1960 - THE WITCH'S MIRROR, aka EL ESPEJO DE LA BRUJA

Mexican horror at the beginning of the 1960's,  Mexican horror is almost a genre on it's own going from interesting films to completely ridiculous films.  The Witch's Mirror sort of straddles this range of frequently interesting to at times ridiculous plot turns.  The English dubbing on this DVD definitely doesn't help contribute to the serious aspects but it's what it is.

Our story, it seems a plastic surgeon has decided he no longer loves his wife and plans to kill her off and marry someone else.  This turns out to be a very big mistake as the wife's stepmother happens to be a witch who is out for revenge by evoking the powers of Satan.  The film mixes tradition horror scenes with an odd borrowing from the plot of the french film Eyes Without A Face.

 

The Witch's Mirror is filmed in black and white and apparently entirely on studio sets.  It's got nice photography and great gothic atmosphere with the cast prowling around creepy castle sets.  Time has kind of chipped away at the plot of this film and obviously horror has gotten a whole lot more graphic.  Still for a early 1960's film the film has some interestingly disgusting scenes.  The film is short and doesn't drag out the plot.  It's worth a look.

 

The film was written by Alfredo Ruanova and Carlos Enrique Taboada, the running time is 75 minutes.