Nah. Bah. I'm not sure really. Or? Shit. Really, this is difficult. On one side La Herenica Valdemar is a prime example of classic Spanish horror, and with Paul Naschy in a supporting role (his last too). On the other side it's the first part of two movies, and if this one didn't leave so much hopla around the world, will we ever see a sequel?The Valdemar Estate is not up for sale, but the owners - a strange organization - want's it valued and cataloged. The send the young and ambitious Luisa Lorente (Silvia Abascal) there, but she soon disappears after a terrifying experience and soon the president of the organization and a private investigator is on it's way. On the train the president tells him about the Valdemar legacy and it's a tragic story. The house was once owned by a young couple and uses it as an orphanage (of course, it's Spain...). They also gets some extra money by arranging seances for the rich and powerful. After some trouble, the husband gets in contact with Alistair Crowley... and then shit hits the fan!
Now, Le Hernenica Valdemar looks stunning. It's a beautiful piece of cinema, and it really feels old-fashioned. It has that wonderful European feeling. The pace is not especially fast, and they spend to much time showing the young couples life and troubles before the fun starts. They spend way to much time doing that, which probably is because it's meant to be the first part. Big mistake, because this means we get one seventy minutes of drama, and just thirty minutes of Crowley doing what he does best, demons, some gore and cool and well made visual effects. All this, in the finale, looks stunning - but it's probably not only me that asks why they couldn't have done the opposite: thirty minutes drama and seventy minutes horror (it even has some kinda zombie!)! Most of the story is also a flashback, and in the end it leads up to those horrible events that starts the show.
It's a lot of loose ends, and I'm almost willing to pray to Satan Almighty so they can get the money to do the sequel! The best thing with the movie is of course Paul Naschy. He looks frail and old here, not only because of the make-up, and moves slower. But he's still Naschy and injects so much humanity and layers in his character as the young couples manservant. He's in the whole movie, but the part isn't that big - but important and well written. Like in Rojo Sangre, he really shows the world what a master-actor he was, something that can be forgotten among all naked ladies, werewolf-masks, beards and fistfights.
La Herenica Valdemar is one part excellent horror movie, but also a big part disappointment. That last disappointing part could be saved and erased if they made the sequel, if not I'm afraid this will be more forgotten than it deserves.
8 comments:
Holy Smothering Smoke Rings Batman!
Is this movie allready out? I really need to get this - so where'd ya get it? Because I've been wanting to see it so bad since that trailer hit last year. It sure looks splendid, so I'm glad that you say it looks so too.
El excitemundo Snr Fred.
You're such a loser it's almost enjoyable! They should give you your own reality show so everybody can watch you fall on your face every week. First of all I'm not the only one that has a problem with you. I'm just the mouthpiece. People don't hate you because you're gay they hate you because you don't know shit, and you talk like you rule the roost. I don't know one person that can tolerate you on Maniacs. You're not welcome there what so ever. You even piss off the tolerant folks. You need to just stay on your blog, and act like you know shit in your comfort zone. I love how you post your hate letters to get the ten people on your blog who probably don't even have teeth in their mouth to console you. Now, now Fred you're not a disgusting eye sore that wouldn't know a good movie if it jumped up, and bit off half your fat ass. You're a winner! They say you're inhuman, and have coagulated pus running through your veins instead of blood, but we know you're just a misunderstood bloke that sticks his dick in a jar of HIV, so you won't be lonely. I have such a big surprise for you. I'm not good with surprises, and almost want to tell you, but I must resist. On a side note if you say one more fucking word about me on a forum I'll send you nasty virus, and put your computer to sleep. Doesn't the curiosity of me bluffing just make you want to test me? You've been dually warned.
J, well... I'll had to admit, I've done something evil to be able to see this - but what can a fan do when it takes time to reach an english friendly dvd? :)
It's out on DVD in Spain, one site says it has english subtitles and one say it dosen't. And there's a lot of talking in it, so I don't want to risk buying something I can't understand yet.
Dude, you sad sack mother fucker why are you still crying? NOBODY gives a fuck about you! Don't you comprehend? Every thread you start people either tell you to shut up, or tell you I'm the real deal!!! You really believe that you're a filmmaker, because you worked on some shitty movie?? hhahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahahahah Your ego is ridick-in-your-ass....You're just some fat faggot that has zero class. You can't even talk to people without pissing them off. Maybe it's because your English sucks ass? I told you to stop talking shit, and you didn't so without further ado.....this will teach you to think twice about who you're fucking with, stupid, saggy faced asshole. Oh by the way I FUCKING LOVED how you said you'd beat my ass if you ever met me!! hahahaaaaaaggggghhh You wouldn't even get one good hit off on me, you greasy piece of shit. You better believe that. All Internet shit aside I would love to run into in the real world. Oh you'd have nightmares for years, and years, and years.... I swear on my mother that you're fucking retarded.
Love Spanish horrormovies. This one looks interesting, even though you say it has to little horror.
By the way Adam. I think it´s time for you to get a life, and you really need a job. You can start by getting dressed, and go out and meet some people. It´s a first.
Hi, Fred -- keep the blog flag flying, it's awesome. As a maniac once said in better days:
Yeah Fred, don't punk out on your blog, because of him. That will be the first step of letting him ruin your life proper, and you'll never live it down. Just fucking ignore him!! He's a hater, and he's hating on you because he's jealous, so you must be doing something right. What kind of loser harasses somebody like that?!?
Ignore-his-ass!!
Cheers!
LOL! He's like some retarded winduptoy, on and on and on and on without actually saying anything than a bunch of dirty words he learned from stileproject.
What a pottymouth, shame on you. What will your mother say?
And that "I will send you nasty virus!" LOL
The fun thing is that he's banned from Avmaniacs - no one wants him there - but this guy is still lurking around there, even if he hates most people there now.
The funnier thing is he's also banned from Ninja Dixon now! :) No more Adam A here, but he obviously still sneeking around the blog (trying to write comments), so he must really like it deep inside ;)
According to one of the members on Avmaniacs, "he has some sort of mental illness he may have admitted to" - so I really hope he gets the help he need.
So, from now on - no more Adam, and thanks all of you for your support :)
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