Coffin Joe (Jose Mojica Marins) returns looking for a woman who will give him a male offspring. (“Man is only immortal through the fetus!”) To achieve his goal, he kidnaps women from his village, which naturally riles up the menfolk. He eventually finds his mate in Laura (Tina Wohlers) who says, “I don’t mind being the mistress of the Devil!”
What I like about Joe is that although he is technically correct about some of his ideals, the way he goes about fulfilling his ambitions is often monstrous. In some ways, he reminds me of Magneto in that he rallies against the evil inherent in man in an evil way. However, he is insulated by his beliefs, which makes him blind to the fact that he is fighting tyranny by being tyrannical.
He’s also full of fascinating contradictions. Even though he detests people, he has a soft spot for kids and even saves one from being struck by a motorist. Yes, I know a main character that’s obsessed with eugenics and creating a “perfect race” would be considered “problematic” by today’s standards. That said, with his top hat, unibrow, and long ass nails, Coffin Joe is such a badass that you can’t help but root for him.
This sequel to At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul is full of impressive and atmospheric sequences. The highlight comes when Coffin Joe unleashes a horde of spiders on his potential brides while they are sleeping. There’s also a gnarly bit where he throws acid in a woman’s face. When we’re talking about Marins as a director, the most obvious comparison is Mario Bava. However, it’s the strong religious and social themes that set his work apart from his contemporaries and makes him a one-of-a-kind filmmaker.
The movie really takes off when Joe is dragged down into Hell. It’s here where the film switches from black and white to full color. Think Wizard of Oz, but like a hundred times cooler. Speaking of being cool, Marins’ depiction of Hell is one of the most inventive and original in cinema history. Instead of the traditional flames, Hell is an endless series of icy caverns where workers whip and stab frozen prisoners.
Marins’ next was The Strange World of Coffin Joe.
AKA: This Night I Will Possess Your Corpse. AKA: This Night Will Make Your Corpse Incarnate. AKA: Tonight I Will Eat Your Corpse. AKA: Tonight I Will Make Your Corpse Turn Red. AKA: Tonight I Will Paint in Flesh Color.
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