Completely devilish in its ultra disturbed presentation, Alucarda IS a lost horror classic. Enter Mondo Macabro, DVD distributor in the UK and we now have Alucarda preserved on the digital format to enjoy forever. What was once lost in a black hole of eternity is now only a quick web order away.

Justine (Susana Kamini) and Alucarda (Tina Romero) are two teenage girls holding up residence in a convent. What starts out as a casual relationship slowly blossoms into something that's a bit more (awww yeahhh!). The two spend their down time skipping through forests, rolling in the grass, and doing A LOT of giggling. That is until one day curiosity gets the best of them. After happening upon an abandoned tomb, Alucarda persuades Justine to take a peek inside with her. Well needless to say the winds start a blowin' and all hell breaks loose as the girls embark on a frenetic journey that includes bizarre premonitions, whipping nuns, lesbianism and possession (of course there is lots o' violence and nudity involved as well).

It's no surprise to discover that director Juan Lopez Moctezuma was an Alejandro Jodorowsky protégé and worked as a producer on such films as El Topo and Fando y Liz. The Jodorowsky influence is oozing out of every pore belonging to Alucarda. While not nearly as accomplished a director as Jodorowsky, Moctezuma certainly holds his own. It's evident that a large amount of care went into the production of this film and every detail was accounted for. From the incredibly detailed sets, to the outlandish costume design and the dead on performances, Alucarda is an example of some extremely detailed filmmaking. I'm sure folks will try to tell you otherwise, but there is absolutely nothing cheesy about Alucarda. The fact that this film did so poorly during its initial run is no surprise. Alucarda is a beautifully crafted film, certainly NOT designed for the masses.

Alucarda is extremely original in its delivery and was also quite an influential film as well. The fiery finale will seem oddly familiar to those who have witnessed the film Firestarter, and even more so DePalma's Carrie. Both of which were made AFTER Alucarda. One gains a true appreciation for the craft of filmmaking seeing these familiar scenes presented here for the first time.

Alucarda is presented on DVD full frame (presumably its original ratio). Framing looks comfortable so I'd say that there is no information loss either way. The print used is in fine shape with some minor print damage. Some scenes fare worse than others do, with some light scratches and some specs, but overall I'd say that this transfer is quite pleasing. Colors are sharp and stable with most scenes exhibiting nice solid blacks. The blood reds look astounding, as there seems to be constant flow of the red stuff throughout the all to brief 75-minute running time. There are a few instance of some mild artifacting, but nothing to be concerned about. I definitely feel comfortable in saying that this is the best that Alucarda has ever looked.

Sound is presented in Dolby Stereo. You're probably not going to notice much in the way of separation of sounds between the speakers. Much of the audio activity sounds as if it's solely emanating from the center speaker. Sound is not going to blow you away, but is adequate. Any defects will most likely stem from the films original budgetary restrictions. There is some slight audio distortion in a few scenes, once again, nothing to be concerned about. Overall dilaogue is nice and clear.

Extras are few, but what we are given is most impressive. The icing on the cake is a 20 minute documentary on the history of Mexican horror movies. This is truly a great piece and an incredible history lesson for those who may not be in the know. Also included is a bio, filmography and text interview with director Juan Lopez Moctezuma. It would have been nice to see a trailer for Alucarda, and perhaps some trailers for other Mexican titles, but alas it was not to be.

Alucarda is certainly a horror classic that really needs to be in the collection of every true fan of the macabre. Mondo Macabro has done an admirable job in bringing Alucarda to DVD as one of their maiden titles. The mini-documentary is a nice addition and the presentation of the film itself is truly top notch. Much love and respect obviously went into the production of this DVD. For more info on this and other Mondo Macabro titles, or to order click here.

Note: Keep in mind that although this disc is region free, it is a PAL DVD. You will need a DVD player that has PAL playback capabilities to enjoy this film if you have an NTSC system.