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The Strange World of Coffin Joe (1968) – A Bizarre, Uncompromising Nightmare

15 Saturday Mar 2025

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José Mojica Marins, Brazil’s master of the macabre, brings his signature brand of nihilistic horror to The Strange World of Coffin Joe (O Estranho Mundo de Zé do Caixão), an anthology film that revels in the grotesque and the surreal. As a showcase of Marins’ bleak, transgressive vision, it’s both compelling and frustrating—packed with striking imagery and unrelenting cruelty, yet uneven in execution.

Framed by the presence of Coffin Joe himself (played by Marins), the film presents three eerie tales of obsession, madness, and moral decay. The first segment follows a dollmaker whose unsettling creations take on a sinister purpose. The second, the most infamous, features a deranged balloon seller whose necrophilic urges and foot fetish lead to nightmarish consequences. The final tale focuses on a sadistic professor performing horrific rituals, pushing the film into full-blown exploitation territory.

Marins’ raw, almost documentary-like approach to horror makes The Strange World of Coffin Joe feel uniquely unsettling. Shot in stark black and white, with unflinching depictions of violence and depravity, the film immerses the viewer in a world of unfiltered cruelty. Yet, as with many horror anthologies, the segments vary in quality. The middle story is the most effective in its sheer audacity, while the others, despite intriguing premises, suffer from pacing issues and a lack of narrative cohesion.

Despite its flaws, The Strange World of Coffin Joe remains a fascinating entry in Marins’ filmography. It lacks the narrative strength of At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (1964) but compensates with sheer audacity, cementing Marins’ status as a filmmaker unafraid to push the boundaries of horror. It’s not an easy watch, nor is it entirely successful, but for those drawn to the more extreme corners of 1960s horror, it’s a film worth experiencing—if only to witness the strange, twisted world of Coffin Joe at its most unhinged.

  • Saul Muerte

Trilogy of Terror (1968): Ambition Meets Uneven Execution in Brazilian Horror Anthology

12 Sunday Jan 2025

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Brazilian cinema takes a stab at the anthology horror format in Trilogy of Terror (Trilogia de Terror), a collaboration between renowned directors Luiz Sérgio Person, Ozualdo Ribeiro Candeias, and José Mojica Marins. On paper, this film had the potential to be a landmark in horror, drawing on the stylistic and thematic sensibilities of three distinct auteurs. Unfortunately, the end result is an uneven collection of shorts that, despite flashes of creativity, struggles to maintain coherence or a satisfying level of tension.

The first segment, directed by Person, feels more like an existential drama wrapped in horror’s clothing. It’s a meditative, slow-paced exploration of dread, which is intriguing in theory but ultimately too meandering to captivate. While the cinematography shows glimpses of brilliance, the narrative lacks urgency or cohesion, leaving the audience adrift in a sea of disjointed ideas. Candeias’ segment, on the other hand, attempts to push the boundaries with its gritty, almost documentary-style approach. While it succeeds in capturing a grimy, oppressive atmosphere, it leans too heavily on shock value without delivering a meaningful payoff.

The final segment, helmed by the iconic José Mojica Marins (best known as “Coffin Joe”), is the most engaging but still falters. Marins injects his signature surrealistic flair, complete with macabre imagery and grotesque performances. However, the segment feels rushed and underdeveloped, leaving its potentially fascinating ideas half-baked. Compared to Marins’ standalone work, this short feels like a diluted version of his signature style.

Trilogy of Terror is a frustrating watch that hints at greatness but falters in execution. Its ambitious premise is undercut by inconsistent pacing, underwhelming storytelling, and a lack of synergy between the segments. Fans of Brazilian cinema or anthology horror may find some historical or academic value in watching this film, but for casual viewers, it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression. Two stars for effort and moments of visual brilliance, but the trilogy ultimately fails to deliver on its terrifying promise.

  • Saul Muerte

When Fiction Strikes Back: The Meta-Horror Madness of The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe

23 Monday Dec 2024

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José Mojica Marins, the macabre mind behind the infamous Coffin Joe persona, takes an ambitious meta-narrative turn with The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe. This 1974 feature is a surreal descent into madness that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, combining bizarre horror and religious allegory. While not officially part of the “Coffin Joe trilogy,” the film captures the spirit of Marins’ grotesque vision, albeit with mixed results.

A Meta-Horror Experiment
Marins portrays himself, crafting a narrative where his fictional alter ego, Coffin Joe, transcends the screen and manifests in terrifying reality. This meta approach is intriguing, allowing Marins to explore his own creation’s mythology while engaging in self-reflection. The plot, however, is a chaotic jumble of satanic rituals, black masses, and exorcisms, all set against a backdrop of low-budget effects and erratic pacing.

The film’s most striking moments occur during its feverish black mass sequence, where Coffin Joe emerges to preside over a cacophony of torture, topless dancers, and surreal imagery. These scenes are unsettling and unrestrained, evoking a visceral reaction, but they teeter on the edge of indulgence, making the experience feel more disjointed than cohesive.

Strengths and Shortcomings
Marins’ direction is unmistakably his own—raw, eccentric, and unapologetic. The use of practical effects and atmospheric lighting imbues the film with a haunting aesthetic, despite its glaring technical flaws. However, the inconsistent sound editing and awkward dialogue often break immersion, highlighting the limitations of its production.

The performances range from passable to over-the-top, with Marins commanding the screen whenever Coffin Joe is present. The supporting cast, including Ariane Arantes as Vilma and Wanda Kosmo as the witch, deliver spirited performances, though they are often overshadowed by the film’s chaotic narrative.

Themes of Faith and Fear
The juxtaposition of Christian iconography and satanic rituals provides a thematic backbone, exploring humanity’s eternal struggle between good and evil. The climax, where Marins wields a crucifix to vanquish Coffin Joe and his followers, is as absurd as it is symbolic. Yet, this resolution feels rushed, leaving the philosophical implications of the story underdeveloped.

Legacy and Impact
The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe is a fascinating yet flawed entry in Marins’ oeuvre. It doesn’t reach the heights of his earlier works like At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul but remains a testament to his audacious creativity. The meta-narrative approach was ahead of its time, paving the way for modern genre films that break the fourth wall.

For fans of Coffin Joe, this film is a must-watch for its exploration of the character’s mythology. For others, it might feel like an incoherent fever dream, held together by flashes of brilliance amidst the chaos. Regardless, Marins’ ability to provoke and unsettle ensures that The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe retains its place as a curious artifact of Brazilian horror cinema.

  • Saul Muerte

Into the Depths of Darkness: Coffin Joe’s Twisted Quest Continues in This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse

15 Friday Nov 2024

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This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse (1967), José Mojica Marins’ sequel to At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, dives deeper into the twisted world of Coffin Joe, expanding on themes of existential defiance, legacy, and brutal self-justification. The film builds on the reputation of the sinister undertaker, who now intensifies his search for the “perfect” mother of his progeny. With higher stakes, more explicit brutality, and an even stronger commitment to thematic audacity, This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse pushes the boundaries of Marins’ original vision.

The film’s plot follows Coffin Joe (Zé do Caixão) as he continues his obsessive quest for a worthy woman to bear his child, a pursuit that becomes even darker and more violent. After surviving the retribution faced in At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, Joe, unrepentant and emboldened, begins torturing and testing women, pushing them through horrifying trials to determine if they meet his twisted criteria. While his earlier blasphemy and moral nihilism painted him as a provocateur, Joe now appears even more ruthless, embodying a sort of twisted Darwinism as he justifies his crimes in the name of securing his legacy. The sequel effectively ups the ante, making Coffin Joe’s deranged quest for immortality and control over fate feel more visceral and disturbing.

The film’s visual style expands as well, reflecting the broader canvas Marins had to work with. There’s a particularly memorable scene where Coffin Joe dreams of Hell, shot in lurid colour, providing a startling contrast to the film’s otherwise stark black-and-white palette. This scene remains one of the most striking and surreal moments in 1960s horror cinema, reinforcing the film’s surrealist roots and adding a vivid, almost expressionistic element to Joe’s nightmarish world. Marins used his limited resources creatively, and this bold use of colour makes an already intense story feel even more haunting and visually ambitious.

In terms of character, Coffin Joe is more complex here, though still equally loathsome. Marins’ portrayal captures Joe’s internal contradictions—the philosophical musings, violent nihilism, and brazen self-confidence—that make him such a compelling anti-hero. Joe’s obsession with purity and genetic perfection not only reflects his ego and disregard for human life but also serves as a grim satire of authoritarian ideals. His monologues delve further into his worldview, questioning religion, morality, and society, challenging the audience directly as he did in the first film, but now with even greater force. Marins’ unhinged commitment to the role provides a dark charisma that keeps the viewer hooked, even if the character’s acts are nothing short of monstrous.

The film’s pacing and plot structure, however, have their challenges. While This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse benefits from a clearer narrative arc than its predecessor, some scenes feel repetitive, with certain trials and tortures overstaying their welcome. The intense focus on Coffin Joe’s sadistic “experiments” on the women he encounters might leave some viewers feeling fatigued, as the shock value loses impact with repetition. Additionally, the sequel’s reliance on violence and shock elements over psychological horror can sometimes feel less innovative than the original’s eerie atmosphere and unstructured approach.

Nevertheless, This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse is a provocative work that explores the darker sides of human nature with a gleeful defiance of conventional morality and cinematic norms. While not perfect, the film stands as a testament to Marins’ singular vision, and his fearless approach makes this entry a cult classic in its own right. For those willing to venture into Coffin Joe’s demented quest, the film delivers a rare and unique horror experience that continues to resonate as both an unsettling thriller and a pointed critique of authoritarian ideals.

For fans of At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, the sequel is a must-watch, pushing Coffin Joe’s story further into the realm of mythic horror while reflecting the raw inventiveness of 1960s horror cinema.

  • Saul Muerte