Films 75, 1978
starring: Susana Kamini, Tina Romero, David Silva and Claudio Brook
directed by: Juan Lopez Moctezuma

the plot: Following the death of her parents, young Justine (Kamini) is sent to live in an orphanage/convent. Her roommate is Alucarda (Romero), a strange young girl who likes to collect “secrets” and frolic in the ancient forest and abandoned buildings around the orphanage. One afternoon, Justine and Alucarda stumble first into a strange Gypsy camp and, later, into a crumbling crypt—which, unknown to Alucarda, is the site where she was born and her mother was killed 15 years earlier. An evil spirit possesses the two girls and they return to the orphanage. When they’re not involved in strange Satanic orgies, the girls are busy blaspheming their way around the orphanage, reducing the nuns to quivering wrecks and sending the head priest Father Lazaro (Silva) into a self-flagellating frenzy. Lazaro orders an exorcism for the two girls. Midway through the ritual, Justine dies and Dr. Oszek (Brook), the village physician, bursts into the room and rescues Alucarda. He whisks her back to his home and leaves Alucarda alone with his daughter, unaware that the demonic young girl is looking for a new innocent to corrupt.

why it’s good: Despite its title, “Alucarda” has very little to do with vampires. It is a pleasant slice of 1970s Gothic sleaze, though, weird and cheesy and, at times, suffused with a grimy, dream-like quality that reveals Moctezuma’s ambitions beyond the standard B-movie. “Alucarda” feels like a mishmash of other ’70s horror flicks, most notably “The Exorcist,” “Carrie” and “The Wicker Man.” But “Alucarda” stakes out its own identity. The orphanage/convent in the film seems to be carved out of a massive cave, giving the movie a dirty, roughly crafted look that helps establish an oppressive, supernatural atmosphere. While the overall pacing is kind of slack, there are some great moments, including a weird Satanic orgy that doubles as a psychic duel between the convent’s mother superior and a Gypsy woman. Even creepier are the reactions of the nuns and priests, who immediately take to whipping themselves and chaining up young girls at the first signs of evil. This leads to a fiery climax in which Alucarda discovers she has the power to force nuns to spontaneously combust, a skill that’s way cooler than projectile vomiting. It’s not all top quality, though—it seems the leading symptom of demonic possession is shrilly screaming while spinning around and tearing at your hair, something Alucarda and Justine spend way too much time doing. Of course, no ’70s horror flick set in a convent is complete without copious nudity, and both Romero and Kamini spend a good portion of “Alucarda” frolicking about in the buff. Say what you will about the merits of demonic possession, but excessive nudity is a far better recruiting tactic than self-flagellation.

why you should own it: The Video Vault has a soft-spot in its cold, black heart for 1970s Satanic stories, and “Alucarda” is definitely on the list, though only devotees should add it to their library. Mondo Macabro’s DVD features a documentary about Moctezuma as well as an interview with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who discusses how Moctezuma influenced Mexican cinema.