Russian roulette, until they manage to upset both the mob and the authorities, who call upon a duet of uncharismatic supercops to put a stop to their reign of over-the-top terror as well as end corruption in general in rural Mexico.