Alucarda
a.k.a. Alucarda, la hija de las tinieblas / Sisters of Satan
1977 · Directed by Juan López Moctezuma · Mexico
Alucarda is a 1977 Mexican occult horror which loosely falls within the nunsploitation genre. There is enough hysterical hyperbole within and outside the convent walls, including flogging, nudity and satanic recitations, to tip this into pure exploitation territory.
Directed by Juan López Moctezuma, the plot centres on newly orphaned teenager Justine, who is befriended by the enigmatic Alucarda, played by a spirited Tina Romero. Alucarda apparently means Daughter of Darkness. What follows is a rollercoaster of occult possession, human combustion and a fair amount of bloodletting.
It was derided in its native Mexico, described by Mexican film critic Leonardo García Tsao as “one of the ten worst films he had ever seen”. It won more favour outside Mexico, with Michael Weldon of the Psychotronic Video Guide writing that it was “the strongest, most imaginative and visual witch movie since Ken Russell’s The Devils”. Carlos Aguilar praised Romero’s performance: “a raw portrayal of a mind ravaged by a diabolical energy hits with hair-raising strength”.
Certainly for me this was a fortuitous find that sits among the more interesting world exploitation cinema offerings. At 77 minutes it packs a lot into its compact running time. A recommendation to seek out if you are a fan of occult horror.
