Search - Crypt of Terror - Horror from South of the Border, Vol. 1 on DVD

Mexi-Horror Madness!

Damien Shalley | Brisbane, Australia | 02/14/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"First up, this collection of low-budget Mexican horror flicks suffers from a labelling error - the packaging indicates that 6 films are included, but there actually 8 here (well, 7 actually - an English language AND a Mexican language version of "Don't Panic" are both included on a fourth disc).
The films included in this set are as follows: "Vacation of Terror", "Vacation of Terror 2", "Hell's Trap", "Cemetery of Terror", "Grave Robbers", "Demon Rat" and the previously mentioned "Don't Panic." They are all presented fullscreen with English subtitles (other than the Englsh language "Don't Panic"), and the picture quality is reasonable for most - except "Demon Rat", which was poor at best.
The best films in this collection are "Cemetery of Terror" (with cult movie icon Hugo "Nightmare City" Stiglitz), "Grave Robbers" (nice and gruesome in places)and "Don't Panic", which has a conclusion vaguely reminiscent of "Nightmare on Elm Stret 2". These films manage to create a creepy atmosphere and deliver some bloody mayhem - albeit in a distinctly 1980's and very Mexican style. "Hell's Trap" is watchable and occasionally interesting horror-action hybrid, but suffers from an innate goofiness that is present in many of the movies here and which may well be cultural in nature.
All the movies are very formulaic, with the haunted house flick "Vacation of Terror" being perhaps the most obvious offender, suffering from a threadbare and cliche-ridden plot and with some very un-special "special effects". "Vacation of Terror 2" is even worse and seems aimed at a fairly young audience - it is entirely unrelated the first film and contains a hilarious and utterly gratuitous pop song performance by a female Mexican music artist long since lost to the Top 40 charts. "Demon Rat " is jaw-droppingly attrocious, entirely preposterous and should have it's negative destroyed. It is a "futuristic" tale of environmental degradation leading to the creation of a giant mutant rat (which is mostly absent from the fim), and the video quality of the transfer is distractingly awful. None of the films contain any erotic content, so you'll only get the violence part of the classic "sex and violence" horror mileu, and you also have to be prepared to ignore some very overwrought and entirely ludicrous acting, abysmal fashion and excruciating hairstyles. I did - and I'm not sure whether I'm glad about or not. It's your move."

Amazon's right - The back cover is wrong

Stephen Weakley | Chicago | 12/19/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"To my surprise, when I got the set I found the back cover says "3 Disc Set - 6 Films!" Luckily after opening the set and checking the FOUR discs included, I found that Amazon's listing above is correct. The set does include those 7 movies, along with an English version of "Don't Panic" as well as the Spanish version. The back cover also only lists 6 movies, leaving off 'Demon Rat', but it is there on disc 3. So, 8 movies on 4 discs, not 6 on 3. Kind of sloppy on BCI's part but, it all works out."