Director – Ruben Galindo Jr. (Cemetery of Terror, Don’t Panic)
Starring – Fernando Almada (Fatal Lottery, Three Roosters), Edna Bolkan (Revenge, License to Kill), and Erika Buenfil (The Stray Cat, True Love)
Release Date – 1989
Rating – 4/5
Blu Release – 3.5/5
When Vinegar Syndrome announced their September releases I was a little underwhelmed to be honest. I was looking forward to checking out Spellcaster and revisiting Memorial Valley Massacre and Zombie 5 but these releases were not that exciting to me as previous releases. However, I was really looking forward to 1989’s Ladrones de Tumbas aka Grave Robbers. This one really peaked my curiosity especialy after I looked through the screen grabs of the film at Vin Syn’s website. I saved this one for the last movie in my Vin Syn marathon and I want to thank them for sending this one my way!
**spoiler Alert** The film follows a group of young adults who are digging up graves in an abadoned cemetery when one of them falls through a grave into an underground crypt. Inside they find buried riches along with a skeleton with an axe buried in it’s chest. They fill their bags with the jewels and remove the axe from the skeleton’s chest. What they don’t know is that the skeleton belongs to a Satanic cult leader that has vowed to return when someone removes the axe from his chest. Now their lives are in danger as they flee from the axe wielding supernatural slasher. **Spoiler Alert**
Grave Robbers, like many of Vinegar Syndrome’s releases, was brought to my attention for the first time when they announced the film as part of their September line up. However, after watching the film I was shocked to see how fucking amazing the movie actually was. This is easily the most underrated slasher to come out of the 80s regardless of the country of origin. I can see myself spinning this one regularly until I get so sick of it that I bury it deep in my collection. Until then I’m going to enjoy myself with it.
The acting in this one reminded me a lot of day time soap operas. The cast tries but their performances are painfully cliched and underacted which only adds to the slasher sterotype. The characters do stand out from one another which is something a lot of the later 80s slashers could not do so they at least have that going for them. The story for this one blends Satanic cults with the iconic slasher formula. It absolutely works here and the possibilities for follow ups are endless with this storyline. The pacing is a little inconsistent but the film does a great job at holding the viewer’s attention.
Finally, the film has several brutal kills that makes great use of practical effects. The kills are not easily forgettable and work very well for a late stage slasher. Overall, Grave Robbers is a must watch for slasher fans regardless of the month. Sure, it makes a great addition to anyone’s Halloween rotation but you can give this one a go anytime. It’s a well put together and brutal slasher that deserves to be in any collection. The blu from Vin Syn looks absolutely fantastic. The dark scenes are remastered adn restored making them crystal clear for fans to enjoy. I highly recommend this one.
Special Features:
Region Free Blu-ray
Newly scanned & restored in 4k from its 35mm original negative
“Unearthing the Past” – an interview with director Rubén Galindo Jr.
Commentary track with The Hysteria Continues!
Reversible cover artwork
Newly translated English subtitles
