[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Borderland (2007)

A decidedly grim crime drama which turns into a grisly horror film about vacationing Americans coming up against Palo (A religion that incorporates ritual sacrifice) practicing drug dealers on the Mexican / US border.

Based on real life serial killer, drug dealer and Cult leader Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo, Borderland is a dark and violent film, it's mixture of torture and ritualistic horror making it well worth seeing. You may not want to stay at a Mexican farm anytime soon though.

Seen this a couple of times now and duly delivers every time. This deserves to be better known.

Schalcken the Painter (1979)

Based on the 1839 story "Strange Event in the Life of Schalken the Painter" by Sheridan Le Fanu.

In the vein of the classic Ghost Stories for Christmas this creepy little slow burning tale which went out on the 23rd December is perhaps more a study of the Dutch masters thanks to Charles Gray's narration than it is a ghostly spectacular.

Having said that the ghost, if it is indeed a ghost, is a deathly presence which has a shocking, ghastly face that sticks in the memory long after the credits have rolled. Directed by Leslie Megahey, the production is beautifully filmed and the horrifying final encounter is classic twisted Gothic material.

This was a third viewing for me and it's a film that's getting better all the time.

Recommended.