31.10.24, 20:30, El Fantasma del Convento (1934)

Long before Guillermo del Toro moulded grotesque creatures, Mexican cinema had a rich horror landscape. So proves this gothic nugget from the 1930s. When Eduardo, his wife Cristina and their friend Alfonso get lost on a mountain hike, a strange figure leads them to a monastery of the Order of the Brothers of Silence. Waiting for daylight, the trio are allowed to spend the night at the monastery, a choice that leads to a night in which it becomes unclear whether the three friends will make it to morning.

Ninety years ago, Phantom of the Monastery already sketched a portrait of a modern generation so disconnected from religion that even the idea of faith was terrifying. Atmosphere, suspense and expressionistic shading, however, prevail over the plot. This Mexican dark house film contains all the usual notes, but recasts them into nightmares that feel fresh even today. More graphic and surreal than its American and British counterparts, Phantom of the Monastery blows the dust off the horror canon with an icy breeze.

Restored by The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project. Chosen by film curator José Emilio González.