Thursday, December 05, 2013

Chicanonautica: La Virgen Morena Online

By Ernest Hogan

This is going up on on December 5th, a whole week before the Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe -- December 12th -- but that gives you time. Time? For what? To see that classic Mexican film about the Virgin, the 1942 production of La Virgen Morena!

It’s online, thanks to the website, Gloria.TV.

It’s not just reverent religious drama. There are scenes of Aztecs battling conquistadors and a spooky, pre-electronic, sci-fi-sounding “canto celestial” when ever the Virgin manifests.

Abel Salazar plays the Aztec ruler Temoch. This was a couple of decades before he made all those incredible Mexican monster movies.

And Alfonzo Bedoya, best known for his “We don’t need no stinking badges!” speech in Treasure of the Sierra Madre, plays an Aztec who prefers the old time religion.

All in a glorious black-and-white Mexico that bears an eerie resemblance to the Planet Mongo in the Buster Crabbe/Flash Gordon serials.

It will enhance your celebrations in the Holiday Season.

Ernest Hogan recommends his books as great gift ideas.

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