HORROR MOVIE REVIEW: BLACKER THAN THE NIGHT



It’s day three of my HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE where I have to see a horror movie a day during the month of October and write a short review for each one.
Today it is a remake of the Mexican classic “BLACKER THAN THE NIGHT” (Mas Negro Que La Noche) and the first Mexican ever 3D film. I have never seen the original, but the fans were angry with the remake. I wondered, however, was it because they were too close to the original?
The film tells the story of four girls moving into a creepy mansion, inherited by one of them. The old lady who lived in the house and who had recently passed away, had one condition – and that was her black cat be cared and provided for. When the cat dies, the girls are haunted and then murdered one by one.

There are things to like about the film – the atmosphere is top notch, the location and cinematography are masterfully done, and the musical score is rich and inventive, it would make a good stand alone CD listening. I will be looking for the soundtrack.
The main problem? The film is too long. The remake is almost two hours, while the original was a tight 96 minutes. The thirty minutes, where the characters wander aimlessly in the dark house, could have easily ended up on the cutting floor.
I have enjoyed watching BLACKER THAN THE NIGHT for what it is – an exotic horror, well shot and scored, but it is a big miss in character and suspense department.

Score out of 5:
SCARE SCORE: 👻👻
GORE SCORE: 🗡🗡
FUN SCORE: 🎃🎃🎃

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