For those who aren’t aware, Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday commemorating the dearly departed, and it’s traditionally celebrated between October 31 and November 2. In other words, today is the last day of festivities, and our Spanish-language sister site, Tomatazos, has published a list of definitive Mexican horror films to mark the occasion. What you’ll find below incorporates both classic films from the silent era and newer entries in the genre, including one from Guillermo del Toro. Read on to brush up on the most noteworthy fright flicks from south of the border.
Director: Ramón Peón
In Mexico, a man is brutally murdered after he hears the cries of a weeping woman. Later, in the house of a rich family who are celebrating the birthday of one of their children, a cloaked figure stalks them. Finally, the possessed intruder tries to murder the child in ritualistic form.
Director: Roberto Gavaldón
Macario, a very poor villager who has a wife and several children, makes a living selling firewood. Tired of a life of hardship and distress, his greatest wish is simply to one day have a whole turkey to himself, without having to share with anyone. In an effort to help him fulfill this wish, his wife steals one from a wealthy family farm, but when Macario prepares to eat it, God , the Devil and Death appear to him and ask him to share. He choose only to shares his meal with death, and in return, Death gives him a bottle of elixir that will cure any disease. Before long, Macario is earning much more money than the village doctor, but he also draws the attention of the dreaded Inquisition.
Director: Fernando Méndez
A young Mexican woman returns to her hometown to make funeral arrangements for her beloved aunt who just died. Soon she begins to hear disturbing stories about the city, which is reportedly infested by vampires, and she ultimately begins to suspect that her aunt and her mysterious neighbor may be involved.
Director: Carlos Enrique Taboada
Four women move into an old house together when one of them receives it as part of an inheritance from her deceased aunt. But soon, they are plagued by strange voices, mysterious noises, and visions of ghosts, which lead them to discover the dark powers at work and experience agony beyond terror.
Director: Carlos Enrique Taboada
A 10-year-old girl convinces a classmate that she is a witch, forcing the girl to become her assistant. Things begin innocently enough, but they gradually take a nasty and violent turn.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
A mysterious device designed to provide its owner with eternal life resurfaces after 400 years, leaving a trail of destruction in its path.
You can find the original article in Spanish at Tomatazos.com.
