Have you noticed how slasher villains are going back to their 1980s roots recently? Many a slasher pic nowadays showcases some kind of giant, indestructible killer mutant. Reminiscent of Jason or Freddy, a lot of these new slashers seem ripe for marketing endless sequels. I'm talking about movies like Hatchet, The Hills Run Red, and Midnight Movie, to name a few. A few that I've enjoyed, anyway. I don't know if these films are meant as throw-backs, but I like the wave they're riding. Of the good ol' days before Scream came along and ushered in all the post-modern self reflexive garbage of the mid-late 1990s.
Well anyway, during the classic age of the invincible slasher villain there were many, many variations, rip-offs, and cash-ins on the theme that a forty-fingered man could easily lose count. They came from all over the world and in varying degrees of ripeness. One particularly great one came from Mexico. It exhibited every over-the-top aspect about the genre and is obscure enough for me to review. It's called Cemetery of Terror.
The premise is tried and true. A group of young people break into an old and spooky abandoned house looking for nothing less than a good time. Just a night of booze, babes, boom box, and, of course, black magic. They, naturally, end up waking a dormant evil force which proceeds to terrorize and kill anyone drinking, fornicating, or trespassing in its lair.
Sound familiar yet? It should. It's been the plot to countless other horror films including Night of the Demons, The Evil Dead, and Hell Night. Now add Cemetery of Terror to the list.
I think this movie ranks up their with its contemporaries, though. It utilizes all the best techniques of a certified 80s horror gem. It's got plenty of blood and carnage, good plot, great atmosphere, and takes place on that wonderful horror movie time of the year: Halloween. The evil antagonist in this film is a superbly terrifying super-human Satanic slasher named Devlon who could easily give Michael Myers a run for his money. I don't recall Mikey selling his soul to Satan, after all. And, as if Devlon wasn't enough for you, throw in a Necronomicon-type book which summons an army of zombies into the mix. Because what good is a spooky old cemetery in a horror film if you're not going to use it?
Made for Mexican audiences and filmed in Texas,this movie is definitely worth looking into if you are a fan of all-out 80s slasher gore fun. It effortlessly compares with a lot of great American horror trash cinema classics. So bring on the booze, babes, boom box, and black magic and let's party!
(1985) Directed by Ruben Galindo Jr.
P.S.
Watch for Hugo Stiglitz as the Dr. Loomis-type character on the trail of the killer.
Facts about myself:
My favorite Hugo Stiglitz movie is Nightmare City.
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