Well friends, looks like we’ve made it to the freakiest month of the year! The season of long sleeves, chilling screams, and massacred teens. If you’re lucky, the nights are getting cool and crisp. But if you’re like me, you’re battling 100°F heat. Michael Meyers, kill me now.
For our first official October set of flicks, we’re checking out a few Brazilian cult classics helmed by the sick and twisted José Mojica Marins. Or better known as Zé do Caixão AKA Coffin Joe, an undertaker with a real huge ego problem. But you gotta admit, Coffin Joe is not a name you’ll easily forget. What you also won’t forget are some of the greatest movie horror titles put to a poster. Alright, let’s dig in!
The Quick Gist
The Coffin Joe trilogy includes At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (1964), This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse (1967), and Embodiment of Evil (2008). Along with the trilogy, I’m also putting up The Strange World of Coffin Joe (1968), an anthology horror film where Coffin Joe is the ghoulish host.
At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (1964)
This 1964 flick is supposedly the first Brazilian horror movie produced in the country. Just that makes it a worthwhile watch. It’s also the first time we’re introduced to the despicable Coffin Joe, a contemptuous undertaker with a superiority complex that rivals my high school bullies Rigo and his two brutish cousins, Andy and Jaime. I hope you’re reading this guys. You really did done a number on my psyche. It’s got nothing on what this cruel undertaker. Anyway, that’s a story for another time…
Seen always with his top hat and cape (and long overgrown fingernails) Coffin Joe is obsessed with one thing, and one thing only: continuing his bloodline by having a son. While that’s what ultimately drives him, he also gets his rocks off by terrorizing the town. A man has to have his hobbies! He doesn’t believe in God, he doesn’t believe in Satan, he only believes in his dominance over everyone and everything. He mocks all those that believe. And the townsfolk cower at the feet of this sadistic bastard. He will stop at nothing to find the perfect woman to bear his child. But of course, this kind of unchecked ego eventually will have some consequences.
This is a fun low budget flick, that goes into some surprisingly dark and violent territory, especially for the early 60s. If you like these kind of older horror movies, or are interested in the history of genre movies from other countries, this definitely should be on your list.
This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse (1967)
Coffin Joe is back! And he’s more sick and twisted than ever. This movie leans harder into the violence, sensationalism, and sex compared to first one. More nudity, more gore, more jacked up Joe. What a few years can do in what you could show on screen.
The proto-incel crypt keeper decides to kidnap a group of women in his incessant search to find the perfect female specimen. Of course, to weed out the weak, he subjects them to cruel and unusual torture. A whole bunch of messed up stuff ensues.
There’s a pretty cool and visually striking color sequence, where Coffin Joe gets sucked into a neon soaked hell. He comes face to face with the Devil himself — which just so happens to be our dear friend Joe. Is he the embodiment of evil? The spawn of Satan the town thinks he is? Or do they just have our villain all wrong?
If you liked the first entry in the series, you might as well keep on going! This one amps up the horror, and there really are some effective and memorable scenes.
Embodiment of Evil (2008)
So maybe Coffin Joe really is the spawn of Beelzebub himself. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the ol’ grave keeper, and let’s just say, time has taken it toll on our dear demonic friend.
We find Joe as he’s finally released from prison (which is a bit surprising considering his fate in the previous flick… but who cares about that!) and instead of enjoying the rest of his miserable life, picks up his search for the perfect woman. He’s still angry at the world, angry at God, and convinced that he should reign supreme over everyone. C’mon Joe. Sometimes you just gotta look at the common denominator. You can’t find a girl? Time to revaluate, man… Maybe a little bit of self care would do you some good.
As you can guess, the gore, torture, sex, and violence are ramped way the hell up in this. All bets are off. Is it worth it? Who’s to say? You’ve made it this far!
The Strange World of Coffin Joe (1968)
As mentioned, along with the trilogy I’m including this anthology with Coffin Joe as the horror host. And not even a great host at that. He splits under five minutes into the film, never to be seen again! Just a brazen attempt at capitalizing on poor Joe’s good name. Well, José does appear in the final installment, just not as Joe. And aside from that, there really isn’t much of a connection with the character or CJ’s storyline.
As with most anthology films, the shorts can be really hit or miss. This one is pretty dark, and pushes the boundaries for a 60s flick, even one from the late 60s. Some relatively shocking stuff. Otherwise, nothing incredibly compelling. But if you’re an anthology horror head, like shocking exploitation stuff, or just want to round out your Coffin Joe collectibles, then check this out!
Coffin Joe became a huge horror icon in Brazil and around the world for cult horror fans, spawning a bunch of related films. But these would probably be considered the staples of his legacy. Without a doubt, the first two films are the cream of the crop. Along with the cruelty of Coffin Joe is some great horror set pieces, some classic old school atmosphere, as well as some legit boundary pushing. I wouldn’t be the first to say it: these are cult classics worth putting in your Halloween rotation. Enjoy!
Password to watch on the site: coffinjoe23
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Supplements
Coffin Joe : The Strange World of José Mojica Marins - A documentary on José Mojica Marins and his cult character, Coffin Joe
A Cult Figure Conjures the Macabre - NYT article on José Mojica Marins
My Last Interview With José Mojica Marins (Part 1 of 3) - The creator of Coffin Joe remembers his first movies
My Last Interview With José Mojica Marins (Part 2 of 3) - The creator of Coffin Joe talks about filmmaking and censorship
My Last Interview With José Mojica Marins (Part 3 of 3) - The creator of Coffin Joe talks about porn, pride, and regrets