Alucarda (1977)

the 70s is such a good era for satanic movies. other than popular titles such as the exorcist (1973) and the omen (1976), there are also ones that were buried beneath a hidden treasure box. one of them would be alucarda (1977), a mexican horror film that tells the tale of a pair of girls who lived in a convent that also functions as an orphanage. one day during a short trip to the forest they discovered a cryptic and ancient looking site, and things just went batshit afterwards. apparently the girls had been possessed by demonic forces that attempted to take control over them, leading to immense amount of hysteria and nightmarish events that follow.

no words could explain the madness of alucarda and how every bit of the film's insanity cemented it as a classic, undiscovered gem. it keeps you glued to the screen, as if it has the power to hypnotize through its endless screams, riot, and satanic worships. theres actually not much story here, but the thematic emphasis is spot on. its heavy on religious overtone but it also touches upon coming of age issue, which is portrayed through alucarda's complex desire for love and rebellion.

for a low budget film alucarda got a solid commitment to ensure it doesnt come off as cheap or weak. i really like the overall visual concept that flaunts organic yet detailed sets, such as cave-like convent and stone walls that spark absolute eerieness, down to the nuns who are draped in red-stained robes that resemble blood splatters. the cryptic leitmotif is further elevated with smokey effects like fog and haze, effectively taking surrealism to a higher plateau. at one point the theatrical nature simply crosses the border between art and fever dream.

director juan lópez moctezuma ends the gothic suspense with alucarda unleashing hell upon everyone in such brutal, unapologetic manner thats a good reminiscence of stephen king's carrie. by the time the spectacle is over it feels like i just went through an extreme, unholy ritual marked by copious amount of blood, crucifixion, nudes, gore, and combusting nuns. highly disturbing, but thats exactly what this film aims for, and it indeed succeeded.