El barón del terror (1962)

Director:

Chano Urueta

Writers:

Federico Curiel (story)
Adolfo López Portillo (story)
(more)

Release Date:

1963 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The most bizarre horror movie. Ever.

Plot:

In 1661 Mexico, the Baron Vitelius of Astara is sentenced to be burned alive by the Holy Inquisition of Mexico for witchcraft...

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Comet | Inquisition | Burned Alive | Flamethrower

Cast

Abel Salazar	...	Baron Vitelius d'Estera
Ariadna Welter	...	Bar girl - Second victim (as Ariadne Welter)
David Silva	...	Detective inspector
Germán Robles	...	Indalecio Pantoja / Sebastián de Pantoja
Luis Aragón	...	Prof. Saturnino Millán
Mauricio Garcés	...	Forensic surgeon
Ofelia Guilmáin	...	Luis Meneses' wife
René Cardona	...	Baltasar de Meneses / Luis Meneses
Rubén Rojo	...	Reinaldo Miranda / Marcos Miranda
Carlos Nieto	...	Lic. Francisco Coria
Carlota Solares	...	Townswoman
Federico Curiel	...	Detective
Magda Donato	...	Townswoman
Magda Urvizu	...	María Pantoja (as Magda Urbizu)
Miguel Brillas	...	Inquisitor Contreras
Rosa María Gallardo	...	Victoria Contreras (as Rosa Ma. Gallardo)
Roxana Bellini	...	Prostitute - Third victim
Susana Cora	...	Ana Luisa Vivar
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Francisco Reiguera	...	Vitelius' Butler (uncredited)
Víctor Velázquez	...	First Victim (uncredited)

Directed by
Chano Urueta

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Federico Curiel		story and adaptation
Adolfo López Portillo		story and adaptation
Antonio Orellana		uncredited

Produced by
Abel Salazar	....	producer

Original Music by
Gustavo César Carrión

Cinematography by
José Ortiz Ramos

Film Editing by
Alfredo Rosas Priego

Casting by
Rodolfo Villalba

Production Design by
Javier Torres Torija

Set Decoration by
Ángel Trejo

Makeup Department
Rosa Guerrero	....	makeup artist
Esperanza Gómez	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Luis García de León	....	production manager
Luis G. Rubín	....	production chief

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jesús Marín	....	assistant director

Sound Department
James L. Fields	....	sound supervisor
Jesús González Gancy	....	dialogue recordist
Galdino R. Samperio	....	sound re-recordist (as Galdino Samperio)

Special Effects by
Juan Muñoz Ravelo	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Gabriel Castro	....	lighting technician
Ignacio Romero	....	camera operator
Alfredo Ruvalcaba	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Ramón Aupart	....	assistant editor
Abraham Cruz	....	synchronization editor

Music Department
Gustavo César Carrión	....	musical director

Other crew
Francisco Ledesma	....	delegate: actors
Miguel Ángel Madrigal	....	script supervisor
Eduardo Mendoza	....	titles (as Eduardo Mendoza H.)

Production Companies

• Cinematográfica ABSA

Distributors

• Alameda Films (1962) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Clasa-Mohme (1963) (USA) (theatrical) (Spanish language only)
• American-International Television (AIP-TV) (1965) (USA) (TV) (dubbed) (syndication)
• Hollywood Home Theatre (1980) (USA) (VHS)
• Beverly Wilshire Filmworks (2001) (Canada) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• BijouFlix Releasing (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• CasaNegra Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Dark Dreams Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (199?) (USA) (VHS) (dubbed American version) (as "The Brainiac")
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (199?) (USA) (VHS) (original Spanish language version) (as "Baron of Terror")

Other Companies

• Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A.  studios and laboratories

Also Known As:

"Baron of Terror" - USA (informal literal English title)
"Brainiac" - USA (promotional title)
"The Brainiac" - USA (TV title)

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA High Fidelity)

Company:

Cinematográfica ABSA

Quotes:

Bennie:I've gotta examine them to find out who drilled those holes in their skulls. It probably was some maniac who thought he was cracking a safe!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wanda (1970)

Delirious fun.

The natural reaction to "Brainiac" is to think "My God, what a horrible movie." While this is not untrue, "Brainiac" represents an absolutely outrageous entry in the Mexican horror genre, and it is not easily forgotten.

There are several things I love about this movie that keep me coming back for more. For one thing, the subject matter is surprisingly repellent for a film from the 1960s (hideous monster sucks human brains out through a hollow, piercing forked tongue), and the attack scenes are a little shocking. Sure the monster is clearly fake, but the actual design of the creature is as morbidly fascinating as it is ridiculous. The pulsating head is sickening, and what is up with those hands? There were plenty of goofy monstrosities on hand in the 50s and 60s, but few of them inspired such a visceral reaction as the Brainiac.

Next we have the sets. The barren forest where the Brainiac arrives in his meteor is a work of art worthy of Tim Burton. Skeletal trees cover a completely flat surface--misty and foreboding, yet completely unnatural and clearly a manmade creation. The interiors of the rest of the film, as well as the clothes and hairstyles, are 60s chic to the maximum. I especially love the scene where the Brainiac launches a brazen attack on a typically unsuspecting young woman while sipping martinis in a swank cocktail bar that looks like somebody's living room. Nirvana for any lover of kitsch.

There are other pleasures here too, including delightfully absurd scenes of the Brainiac (in his human form) munching on a back storage of human brains that he keeps in a decorative urn in his mansion. The paper mache meteor that "crashes" at the beginning is a sight to behold, too. It just comes sailing right down out of the air in a straight line, alighting with very little impact. In the realm of bad movies, "Brainiac" may not be the genre's "Citizen Kane", but you have got to admit that horrendous creature is more than a little disturbing.