Saturday, April 30, 2022

Making Of A Killer.

During the 1970’s & 1980’s, actor Valentin Trujillo was making a name for himself in Mexican Cinema by starring many great films and most where he was the lead. Valentin was a wonderful actor because he really got into the roles he played to the point where you just believe that’s who he really is. The first time I ever saw a Valentin Trujillo movie was when I was 7 years old and Ratas De La Ciudad aired on tv and my parents had me watch it with them and every moment of that movie was a shock & so much excitement for me. Valentin played an adoring father who’s unfairly incarcerated & loses his son to the streets. Valentin is so believable in that movie that you literally see the anger & sadness in his eyes. Several years later, the next big Valentin Trujillo movie I watched was Un Hombre Violento (aka "The Making Of A Killer"), and yet again Valentin played a believable role with a lot of emotion and so much damn machismo as well. You literally root for this guy all the way through! 

Julian Carrera (Valentin Trujillo) lives a simple life with his younger brother and dotting father whom likes to gamble a little too much. After winning a big bet on a horse race, Julian’s father is gunned down by the sore losers of the horse race. Julian, angry & just feeling like he has to do something about this tragic ordeal—picks up a pistol and guns down the men who murdered his father. Julian pays his debt to society and just when he thinks he’s leaving his murders behind, Julian is pulled back when the relatives of the men he killed go after him and another man wants him dead after losing a car race to him. Julian just can’t catch a break since all he does is kill, kill, kill. This all leads to an epic gun-battle with Don Emilio—an old crime boss in a wheelchair who’s always strapped with a rifle & also related to several men Julian has killed.


Un Hombre Violento is an action-crime movie that 100% lives up to its title since this movie is indeed about a violent man who’s in many gun-firing battles and he's also involved in several fast car chases as well. Now what makes Un Hombre Violento even more special is the all-star cast in the movie which consists of: Valentin’s younger brother Gilberto Trujillo, Rafael Inclan, Gilberto De Anda (whom also wrote the movie), Luis Guevara, Victor Alcocer, Maribel Guardia and Mario Almada. Maribel & Mario play the most memorable antagonists since the ever so gorgeous Maribel plays “Lucia”, a young woman who manages to seduce Julian Carrera and her intentions with him are very deadly! Mario Almada, the most epic action star Mexico ever had—plays the bitter & withering crime boss Don Emilio, who despite being in a wheelchair, still wants to fight Julian all on his own. The final battle between Julian & Don Emilio is one of the greatest battles I’ve ever seen in a movie. Valentin Trujillo & Mario Almada made it all so perfect with their genuine acting & attitude. Nada de mamadas aquí. 


Valentin Trujillo not only took on the leading role of Un Hombre Violento, but also directed the movie as well and as I’ve said many times before, it’s admiring to see one individual taking on all aspects of filmmaking and still managing to put out something amazing. Valentin did this first with Un Hombre Violento and it followed-along through the 1980’s up until his untimely death in 2006. Valentin has many memorable movies and Un Hombre Violento is one of those movies for sure. Un Hombre Violento is an an epic!







































Sunday, April 17, 2022

Les Diafragma.

I was about 19 years old when I first saw Diabolique after finding the old Criterion DVD at a thrift store and naturally the movie became a favorite since the entire premise of the movie & its aesthetic is all so very intriguing. Several years later, I came in the possession of Crimen Por Muerte (aka "Death By Crime") and to my surprise this movie takes on the Diabolique premise—but with that good ol’ Diafragma Films tone that I am so damn intrigued by. 

Lights, Camera, Action. Welcome to the filming of an crime-action movie directed by a man named Bosco (Miguel Angel Infante) who’s married to Brenda (Hilda Aguirre)—the executive producer of the movie. Brenda is on a wheelchair due to an accident caused by Bosco and ever since then she’s had resentment towards her husband & so much resentment that she believes Bosco is trying to tarnish her all the damn time and is supposedly trying to score with the young leading actress of the movie. Bosco is tired of Brenda’s bullshit and when Brenda overhears him saying he wants to “get rid of her” over the phone to someone—Brenda believes he’s trying to get her killed! Brenda not taking any chances; fatally shoots Bosco after the phone call and manages to get her sister Monica (Edna Bolkan) to help her hide Bosco’s body. Monica then becomes director of the movie due to Bosco “dropping out” and naturally this all doesn’t go well when somehow Bosco vaguely appears in the backgrounds of filming and even around Brenda’s home!

As soon as I saw the real on-location film set in the beginning of Crimen Por Muerte—I was head over heels. This was the real crew from Diafragma Films making a movie within a movie. Wonderful! What’s also wonderful is how Crimen Por Muerte basically took on the premise of Diabolique, but with differing occupations for the characters and most of the movie being set in on-location film sets. Everything familiar from Diabolique is in Crimen Por Muerte and this includes all the twists & of course the memorable scene of our leading dead man haunting his wife up-close.


Director & writer Arturo Velazco really did his homework for Crimen Por Muerte since he truly brought upon a fairly unique videohome and I say this because most videohomes in the mid-90’s were always over the top action-crime flicks, weirdo sex comedies & crudely melodramas—but Crimen Por Muerte is none of that at all. Crimen Por Muerte is a mystery-thriller that remains serious through its entire duration with a solid-story being told and a cast & crew giving it their best. Crimen Por Muerte is not to be underestimated. Don't let it be just another typical videohome. Give it a shot like our main character Brenda did with Bosco because you just never know what might come about. You will be surprised though.