[yasr_overall_rating]
Archaeologists investigating some Mayan ruins come across a blob-like monster. They manage to destroy it with fire but keep a sample. Meanwhile, a comet is due to pass close to the Earth – the same comet passed near the Earth at the time the Mayan civilization mysteriously collapsed. Coincidence?
I had a really difficult time figuring out what to say about “Caltiki: The Immortal Monster.” For one, the film has had a very strange circulation. Second, it was directed in part by Mario Bava (who at the time was a cinematographer) when the film’s initial directed backed out in the middle of the project. As a result, it’s tempting to view this film as an indicator of the latest genius that would shine so brightly in Bava’s career. Bava’s involvement, however, can get in the way of viewing the film for what it really is, a monster movie. Caltiki is a cheesy monster movie, but it’s a very enjoyable cheesy monster movie.
The film begins with a voice-over detailing the disappearance of the Maya from the south of Mexico in the seventh century. While it is a cardinal sin in good Hollywood filmmaking, I love voice-overs that start movies. It intends to make us think that the Caltiki monster was responsible for these disappearances.
The viewer is then introduced to a group of anthropologists exploring the jungles of Mexico. There are way too many characters introduced too quickly in this film. There’s Nieto (Arturo Dominici) who delusionally rants about a volcano, his partner, and Caltiki. Then there’s John Fielding (John Merivale) and Max Gunther (Gerard Herter) who are colleagues of Nieto. Fielding and Gunther ultimately commit Nieto to the care of Ellen (Didi Perego) and Linda (Daniela Rocca). There’s also Bob (Daniele Vargas) who is traveling with the group.
While the monster is laughable, Caltiki quickly goes pretty violent for a movie from 1959. The exploration group eventually discover footage from a missing colleague’s camera and a cemetery at the bottom of a pond. Bob is soon killed by having his flesh melted by Caltiki while attempting to rescue fortune from this burial site. It’s a memorable moment worthy of Ed Wood when the viewer is finally confronted by the site of the heavy canvas bags that are disguised as the monster known as Caltiki.
After Max has his arm eaten, Fielding performs research on the monster. He eventually learns that Caltiki is immortal, because that’s scary, and radioactive, because of the cold war. To take the film’s strangeness factor up to 11, Max eventually breaks out of his prison and the group also learns that the comet that caused the fall of the Maya civilization is also headed to Earth again.
“Caltiki: The Immortal Monster” is a bizarre film. It has the potential to scare the feathers out of a five-year-old and while it’s not nearly as scary for adults, it’s the archetype of a bad monster movie. While some people might rate a movie like that low, I think there should a place of regard in every filmgoer’s lexicon for laughably wonderful movies. You won’t do better than Caltiki. I recommend listening to Arrow’s wonderful commentary and other bonuses if you want to learn a good deal more about the making of this movie.
Now available in a 2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray + DVD
