Perla Cristal Movies
Some people would say that Mario is a Basque terrorist, but he would probably say that he is simply a fervent activist on behalf of the Basque nationalist movement. In either case, he occasionally blows things up with the intention of destabilizing things where he lives. Some of these "activists" hang out at a bar called the White Dove, and the owner's daughter has begun forging relationships with them. Eventually a bomb blows up the bar and its apolitical owner, who knows too much for someone not deeply committed to the cause ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Francisco Rabal, Antonio Banderas, (more)
- 1988
- R
Phillip Schuman's women-in-prison film is an account of a group of female prisoners who decide to organize a variety show. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
The hunt for a large, precious black pearl located off the coast of Baja California provides the basis of this youthful adventure. Though a relatively simple dive is required, the young hero must first contend with the giant, protective manta ray that guards the treasure. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1973
In this melodrama, a stepmother may be incestuously involved with her step daughter. A new man comes into their lives and promptly ends up sleeping with both of them. At the same time, someone is murdering people with an axe. The question then becomes, are any of the three main characters involved in the hackings. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1973
At first glance, we were prepared to designate B Must Die as a hybrid TV feature, consisting of two episodes of either The Outsider or Night Stalker. That's because the star of this obscure entry is Darren McGavin, who also headlined the two aforementioned weekly series. Further research revealed, however, that McGavin's character name in B Must Die is "Pal", which doesn't jive with either Outsider or Kolchak. Then we discovered that the film was a tax-writeoff action drama, boasting a convoluted storyline about a political/industrial rebellion in an unnamed South American country. Patricia Neal and Burgess Meredith costar in B Must Die. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1971
The scene is a remote Mexican sea village. Four local fisherman reluctantly agree to play "surrogate daddy" for an orphan. They come to realize the wisdom of their decision as their lives undergo profound and wondrous changes. As the title indicates, the film has its share of religious overtones. Those who might be put off by this are advised that there's also a generous supply of comedy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1970
The fifth appearance of Paul Naschy's burly werewolf character Waldemar Daninsky (following Frankenstein's Bloody Terror), this film finds Waldemar returning home from Tibet, where he was first afflicted with his beastly curse. After making cutlets of his cheating wife and her lover, he is accidentally killed, then brought back to life by a sadistic lady scientist (Perla Cristal) who likes to beat him savagely and keeps her less fortunate subjects' severed body parts strewn about the house. Waldemar eventually escapes the laboratory to slay a few local kids before coming face-to-face with his late wife, who has also been transformed into a werewolf by Cristal. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- 1968
In this western a desperado suffers an identity crisis in a frontier town. While he struggles to find the truth, he manages to save the town from a crazed, manipulative gambler. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Hunter, Louis Hayward, (more)
In this film, the twin sons of a white man and an Indian woman must struggle to overcome both their sibling rivalry and their conflicting identities. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- 1967
An inflamed Spanish witch takes a visiting American professor on a journey through the ages in this time- travel fantasy. The witch, a mere novice, originally comes from the 15th century. She takes him back with her. Unfortunately, her magic isn't reliable and she can't figure out how to get him home. Instead they begin visiting different centuries ranging from prehistoric times to the future. Eventually, the witch's father intervenes and returns the professor to his own time. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Hunter, Maria Perschy, (more)
- 1967
Seven courageous white women endeavor to survive alone in the Western wilderness after their traveling party is massacred by Indians in this western. During the attack, the women find a cave and plot their continued survival. The leader decides to keep going towards Fort Lafayette. It will be difficult as they must cross the Arizona desert without horses, guns, or food. Meanwhile a posse sets out to find the missing women. They and their leader find the ladies, but unfortunately, the renegade Indians attack. The posse leader conceals the women in a burial ground while he and his men fight back. All of the men but the leader are slain. He joins the women and they resume their arduous journey. The Indian marauder is planning a final attack when the tribal leader intervenes. He has watched the courageous women and admires their fortitude. The chief decides to protect them on their journey to safety. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1966
This Latin western comedy chronicles the epic saga of the MacGregors, a Scottish clan of ranchers living on the Mexican border, who are in conflict with the local crooked sheriff, the local horse salesman, and a gang of banditos. The trouble begins when the horse trader tries to bilk them on a deal. The brothers begin brawling and are tossed in jail. They are eventually released and discover that the outlaws have taken their horses and find out the sheriff is in league with the rogues and will not help. They then set off to catch the thieves themselves. Unfortunately, they end up captured and can only be saved by their bagpipe-playing daddy. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Manuel Zarzo
This dull sequel to Gritos en la Noche stars Marcelo Arroita Jauregui as Dr. Conrad Fisherman, a mad scientist whose experiments in mind control were spurred on by the dying Dr. Orloff. Angry that his brother Andros (Hugo Blanco) is having an affair with his wife (Luisa Sala), Fisherman turns the man into a radio-controlled robotic zombie. Using Andros, the bitter Fisherman then begins a series of murders targeting strippers and nightclub singers. His plans take an even more diabolical turn with the arrival of his vacationing niece, Melissa (Agnes Spaak). Director Jesus Franco's film is uneven and woodenly acted, with far too much screentime spent on teasing burlesque rather than genuine horror. Franco returned to the same themes in the following year's Miss Muerte with better results. Jose Rubio, Perla Cristal, and Marta Reves co-star, while Franco makes a cameo as a piano-player. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
Cult director Jesus Franco had his greatest popular success with this horrific variation on George Franju's classic Les Yeux sans Visage. Set in 1912, the film concerns the efforts of mad surgeon Dr. Orloff (Howard Vernon) to reconstruct the face of his disfigured daughter Melissa (Diana Lorys). Helped by a freakish assistant named Morpho (Ricardo Valle), Orlof kidnaps several women including Dany (Maria Silva), a cabaret singer whose forgotten necklace is the clue which leads dedicated Inspector Edgar Tanner (Conrado San Martin) onto Orlof's trail. Using girlfriend Wanda Bronsky (also played by Lorys) as an undercover spy, Tanner lures Orlof into a trap, but the risks are greater than he imagines. Stock performers Perla Cristal, Mara Lasso, Venancio Muro, Felix Dafauce, and Juan Riquelme fill out the cast, while Franco himself appears as a pianist. Several versions exist, differing primarily in the amount of sex and violence depicted. One nude murder scene was later used in Pierre Chevalier's Caroline Mannequin Nue. Franco made the first of several sequels, El Secreto del Dr. Orloff in 1964. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
