53 reviews
"Move the table over to the cage... and prepare the gorilla!"
This movie has EVERYTHING. Female wrestling. Gorillas. Open-heart surgery. A crappy-looking monster. Gratuitous nudity. Ridiculously fake gore. Bad dubbing. Retarded dialogue. Atrocious editing. In other words, all the makings of a masterpiece.
When a surgeon transplants the heart of an ape into his deathly ill son, the result is, of course, a guy in a stupid-looking gorilla mask running amok and attacking hot Mexican broads. I mean, duh, what else would you expect to happen when you mess with the laws of nature, or whatever.
Meanwhile, some chick in a red catsuit wrestles other women while her boyfriend watches. No, it's not what you're thinking. She wrestles in the ring and he sits in the audience. Why does this happen? I don't really know. But her boyfriend turns out to be the detective who tries to track the Bloody Ape Man of Death, so I guess it's all right.
After the requisite number of murders, the surgeon recaptures his homicidal son and transplants a human heart back into him, taken from the body of a woman he steals from the hospital he works at. But it's all for naught: Gorilla Boy just gets back up and rips more people's heads off. More chaos ensues until the chilling denouement.
Bottom line: this movie is apparent proof that Ed Wood had Mexican relatives. Which means it's safe for you to watch this crap.
Waiter, I'll take a grilled apeburger... with extra cheese. To go!
When a surgeon transplants the heart of an ape into his deathly ill son, the result is, of course, a guy in a stupid-looking gorilla mask running amok and attacking hot Mexican broads. I mean, duh, what else would you expect to happen when you mess with the laws of nature, or whatever.
Meanwhile, some chick in a red catsuit wrestles other women while her boyfriend watches. No, it's not what you're thinking. She wrestles in the ring and he sits in the audience. Why does this happen? I don't really know. But her boyfriend turns out to be the detective who tries to track the Bloody Ape Man of Death, so I guess it's all right.
After the requisite number of murders, the surgeon recaptures his homicidal son and transplants a human heart back into him, taken from the body of a woman he steals from the hospital he works at. But it's all for naught: Gorilla Boy just gets back up and rips more people's heads off. More chaos ensues until the chilling denouement.
Bottom line: this movie is apparent proof that Ed Wood had Mexican relatives. Which means it's safe for you to watch this crap.
Waiter, I'll take a grilled apeburger... with extra cheese. To go!
- Doctor_Cheese
- Oct 11, 2004
- Permalink
Oh come on! you can't be too harsh with this one.
Now, this is a really obscure Mexican Horror flick. It's almost impossible to find it even in Mèxico. I don't know if it's banned but it's worth searching. This is a movie with many clichès from Mexican Horror: we get wrestlers (now that they are popular), boobs, and creepy settings.
This movie has good cheesy gore. Don't expect a shocking exploitation movie. It's just an ultra low budgeter with guts.
The beast is not that horrid as the title says, in fact, it's kind of cheesy (in the likes of "Night Of The Demon") , but it delivers for the movie's tone.
I recommend this one for lovers of B-movies that can stand cheesiness through 90 minutes. There's some gore and violence but not enough to consider this one as exploitation.
This movie has good cheesy gore. Don't expect a shocking exploitation movie. It's just an ultra low budgeter with guts.
The beast is not that horrid as the title says, in fact, it's kind of cheesy (in the likes of "Night Of The Demon") , but it delivers for the movie's tone.
I recommend this one for lovers of B-movies that can stand cheesiness through 90 minutes. There's some gore and violence but not enough to consider this one as exploitation.
- insomniac_rod
- Jul 3, 2006
- Permalink
Terrible but fun.
I simply can't believe that "Night Of The Bloody Apes" was included in the notorious "Video Nasties" list. If you ever see it, you'll probably agree. This film is too stupid to be offensive. Oh, there is a lot of gore, to be sure, but most of the bloody sequences are so badly edited and inserted into the picture that either you don't even get a clear idea of what's going on (the heart transplant sequence, allegedly including real shots) or you simply laugh at the lame effects (the eye gouging). Terrible but fun picture, if you're in the right mood. (**)
P.S. There is also some brief but entertaining female wrestling footage.
P.S. There is also some brief but entertaining female wrestling footage.
Check it out!!!
I must disagree with other critics here. This is a marvelous Mexican exploitation movie. One problem with the translated title, however, is that there is only one ape in the movie, not two, and he dies early on after having his heart transplanted to a human. Thereafter, a man-ape assumes the role of movie-monster, so he's not fully a gorilla. Apes?? Anyway, much of the movie was made to titilate Mexican male viewers in the era of the movie's release, 1972. The ape-man has a penchant for chasing voluptuous Mexican ladies and tearing their blouse and bra off. For some reason he also likes to rip the heads off of human males. Surely this is the consequence of his animal heart! The movie also features the obligatory masked wrestling women, the heroine in this instance having almost no connection with the ape-man or his evil scientist creator, but the dialogue makes for extremely bad/funny sequences. There is much red paint splattered about and some obviously phony gore scenes. A great and good laugh for the twisted soul such as myself.
"I acted against the dictates of God"
- bensonmum2
- May 11, 2006
- Permalink
Gory Mexican trash exploitation is good for a laugh
- Leofwine_draca
- Sep 5, 2016
- Permalink
Good low budget horror movie...
I enjoyed watching Night Of The Blody Apes,I found it to be quite a funny sort of horror film. This was a cheap Mexican horror film. Female masked wrestler Lucy beats an opponent a wrestling lady with a red costume like Catwoman. she hurls her opponent from the ring. A mad scientist (Dr. Krellman) attempts to cure his son's leukaemia by doing the first 'ape-to-human' heart transplant. He decides to put a gorilla's heart into the lad There is footage of a graphic open heart surgery inserted in the ape operation scenes. this causes the boy to turn into a big ape. He becomes deformed and mutated, as he grows facial hair and immediately goes on a bloody rampage, tearing clothes off women and faces off men. I found this to be quite a funny horror to watch at time
- MovieGuy01
- Oct 11, 2009
- Permalink
They are Apes...They are Bloody...And Lady Wrestlers, too...
What can I say about this movie? If you are seeing it, you've already heard about it. If you've heard about it, you know what to expect. It is a gory, sleazy and silly movie...
And, I mean that in a good way. The actors don't seem to know that they are in a low budget movie. Some even seem unaware of the fact that they cannot act and TRY anyway. It is beautiful in its way.
The makeup and special effects are pretty bad. The ape-man looks as if someone slapped a mud pack on a professional wrestler. Later, cheesy looking fangs are added, possibly to show that his heart had been replaced again...possibly to show that the makeup man had a very short train of thought.
The biggest waste in this movie is the lady wrestler who is contemplating retirement after putting an opponent into a coma. She is on the periphery of the plot...a plot where, for example, in the Santos movies, wrestling could've played a large part. I was unhappy not to see her in action against the ape-man...
The actors are generally sincere. The doctor does an excellent job. The zaftig nudity of a lady wrestler is also a welcome change from the anorexia we are forced to consume in today's sleaze.
But this movie is BLOODY. Many scenes are simply stock footage taken from heart operations. But there are gougings, scalping's, detoothings and squishings. None of these injuries look particularly authentic; but, the thought of them might be offensive to some. Definitely, this is an adult movie...
For sheer fun, I gave this movie a seven. If you like sleaze and cheese, see it...
And, I mean that in a good way. The actors don't seem to know that they are in a low budget movie. Some even seem unaware of the fact that they cannot act and TRY anyway. It is beautiful in its way.
The makeup and special effects are pretty bad. The ape-man looks as if someone slapped a mud pack on a professional wrestler. Later, cheesy looking fangs are added, possibly to show that his heart had been replaced again...possibly to show that the makeup man had a very short train of thought.
The biggest waste in this movie is the lady wrestler who is contemplating retirement after putting an opponent into a coma. She is on the periphery of the plot...a plot where, for example, in the Santos movies, wrestling could've played a large part. I was unhappy not to see her in action against the ape-man...
The actors are generally sincere. The doctor does an excellent job. The zaftig nudity of a lady wrestler is also a welcome change from the anorexia we are forced to consume in today's sleaze.
But this movie is BLOODY. Many scenes are simply stock footage taken from heart operations. But there are gougings, scalping's, detoothings and squishings. None of these injuries look particularly authentic; but, the thought of them might be offensive to some. Definitely, this is an adult movie...
For sheer fun, I gave this movie a seven. If you like sleaze and cheese, see it...
Gore Mongral's Movie Review: Night of the Bloody Apes/La Horripilante Bestia Humana
- ChiefGoreMongral
- Sep 13, 2006
- Permalink
Truly Incredible Exploitation Flick
This cheap Mexican horror film is a remake of Rene Cardona's "Doctor of Doom" (1962), spiced with nudity, medical footage, women wrestling, and cheap gore shots.
Where the title comes from is anyone's guess. There is plenty of blood and gore (and nudity), and at least one ape, but there is nothing in the film that could be summed up by this title. But, who can complain when what you get is every bit as wild as that name? This is worth watching, and probably one of the better films on the notorious "video nasty" list (besides, you know, all the Fulci and Argento). For sheer entertainment value, this is top notch.
Where the title comes from is anyone's guess. There is plenty of blood and gore (and nudity), and at least one ape, but there is nothing in the film that could be summed up by this title. But, who can complain when what you get is every bit as wild as that name? This is worth watching, and probably one of the better films on the notorious "video nasty" list (besides, you know, all the Fulci and Argento). For sheer entertainment value, this is top notch.
NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES {Original Spanish-Language and Alternate U.S. Versions} (Rene Cardona, 1969) **
This is another notorious Mexican horror film: however, while the original Spanish-language version is quite tame, all sorts of gore and nudity were inserted for the English-dubbed variant (prepared by Jerald Intrator - who did similar duties on THE CURIOUS DR. HUMPP [1967/71] - and, like the U.S. version of that film, had previously been available on DVD through Something Weird/Image)!
I watched the original first and, while no great shakes, it was fairly engaging - especially with a plot as familiar as this one was: a doctor goes beyond the call of duty in attempting to save the life of his terminally ill son; he even has a hulking, game-legged assistant (played by Carlos Lopez Moctezuma, who had essayed a strikingly similar role - though in a more sinister vein - in THE CURSE OF THE CRYING WOMAN [1961]). I know that several Mexican films mingled horror with the "Lucha Libre" (Wrestling) genre but I had never watched one myself; this element is present here - in fact, the heroine is a wrestler - but the two styles are, perhaps thankfully, kept apart (that said, the wrestling sequences are competently done, with some of the moves proving highly amusing).
The doctor's son is transformed into a monster (looking like The Incredible Hulk with mud splashed over his face!) after having had an ape's heart transplanted into him - but, then, when this is replaced with that of a comatose female wrestler, he stays this way and grows a pair of fangs to boot (shouldn't he realistically have turned into a transsexual...though I guess that wouldn't have been very interesting)!! The climactic rooftop sequence in which the monster kidnaps a child and meets his demise at the hands of the police is reminiscent of THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942). My favorite unintentionally funny moments in the film, however, occur when the doctor, trying to comfort his son, tells him that he'll soon be cured - only to turn his back soon after on the verge of tears - and also the impatient look he gives his crippled assistant (as the latter staggers slowly into the car) when they're about to chase the monster who has escaped from the lab.
The alternate nude scenes work for the film (these were actually done by Cardona himself for a racier Mexican version entitled HORROR Y SEXO) but its reputation is largely based on the added material showing over-the-top violence, such as an eyeball being gouged out of its socket, a scalping and even a person's head being torn off. There are also several graphic operation inserts which, however, give rise to a goof: while it's made clear that only two people are involved in the operation, we see a third pair of hands constantly holding an oxygen mask to the patient's face!
The film is also said to be a loose remake of Cardona's own black-and-white horror film DOCTOR OF DOOM (1962) but, since I haven't watched that one, I can't say how much of it was actually pilfered for NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES...
I watched the original first and, while no great shakes, it was fairly engaging - especially with a plot as familiar as this one was: a doctor goes beyond the call of duty in attempting to save the life of his terminally ill son; he even has a hulking, game-legged assistant (played by Carlos Lopez Moctezuma, who had essayed a strikingly similar role - though in a more sinister vein - in THE CURSE OF THE CRYING WOMAN [1961]). I know that several Mexican films mingled horror with the "Lucha Libre" (Wrestling) genre but I had never watched one myself; this element is present here - in fact, the heroine is a wrestler - but the two styles are, perhaps thankfully, kept apart (that said, the wrestling sequences are competently done, with some of the moves proving highly amusing).
The doctor's son is transformed into a monster (looking like The Incredible Hulk with mud splashed over his face!) after having had an ape's heart transplanted into him - but, then, when this is replaced with that of a comatose female wrestler, he stays this way and grows a pair of fangs to boot (shouldn't he realistically have turned into a transsexual...though I guess that wouldn't have been very interesting)!! The climactic rooftop sequence in which the monster kidnaps a child and meets his demise at the hands of the police is reminiscent of THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942). My favorite unintentionally funny moments in the film, however, occur when the doctor, trying to comfort his son, tells him that he'll soon be cured - only to turn his back soon after on the verge of tears - and also the impatient look he gives his crippled assistant (as the latter staggers slowly into the car) when they're about to chase the monster who has escaped from the lab.
The alternate nude scenes work for the film (these were actually done by Cardona himself for a racier Mexican version entitled HORROR Y SEXO) but its reputation is largely based on the added material showing over-the-top violence, such as an eyeball being gouged out of its socket, a scalping and even a person's head being torn off. There are also several graphic operation inserts which, however, give rise to a goof: while it's made clear that only two people are involved in the operation, we see a third pair of hands constantly holding an oxygen mask to the patient's face!
The film is also said to be a loose remake of Cardona's own black-and-white horror film DOCTOR OF DOOM (1962) but, since I haven't watched that one, I can't say how much of it was actually pilfered for NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES...
- Bunuel1976
- Oct 12, 2006
- Permalink
"Perhaps you have been seeing on your television too many pictures of terror."
An incredibly successful combo of the Mexican 'Lucha Libre' genre with 70's style horror. And a dash of 'Mad Scientist' cliché's tossed in for spice.
The original Mexican title was 'Horror y Sexo.' Tell me it doesn't fit perfectly.
Great chase scenes.
The gorillaman's make-up was horrible in both senses of the word. It ended at the neck. But it WAS ugly. And like a lot of classic horror films, it did make you nervous during the night scenes.
The Mondo style heart surgery footage was a tinge gross. It didn't hurt the film, it didn't help either.
Graphic (and I do mean GRAPHIC) violence will put some of you off. But I still liked it.
The original Mexican title was 'Horror y Sexo.' Tell me it doesn't fit perfectly.
Great chase scenes.
The gorillaman's make-up was horrible in both senses of the word. It ended at the neck. But it WAS ugly. And like a lot of classic horror films, it did make you nervous during the night scenes.
The Mondo style heart surgery footage was a tinge gross. It didn't hurt the film, it didn't help either.
Graphic (and I do mean GRAPHIC) violence will put some of you off. But I still liked it.
- haildevilman
- Jul 14, 2006
- Permalink
Night of the Horny Turd-Man
- Vomitron_G
- Oct 9, 2007
- Permalink
Where were the other Apes?
This film was a Mexican made horror film from the late 60s. It's not that good, but really not so bad either. There is plenty of schlock and it is padded pretty heavily with nudity and violence, but it had a plot and at least tried to keep to it (even if the plot was the same damn Frankenstein inspired "don't tamper in God's domain" b-movie fare). There was some padding mixed in with the female wrestling, but it was made in Mexico and wrestling does seem to be popular in Mexico.
The plot is that a doctor wants to save his son, who is dying from leukemia. The other doctors have given no hope for the poor guy, but dad has the idea of transplanting a gorilla's heart for his son's to save his life (I don't know, I'm a lawyer not a doctor). The transplant works, but sonny-boy ends up becoming a man-ape who terrorizes nude women and kills anyone who gets in his path. There's also a subplot involving a cop and his girlfriend who is a wrestler (this really didn't add too much, but if they wanted to throw in some masked female wrestlers here's a good reason to do so).
The film was kind of cheap, but not too bad for a b-movie of the day. The plot was basically just recycled and there were a few things that weren't tied in that well. However, this film is kind of fun in its own way (I don't know why, maybe because it's a Mexican horror film and sticks out in my normal bad movie diet). I guess it may be because it's a mix and mash of some very weird things.
Watch it if you like cheesy foreign films, nudity, and female wrestlers.
The plot is that a doctor wants to save his son, who is dying from leukemia. The other doctors have given no hope for the poor guy, but dad has the idea of transplanting a gorilla's heart for his son's to save his life (I don't know, I'm a lawyer not a doctor). The transplant works, but sonny-boy ends up becoming a man-ape who terrorizes nude women and kills anyone who gets in his path. There's also a subplot involving a cop and his girlfriend who is a wrestler (this really didn't add too much, but if they wanted to throw in some masked female wrestlers here's a good reason to do so).
The film was kind of cheap, but not too bad for a b-movie of the day. The plot was basically just recycled and there were a few things that weren't tied in that well. However, this film is kind of fun in its own way (I don't know why, maybe because it's a Mexican horror film and sticks out in my normal bad movie diet). I guess it may be because it's a mix and mash of some very weird things.
Watch it if you like cheesy foreign films, nudity, and female wrestlers.
- bergma15@msu.edu
- Apr 3, 2006
- Permalink
Um, wow
- BandSAboutMovies
- Dec 31, 2019
- Permalink
Huh? This was an infamous "Video Nasty?
Cult purchasers are unquestionably familiar with the term "video nasties". This was a notorious British list containing all the films that could bring 'damage' to society if viewed by irresponsible audiences (dramatization). For gore buffs, this is an excellent checklist as it contains inhumanly cruel and disturbingly realist movies (Faces of Death, Cannibal Holocaust, Driller Killer) as well as outrageous and ultra-sick horror films (The Burning, Nightmare City, The Toolbox Murders). Keeping this in mind, it's quite unusual to see "Night of the Bloody Apes" listed among the other "nasties". It sure is gory
but the blood and violence are so poorly presented I can't imagine anyone would be offended by it. And the silly plot (about a desperate doctor transplanting a gorilla's heart into the chest of his dying son) isn't exactly what you would call disturbingly real, neither. All that remains is a fairly amusing pulp-horror flick with awful acting and pointless sleaze. The man-ape make up effects are laughable and there's no tension or atmosphere to detect anywhere. Enjoyable only if you're in the right mood, in other words. The few sequences showing detailed matches of lady-wrestling (which one of the lead-actresses does for a living) are very cool.
Highly entertaining Mexploitation with one bloody ape only
- fertilecelluloid
- Dec 29, 2005
- Permalink
One of the worst Horror movies about heart-transplants, killer apes, and womens wrestling that I've ever seen
One would assume that a 60's gore-fest, with the words "bloody" and "apes" in the title, which also features a sub-plot involving women's wrestling, would be at least mildly entertaining. Not so. Not even a little. I hate it when this happens. With a rad little title such as Night Of The Bloody Apes, it's all a gore-hound can do is have high expectations. But then it hits me... Oh yeah!! Mexican B-Horror. You see, no one is to blame for my boredom but me. I was well aware how terribly dull low-budget Horror is from down there. Believe me. This won't happen again. But now that I've started this review, I guess you expect me to keep on typing a while longer, so I can tell you about it... *SIGH* Alright, fine...
There seems to be a lot of this "transplant Horror" from this era, and the decade before. I can't remember ever being this bored by one of these. About a Surgeon desperately trying to save his ailing son, Julio's life by replacing his bum ticker with that of an orangutan. And don't forget the routine, surgery, stock-footage. Not bad. And of course, Julio now turns into a Gorilla-person. Doing only what a Gorilla-person would do. Julio goes on rampages, ripping women's clothes off, and perform random acts of brutality. Not to worry, as he doesn't stay like that. It's kind of an on and off thing, like a werewolf, I guess... Oh yeah!! And there's also chicks rasslin'. A quality which seems to serve no purpose. No tie-in to the main story or anything. Or maybe that is the main story. Who knows?
I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it's not nearly as good as it sounds. absolutely all of this manages to come off completely flavorless. It really is a shame. A total waste of an awesome title. Dare I say it's even worse than Cheerleader Autopsy. The son of the guy that directed this bloody letdown, would go on to make a movie about killer cats, entitled Blood Feast. That's right. Blood Feast. As far as the one about the Apes goes, my advice to you would be to forget you ever heard of this lousy flick, and its glamorous title, and spend your money on something worthwhile like Brain Of Blood, or TeenApe Goes To Camp. At the very least, Night Of The Bloody Apes had a choice to give us some "so bad it's good" humor. It couldn't even give us that. Shame on you, Bloody Apes 3/10
There seems to be a lot of this "transplant Horror" from this era, and the decade before. I can't remember ever being this bored by one of these. About a Surgeon desperately trying to save his ailing son, Julio's life by replacing his bum ticker with that of an orangutan. And don't forget the routine, surgery, stock-footage. Not bad. And of course, Julio now turns into a Gorilla-person. Doing only what a Gorilla-person would do. Julio goes on rampages, ripping women's clothes off, and perform random acts of brutality. Not to worry, as he doesn't stay like that. It's kind of an on and off thing, like a werewolf, I guess... Oh yeah!! And there's also chicks rasslin'. A quality which seems to serve no purpose. No tie-in to the main story or anything. Or maybe that is the main story. Who knows?
I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it's not nearly as good as it sounds. absolutely all of this manages to come off completely flavorless. It really is a shame. A total waste of an awesome title. Dare I say it's even worse than Cheerleader Autopsy. The son of the guy that directed this bloody letdown, would go on to make a movie about killer cats, entitled Blood Feast. That's right. Blood Feast. As far as the one about the Apes goes, my advice to you would be to forget you ever heard of this lousy flick, and its glamorous title, and spend your money on something worthwhile like Brain Of Blood, or TeenApe Goes To Camp. At the very least, Night Of The Bloody Apes had a choice to give us some "so bad it's good" humor. It couldn't even give us that. Shame on you, Bloody Apes 3/10
- Tromafreak
- Jul 22, 2010
- Permalink
Female wrestlers, a monster, and plenty of nudity!
- rosscinema
- Aug 28, 2005
- Permalink
inserts of extreme gory action and a little nudity
After all these years and I find I never did get to see this 'video nasty' before. Now I have, I rather wish I hadn't! First, the title and hardly any of this takes place at night, indeed the sharp colourful cinematography is probably the highlight. Also, there are no apes. Well, there is one at the zoo but what we are really talking here is 'ape man', ish! Have to confess, though, there is blood. Many inserts of extreme gory action and a little nudity but all so badly added that they have little affect. having said that, I dread to think how you could endure the flat dullness of this movie without those startling gory bits every now and again. Oh yes, and, this being Mexican there is some wrestling, fairly colourful and its girls wrestling too but what with the all over costumes and mask they might as well be guys. So to summarise, if you like disjointed sequences of fake operations and various limbs being detached with the odd sprinkling of nudity and lots and lots of silly dubbed dialogue, this is for you.
- christopher-underwood
- May 8, 2014
- Permalink
Prepare the gorilla.
- stupid_fresh
- Sep 10, 2002
- Permalink
Prepare the gorilla.
This was one of the infamous video nasties banned in Britain and released with approximately 1 minute of pre-cuts in 1999.
The quality of the DVD was excellent and really made the film enjoyable. Even the dubbing was good.
A doctor (José Elías Moreno) whose son had an incurable disease tries to save him by transplanting a gorilla heart. Of course, the son (Agustín Martínez Solares) turns into gorilla man. If he didn't have an ugly gorilla face, he could easily be in the top five for Cosmo's bachelor hunt.
He searches out victims and manages to rip some flesh from one man's neck, pop out the eyeball of another and decapitate a third in his quest that left six or eight dead.
I have absolutely no idea why the Luchadoras are in this movie. It switches from the doctor's operations to wrestling. The wrestling has nothing to do with the story, but it was fun to watch.
Eight boobies, three boobies, and, of course, one dead gorilla.
The quality of the DVD was excellent and really made the film enjoyable. Even the dubbing was good.
A doctor (José Elías Moreno) whose son had an incurable disease tries to save him by transplanting a gorilla heart. Of course, the son (Agustín Martínez Solares) turns into gorilla man. If he didn't have an ugly gorilla face, he could easily be in the top five for Cosmo's bachelor hunt.
He searches out victims and manages to rip some flesh from one man's neck, pop out the eyeball of another and decapitate a third in his quest that left six or eight dead.
I have absolutely no idea why the Luchadoras are in this movie. It switches from the doctor's operations to wrestling. The wrestling has nothing to do with the story, but it was fun to watch.
Eight boobies, three boobies, and, of course, one dead gorilla.
- lastliberal
- Oct 2, 2008
- Permalink
A Bizarre Blend of Surgery, Gorillas, and Horror
"La horripilante bestia humana" is a strange and unsettling horror film from Mexico that tries to blend social commentary with exploitation thrills. While it has some effectively creepy moments, the overall execution is too uneven to make it a true cult classic.
The story follows a wealthy businessman who becomes obsessed with a nightclub dancer. When she rejects his advances, he kidnaps her and subjects her to twisted psychological torture in his isolated mansion. The film attempts to make a statement about the cruelty of the upper class, but this message gets muddled amid the gratuitous nudity and violence.
Director René Cardona shows flashes of talent in building an unsettling, dreamlike atmosphere. However, the wildly shifting tones undermine the dread, veering from arthouse pretension to sleazy grindhouse shocks. The acting is also quite amateurish, even for a low-budget Mexican production of the era.
Ultimately, "La horripilante bestia humana" is likely only to appeal to the most devoted fans of obscure, bizarre horror films. Its ambition is admirable, but the sloppy execution and tonal inconsistencies make it more of a curiosity than a must-see cult gem. For general horror fans, there are better and more coherent options from this era of Mexican genre filmmaking.
The story follows a wealthy businessman who becomes obsessed with a nightclub dancer. When she rejects his advances, he kidnaps her and subjects her to twisted psychological torture in his isolated mansion. The film attempts to make a statement about the cruelty of the upper class, but this message gets muddled amid the gratuitous nudity and violence.
Director René Cardona shows flashes of talent in building an unsettling, dreamlike atmosphere. However, the wildly shifting tones undermine the dread, veering from arthouse pretension to sleazy grindhouse shocks. The acting is also quite amateurish, even for a low-budget Mexican production of the era.
Ultimately, "La horripilante bestia humana" is likely only to appeal to the most devoted fans of obscure, bizarre horror films. Its ambition is admirable, but the sloppy execution and tonal inconsistencies make it more of a curiosity than a must-see cult gem. For general horror fans, there are better and more coherent options from this era of Mexican genre filmmaking.
- MajesticMane
- Jun 6, 2024
- Permalink