Latin Boys Go to Hell (1997)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Ela Troyano

Writers:

Andre Salas (novel)
Ela Troyano (writer)

Release Date:

5 September 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Crime | Romance | Horror

Plot:

A cute, openly gay latin boy's hormones go into overdrive when his hunky cousin (Angel) arrives for an extended stay...

Plot Keywords:

Gay | Puerto Rican | Mexican American | Homosexual | Experimental Film

Cast

Irwin Ossa	...	Justin Vega
John Bryant Davila	...	Angel
Jenifer Lee Simard	...	Andrea
Alexis Artiles	...	Braulio
Mike Ruiz	...	Carlos
Anne Iobst	...	Monica
Dashia	...	Jackie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rebecca Sumner Burgos	...	Luz
Ari Gold	...	Trash Pop-star
Umberto González	...	Rodrigo
Norma Maldonado	...	Mrs. Vega
Reynier Molenaar	...	Eduardo
José Muñoz	...	Mr. Bully
Jehad Nga	...	Sylvano
Steve	...	Henry
Alina Troyano	...	Mrs. Bully (as Carmelita Tropicana)
Guinevere Turner	...	Sombra
Yvonne Washington	...	Gladys

Runtime:

71 min | Japan:67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Movie Connections:

References Dracula (1931)

Soundtrack:

O Ella O Yo

Latino Purgatory

Cleverly titled, and not without some merit, this 1997 flick also has it's hellish features. The sound quality is very poor, and the photography (or the transfer) is muddy. I liked some of the performances, especially by the guys playing Angel and Justin - who register some genuine on-screen chemistry. The script has a few nice ideas (look for the death imagery, some sly, some sledge-hammer obvious) but the dialogue veers toward the cliché more than the clever and in the final reels the subplot about a vain model and his jilted lover turns into silly melodrama. As usual with a Strand DVD, the minimum effort is applied to the packaging. The film isn't quite 'hell' - more like a visit to purgatory.