Coffin Joe

[Andrew]

Recently I splurged and purchased the "Coffin Joe" box set (shaped like a coffin too, it is huge), "Eight Legged Freaks," and "Kingdom of the Spiders" (all on DVD).

"Coffin Joe" was interesting, if a little slow at times.  In general, Ze is an undertaker who enjoys being a sadistic, atheist bastard.  He eats meat while the rest of the pious town subsists on vegetables (must be Lent), and has a barren wife.  The latter point is a bad one for Ze, because he believes a man can only live on through his children; specifically a son.  To get his immortality, the undertaker kills his wife and best friend, then rapes the best friend's fiancee.  She hangs herself in shame - no bouncing baby boy coming from that source.

Ze does all this because he does not believe in the soul and a final judgement.  In the end, he learns to his mounting horror that there is life after death.

As said, the film really drags at times, though it does have some good atmosphere and very good ideas.

[StatCat]

Does this new box set contain the first two movies and awakening of the beast? I already have the first two on dvd and I've been told those are the ones worth watching at least. Fantoma released them each with a comic book awhile back. Before that I think something weird video released most of them on video.  Its a pretty shocking film for its time and the first horror film to come out of Brazil to mention.

[Andrew]

StatCat wrote:
>
> Does this new box set contain the first two movies and
> awakening of the beast?

That's the one.