Review of Aunt Alejandra (1980) by Quinto W — 10 May 2011

"La Tía Alejandra" is a 1979 mexican horror film directed by Arturo Ripstein. The film deals with some dark themes like witchcraft, murder and revenge, with the setting being a common mexican home, where one by one, the family members find their false sense of safety shattered by the events that unfold on screen. This string of strange and terrifying occurrences begins when aunt Alejandra comes to live with them.

The cinematography in this film is very interesting. The movie feels very crude and has a mild decoloration that, even though it's probably because of the low budget, it gives it a certain charm and I could even say elegance. The camera is also very well used throughout the whole film, giving us some nice shots that amplify the stressful enviroment in which the characters are living.

While the plot is great, the script has some problems that make this an average film, instead of a good one. For starters, the story just flows in a ridiculous manner. Isabela Corona is good as aunt Alejandra, but her character is just too silly. Since the beginning, she doesn't even try to hide the fact that she is a witch. I mean, sure, she doesn't tell it to the family in their faces, but it is blatantly obvious that she isn't interested in being subtle, which just makes the story feel very forced at times.

If you are interested in watching horror movies that doesn't come out from Asia or the US for a change, then check this film. "La Tía Alejandra" isn't a great movie, but it does have some things to offer.