O Ritual dos Sádicos (1970)

Director:

José Mojica Marins

Writers:

Rubens F. Lucchetti (writer)
José Mojica Marins (story)

Release Date:

October 1990 (Brazil)

Genre:

Horror | Drama

Plot:

Psychiatrist experiments LSD on 4 volunteers, to investigate Coffin Joe's influence over them. Each patient presents a different reaction, involving sex, perversion and sadism. |

Plot Keywords:

LSD | Black & White To Color | Blasphemy | Drugs | Fictional Talk Show

Cast

José Mojica Marins	...	Himself / Zé do Caixão
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ângelo Assunção
Ronaldo Beibe
Andreia Bryan
João Callegaro
Ozualdo Ribeiro Candeias
Maurice Capovila
José Carlos
Maria Cristina
Emília Duarte
Jaciara Ducena
Jairo Ferreira
Jandira Gabriel
Graveto
Sérgio Hingst
Mário Lima
Annik Malvil
Márcio Marcel
Stela Maris
Cláudio Marques
Dante Miná
Paulo Morandy
Ítala Nandi
Helena Nogueira
Palito
Walter Portela
Carlos Reichenbach
Luiz Renato
Lurdes Ribas
Araken Saldanha	...	Zé do Caixão (voice)
Rosemeire Thiago
Roney Wanderley

Also Known As:

Awakening of the Beast (UK)
O Despertar da Besta (Brazil) (cut version)
Ritual of the Maniacs

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:R | Netherlands:16 | Netherlands:16 (2008) (DVD) | Brazil:(Banned) (1969-1982) | Brazil:18

Company:

Fotocena Filmes

Trivia:

According to director José Mojica Marins, other filmmakers helped him get this into production by donating filmstock.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Zé do Caixão: My world is strange, but it's worthy to all those who want to accept it, and never corrupt as some want to portray it. Because it's made up, my friend, of strange people, though none are stranger than you!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Maldito - O Estranho Mundo de José Mojica Marins (2001)

A mess, but a fascinating mess nonetheless

This is by far one of the most bizarre films I've seen, and I'm familiar with the works of Jodorowsky and Lynch. It's certainly not Jose Mojica Marins' most accessible film (the two proceeding Coffin Joe films are recommended as better starting places for the novice). However, it is his best, when all of his sub-Neitschze philosophy, violence, and common hatred for authority came together. Sure, its a bit of a mess as far as film-making goes, but its a fascinating mess nonetheless. Its an interesting parable on how the government uses scapegoats such as drugs and violent cinema (particularly that of Marins' films which were subjected to much censorship) to cover up other issues. For its subversive story, it was banned in Brazil until 1986.

Marins was always a talented if raw filmmaker. His roughie segments at the beginning are disturbing and even gross, but they contribute to the power of the film. The final LSD sequence is one of the most amazing ever caught on film. The trip sequence is comprised of censored scenes from earlier Coffin Joe films and new footage. Viewing this, its no wonder the government was horrified and called for it to be banned. In his homeland, Marins is a renowned cult figure. Unfortuantly his unique cinema isn't appreciated too much outside of Brazil. This is a shame, because while his films aren't for everybody, psychotronic fans will love them. (8/10)