Director – Mario Sabato (To the Heart, India Pravile)
Starring – Carlos Anton (Breve Cielo, Alta Comedia), Cristina Banegas (The Two Popes, Dr. Lazarus), and Aldo Barbero (The Curious Dr. Humpp, Socias)
Release Date – 1979
Rating – 3/5
Blu Release – 3/5
I love it when a boutique labels focus on international titles. For many of us it’s the first or only time that some of these titles are brought to our attention. I guess I could be more proactive and spend more time looking for obscure films but so many amazing companies like Mondo Macabro have done the work for me.
A few weeks ago I received the Argentinian thriller The Power of Darkness from Mondo Macabro with two other films from Spain. I seriously love checking out films from decades ago from other countries and couldn’t wait to dig into The Power of Darkness. Like always, I want to take a moment to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over for review.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a man who used to have it all but has found himself falling on hard times recently. Struggling to to keep a roof over his head and food on the table, he is reintroduced to a childhood friend who tells him about a group of blind people who have entered a cabal to bring down those that can see. He immediately starts thinking about the strange things that has happened to him recently and suspect that what he was told is actually true. **Spoiler Alert**
The Power of Darkness was nothing like I expected and was easily my favorite of the three films Mondo Macabro sent over for review. It’s a strange story with a solid cast and some great atmosphere that works as a late night watch or if you just want something different during the day.
The acting in this one is solid and very consistent. While some of the performances were better than others, I still found myself really impressed by the cast. Hell, even the supporting cast that only appears on screen for a brief moment delivers great performances.
The story for this one is very interesting for a late 70s film but feels right at home with our current political climate. Here we have a film following a man that lost everything and is grasping at anything he can to get ahead when he is told about a group of blind individuals that are punishing those that are successful and not blind. I’m sure it was a wild idea for the late 70s but in the world of Q, Trump as president, and the wild conspiracy theories we hear daily, it’s something that feels not so wild.
Finally, the film is not a bloody one. It has some great atmosphere and the location at the end of the film looks amazing but that is about the extent of it. The film is a character piece and relies heavily on the protagonist. Overall, The Power of Darkness is a fun watch with a story that is very unusual. I really liked it but I know this one is not going to be for everybody. I highly recommend it especially if you like movies that are unique.
Special Features:
Newly restored from negative.
“About the Film” video short.
Optional newly created subtitles.
New and exclusive artwork by Justin Coffee.
