Customer Reviews

The Black Pit of Dr. M

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Back in the 1960s I can remember reading reviews of Mexican horror films in Stephen H. Scheuer's TV KEY MOVIE GUIDE (this was before Leonard Maltin) and they were always given really terrible reviews. They played on our local TV station's SHOCK THEATRE but I never saw one in its entirety. What I do remember about the snippets I saw was the really awful dubbing which really destroyed any sense of fear or dread that the films were trying to inspire. Now 40 years later a handful of these movies have been restored and released on DVD by a small company called Casanegra. They feature the uncut versions in the original Spanish with subtitles and the impact it makes is astonishing but not surprising.

The dubbed soundtracks by American schlockmeister K. Gordon Murray are also available so that you can hear the difference for yourself. But not in the case of this film because the dubbed version has been lost. In addition to the atrocious dubbing Murray also changed the titles to ones which often had little to do with the actual story. This is especially true of THE BLACK PIT OF DR M which in Spanish was called MISTERIOS DE ULTRATUMBA (Mysteries From Beyond The Grave). There is no pit, there are no scenes like the one depicted on the cover artwork but there is a Dr M. He is Dr Masali and it is his attempt to use a dying colleague to find out what lies beyond death that propels this unexpected gem of a movie along. Set early in the last century, MISTERIOS (I prefer the original title) is wonderfully atmospheric with beautifully composed black and white photography that recalls the great German silent films of the 1920s, first rate performances from everyone especially Rafael Bertrand as the title character, and a story of inexorable retribution for meddling with the unknown which is shockingly brutal especially for 1958.

This film predates Mario Bava's BLACK SUNDAY by 2 years and it's clear that he was influenced by the settings of this and other Mexican films of the period. If you appreciate old style atmospheric horror and don't mind reading subtitles then MISTERIOS DE ULTRATUMBA is definitely for you. It is one of only a handful of films of this type (Italy's BLACK SUNDAY and Britain's CITY OF THE DEAD aka HORROR HOTEL are two others) that made an indelible impression on me after only one viewing. Others in the Casanegra series THE WITCH'S MIRROR and THE CURSE OF THE CRYING WOMAN while not quite as good are definitely worth checking out.

Anyone who prefers an intelligent horror/supernatural film without the excessive modern-day special effects, shocks and gruesome, gory bits should be very pleased with this 1958 B&W classic restored to its original quality on this excellent DVD. The film has a particularly appealing and suitable atmosphere due to its quaint, old Spanish style setting and very good use of light and shadow. The highlight, however, which makes this "a masterpiece, plain and simple" as one critic stated, is the brilliant story-telling. From the very first scene the viewer is pulled into the fascinating and irresistible world of the mysteries of life and death, posing the perpetual question: what lies beyond death? Two asylum doctors make a pact to carry out a scientific experiment to find the answer, and when one of them dies, the surviving doctor waits for a sign from beyond. His quest is to `go to the other side and return without dying', and his deceased partner carries out his wish from the other side, but not quite as expected. In fact, the viewer is caught up in suspense just as much as the doctor, waiting to see how a medium's prophecy of `a closing door' at 9pm on November 15 will fulfil the doctor's quest, and how each person and event prior to this date plays an interactive role. A series of events, destined, foreseen or manoeuvred from `beyond', moves irresistibly forward to its inevitable climax, and I simply had to marvel at this clever plot and effective storytelling. Although the film demands attention to following the story, it is easy and pleasant to do so, with good English subtitles (if you can't understand Spanish) and unpredictable twists and turns which become quite satisfying when everything falls into place at the end. Not only that, but the whole story makes you start to think and ponder, and the supernatural aspects are subtle and so well done that they are quite believable - which in fact makes it scarier than today's standard horror movie with its emphasis purely on frights and shocking scenes. Some interesting and informative bonus material on this disc, such as a Rock music video made with scenes from "The Black Pit.." make this DVD even more highly recommendable.

This film was indeed a surprise. Made around the same time as many of England's Hammer Studio Gothic horror films and AIP's Edgar Allen Poe films, Misterios de Ultratumba borrows from both studios. But make no mistake; the film transcends imitation and achieves classic status in its own right via a distinctive visual and aural atmosphere.
The thing which sets Ultratumba apart is the stunning black and white photography. At a time when most studios and directors were using color for horror films, this film looks more like classic Universal Golden Age horror in lumninous silver hues. The other major asset is the soundtrack, which is in perfect counterpoint to the atmospheric scenes. It maintains a distinctive Latin Gothic feel while using contemporary rythyms to punch up the action at appropriate moments.

Kudos to La Casa Negra for releasing this and other Golden Age Mexican horror films on DVD. THis has to be one of the finest film to DVD transfers of a monochrome horror film I've ever seen. At times it feels like you can almost put your fingers into the dark, brooding mist of the doctor's creepy hacienda. daylight scenes are not neglected either. In particular, watch the scene of the Doctor and his lady friend walking along the beach. The daylight scene was shot with a deep red filter, making the cobalt Mexican sky nearly black. The actor's pallor takes on an a subtle, eerie glow which looks more like a dream than stark daylight.

An insane asylum, a rampaging madwoman, a ghost, a love triangle, a man scarred by acid (who goes insane and also runs amok) and a doctor seeking supernatural knowledge of the beyond all figure into a wild plot about a bizarre deathbed promise. Set around the 1800's, the b&w film is laden with Mexican Gothic atmosphere and features above average acting in telling how that promise unfolds and the horrifying consequences of meddling with the unknown. CasaNegra has again presented a fine horror film given superlative DVD treatment with a print that is crisp and sharp and excellent sound. All DVD prints of any film should look and sound this good. As juicy and atmospheric as any film by Mario Bava, the only thing missing here is Barbara Steele. Definitely check this one out and enjoy. With the lights off.

If your collection already has all of the Universal classic horrors, etc. I recommend that you branch out to Mexican horror films of the 1950s. This is a good place to start. It is not expensive and it will give you a taste of the quality level of the Mexican horror movies of that era. "The Black Pit of Dr. M" has several things going for it.
It has a good bunch of special features that will help you get a feeling of what to expect from Mexican horror movies.
The sets are good and reminiscent of the effective sets found in the Universal horror films 20 years earlier.
It is atmospheric and sets an effective mood.
The story is a good "mad doctor" tale with experiments gone bad and characters returning from the dead.
The print quality is good. They seem to have spent time and produced a good quality product.
In America we are used to badly dubbed, cut up Mexican horror movies that came to us in the 1950s and 60s. This is an uncut, quality copy of what the Mexican film makers wanted the public to see. It is impressive and I hope that it leads to an extensive restoration of Mexican horror films so that we can see and appreciate an entire genre that was poorly presented to us half a century ago.

I first saw this atmospheric "madhouse" chiller on WGN Chicago Ch. 9 back in the mid-sixties.
It was dubbed into the typically mish-mash style given to cheap foreign films back then,
but I was still impressed by it. The story, direction, and B&W photography were great,
reminding me of Hollywood's best 1940's Universal chillers. Ghostly characters appear
and disappear in the misty Mexican night. The howling of violent mental patients in their
cells gives a shiver. There's also a pretty dancing senorita, a suave mature physician,
and a handsome young intern to provide a romantic triangle. Great blood and thunder music, too!

Two distinguished doctors pledge to one another that the first to die will send a message
concerning "the mysteries beyond the tomb" back to the survivor. Shortly after one does die,
a violent madwoman, "the Gypsy," smashes a bottle of burning acid onto the face of Elmer, a
hapless orderly. Horribly disfigured, poor embittered Elmer resolves to get revenge on the Gypsy.
You will pity Elmer, but also pity the Gypsy, who is gentle as an angel whenever she hears a
certain music-box melody.

Things get weirder after this, involving, let me see, a man framed and hanged, and his soul
entering the body of a buried dead man who then claws his way out of his grave during
a windy thunder-and-lightning storm, to frighten everyone nearly to death, and the dancing girl
is also menaced with burning acid to the face. The doctors' pact has exploded into horrors!
Following the gruesome climax, a shaken asylum doctor asks, "Is there anyone here who knows
how to pray?" A thoughtful narrator assures us that someday ALL of us will discover what
mysteries lie beyond the tomb; (until then, I guess we can watch "Black Pit of Dr. M")!

This CasaNegra DVD has been rendered with great care and respect. B&W picture is stunning,
with good sound and optional subtitles in English. There's no English dubbing option, but I think
the movie is superior when heard in the original Spanish, anyway. It's a real chiller-diller!

As I stated in my review for El Vampiro (The Vampire) & El Ataud del Vampiro (The Vampire's Coffin) - 2 Disc Special Edition, I'm a newcomer to these Mexican horror films of the 50's and 60's. I'm happy to report that The Black Pit of Dr. M is another great find, although not quite as good as El Vampiro.

Once again, I found myself pleasantly surprised at the utter lack of campiness, so often associated with films of this type. Indeed, the film's concern with the Great Mystery--life after death--is handled quite seriously. I don't want to give away too much, because the story has one or two great shocks that should not be ruined. But the basic plot involves two doctors in an insane asylum who make a strange pact: Whoever dies first will attempt to come back to the world of the living to tell the other about the afterlife. When the surviving one, Dr. Masali, attempts to bridge the gap between this life and the next, things don't exactly go as planned. His unexpected fate makes for the film's most memorable scene, a chilling exercise in gothic horror.

The Black Pit of Dr. M is presented in Spanish, with optional English subtitles. Unlike other Casa Negra films, there is no English-dubbed version. A very informative commentary track from video expert/musician Frank Coleman explains that the dubbed version of the film apparently no longer exists. Coleman also offers detailed biographies of the principal cast, as well as his own memories of growing up in the sixties and being exposed to these films, primarily through Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. That was a little before my time, but I imagine anyone who grew up during that period will readily identify with Coleman's stories. There is also a rock music video from his band, 21st Century Art, set to scenes from the film. My only real complaint with the generous set of extras is that the print in the 2 text essays is too small. I have a 27 inch t.v., and I had to strain to read them. If you have anything smaller than that, I doubt you'll be able to make out the words. A Spanish trailer of the film and a colorful Casa Negra Loteria game card round out the supplemental material.

If, like me, you're just starting to discover Mexican horror films, The Black Pit of Dr. M appears to be another fine example. Like the best of Britain's Hammer Studios films of the period, these filmmakers made the most out of limited resources, and produced atmospheric chillers that I believe fans of classic horror will appreciate.

"The Black Pit of Dr. M" is one of those titles that fairly screams drive-in cheapie, but I suppose the distributors felt that "Mysteries from the Beyond," a literal translation of the Spanish title, would scare off the kids. This is an interesting attempt at copying the then-emerging Hammer formula for Gothics set in the 19th Century. As a combination period-drama/spook show, the film has its missteps--an eye-candy dance number has 1950s cabaret act stamped all over it--but on the whole the film is an honorable attempt at copying a foreign formula and it does succeed as a tale concerning mysteries from the Beyond.

If you have not seen "The Black Pit of Doctor M", you are in for a chilling treat. From 1958, this Spanish horror gem has all the atmosphere of something dark, something brooding, mystery; the stuff of nightmares! I saw this film in 1963 on television and I could not sleep for days. I'm in the process of buying this DVD and if you're into atmospheric, horror noir, buy "The Black Pit of Dr M" and know what it's like, to shiver!

Great movie and it looks great. But the dvd is a dissapointment because , unlike the other discs in this series,
Casanegra has failed to provide the english sound track and US trailer. The commentary suggests that the film was never dureleased to english audiances, but I can assure you it certainly was. Even if the english version was unnavailable and the trailer, hard to find (Something Weird has a copy), they could at least get the story straight.