At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul (1963)

At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul is not only the first entry in Jose Mojica Marins' long-running 'Coffin Joe' franchise, it also has the distinction of being Brazil's first homegrown horror movie.

This is a strange sort of film, and not just due to its subject matter. Picture a marriage between the set design and atmosphere of the old Universal Pictures monster movies of the '40s and '50s and the over the top sensibilities of the grindhouse movement and you'll have some idea as to what to expect from this film. It makes for an interesting dichotomy, both jarring and entrancing at the same time.

I don't yet own a copy of the movie on DVD, but it and several of the other films in the franchise are available here in the U.S. They seem to have gone out of print, but they can still be had for a fair price if you look hard enough.

Trivia:
1) Director Marins only stepped into the role of Coffin Joe after the actor originally hired to play the part failed to show up on set. He's been playing the part ever since.

Link(s) of interest:
1) Click here for a detailed plot summary, but beware of spoilers.
2) Buy the DVD.