Sunday, March 16, 2008

Lost But Not Forgotten: Little Red Riding Hood Versus The Monsters (1962)


dir. K Gordon Murray
(1962)


All Clues. No Solutions! EXCLUSIVE:

"Little Red Riding Hood And Tom Thumb Vs. The Monsters" (Caperucita Y Pulgarcito Contra Los Monstruos) (aka "Little Red Riding Hood Vs. The Monsters) (1962)

The Negative Cutter says: For the first time anywhere; AC.NS! is proud to present "Caperucita Y Pulgarcito Contra Los Monstruos" (Little Red Riding Hood And Tom Thumb Vs. The Monsters) (1962) in its original Uncut Mexican Theatrical Version with new exclusively commissioned English Subtitles.

Here it is: the one and only, legendary, wicked warp wild, diabolical, dark forest, phantasm ph-airyland, morbid, monsterfestating, kooky kiddie kreepshow obscurio from Mexico; haphazardly bizarrely blossomed from a fever-dream fusion of the favored genre genes of the gothic horror film and the wacky fairytale. Co-written/created by Adolfo Torres Portillo, who was also co-responsible for the notorious Mexican "Santa Claus" (1959); as well as other wonders. Two other "Little Red Riding Hood" films were made ("Little Red Riding Hood" (1960) and "Little Red Riding Hood And Her Friends" (or "And Her Three Friends") (1961)) by the same creators; but this one is the cake. Considered by some to be the Holy Grail/Fairy Grand Mother of weirdo kiddie wonders (if you believe such things exist). It was notoriously bottled and imported in the 60's to shopping mall-land america and uncorked on unsuspecting Matinee-Land golden age era, coat-checked children as their mothers went off to get their hair done and shop for peasant topped dresses. And while, people like to go on and on about the psychological warping of kid's unformed mental capacities that this film, and the like (if you believe such things exist), must have caused, but I suspect the kids who saw this were more at home tucked in the dark theater with this nightmarish, imaginative, "illogical" dream-world than the countless disney, and the like, films created by pandering, clueless adults that they were no doubt expected to endure before inevitably, like us all, being forced to grow up and enter the rigidly logical and equally boring adult society. Life long impressions, time traversing head ghosts, apparitions and mind makers don't come from "The Lion King". Reclaim the void. The Contents: Evil forces rule the world; Little Red Riding Hood (along with Tom Thumb, Stinky The Skunk and Ferocious Wolf) must do battle with the evil witch and her forrestland of freaky, fevered fiends. Inside each DVD: a starfield of monsters, robots, vampires, ogres, witches, dragons, skeletons, carrot-heads, etc.; all bewonder across this atmospheric, darkly colorful, ominous, surreal and beautifully strange classic Mexican marvel fantasy of adventures.

1962 / 81mins. / Spanish w/ English Subtitles / Color / Mexico

Picture Quality: A (Source: DVD)

Pick it up for $7.00 over at
www.allcluesnosolutions.com


The Boom Operator says: This is a real gem. I saw this for the first time with NO subtitles and it was still pretty fun to watch. My pal the Negative Cutter managed to commission a translation for this one. Very cool. Also, here's the trailer!

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