The Curse of the Crying Woman (Mexican Folklore Turned Vampire Nostalgia)
Something about Lucha Libre (AAA in particular), got me into diving further into Mexican horror over the past few years. I was acutely aware of it already, primarily because of the great overview by Doyle Green in Mexploitation Cinema. Now, guy got the release date on The Curse of the Crying Woman (La maldición de la llorona) wrong, but we’ll let that go (1963, by the way), because in English there’s no better way to start the process of discovering these films than that book, and thankfully with the way YouTube, or apps like PlutoTV, work these days, you can find the vast majority of films featured in there for free. Directed by Rafael Baledón, The Curse of the Crying Woman provides a haunting form of horror film that relies primarily on atmosphere for its creep, though moments of WTF appear in spite of its age. At this point in film history much of Mexican horror, and the rest of Central and South America for that matter, owed itself to the Spanish-language version of Dracula (1931). In fact, we can find several nods to that particular film in The Curse of the Crying Woman, over 30 years later, but yet it’s not simply a classic, it may actually disturb you.
In the film, young Amelia is visiting her aunt Selma at her remote mansion. It’s pretty clear from early on that Selma is the “Crying Woman,” and also a sorceress of some kind as the film doesn’t hide this fact too much from the viewer, who is given more of an omniscient perspective. Regardless, as Amelia learns the real truth for her visit, the curse becomes clear, with reality blurred as madness sets in. Madness for a retention of power, and another for escape. This balance between the two mains gives The Curse of the Crying Woman a strength that elevates it from the schlock typical of horror in this era, even for Hammer. In fact, there were a number of moments in The Curse of the Crying Woman that were genuinely effective in spite of the lower budget and antiquated effects. Rita Macedo is particularly enchanting, and dominating, as Selma, and the legendary effect of giving her no eyes can still might make you squirm. Combining “La Llorona” folklore with Universal-horror vampire thematics works quite well, and there’s no requirement for the viewer to know where some of the elements were borrowed from. If anything, these details give the film a touch of classic that makes the darker and more sinister moments noticeable, and perhaps for some even truly terrifying in spite of its age. Powerhouse Film did an excellent job with this version, providing crisp, but certainly not artificial visuals, and the special features, including the original trailer, two academics discussing the film, and even an interview with Macedo’s children, fill out the experience nicely.
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Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
The Curse of the Crying Woman (2023, Blu-ray)
Director: Rafael Baledón
Distributor: Powerhouse Films
4.5 / 5
