Mas Carnaza is a 1997 Spanish splatter horror short, written and directed by Sergio Blasco. No stranger behind the camera, Sergio is known for also writing and directing the shorts Burrp! (1996), and Litio: Lithium (2014), as well as the TV movie Belcebu: Diablos Lesbos (2005).
Manolo, a dangerous psychopath, kills his therapist and makes his escape from prison. After traveling back to his old neighborhood, he is intent on unleashing his vengeance on his former girlfriend, Lucia, as well as anyone unlucky enough to be in his way.
Unlike the majority of shot-on-video gore productions, Mas Carnaza employs an effective level of cinematography throughout the film’s short run time. An aspirational vision was discernibly captured despite the lack of budget, successfully attaining a satisfactory visual design more complex than a bunch of static shots. The use of establishing pans, low-angle walking shots, and even some implementation of the Dutch angle undoubtedly elevate the film in the realms of creative direction.
Additionally, the design of the practical special effects shows an efficient use of Mas Carnaza’s minuscule budget. However, their execution leaves a lot to be desired, obscuring the more brutal acts off-screen and only sharing the aftermath. This is undoubtedly due to the aforementioned budgetary limitations of the film and shouldn’t be held against it, with the film still delivering a visceral experience, to say the least.
Although there is somewhat of a story to Mas Carnaza, the plot contains little narrative other than a thinly veiled excuse as to the extreme acts of torture being displayed. That is, until the film’s third act, where the tale skyrockets into the so-bad-it’s-good territory—featuring a jaw-dropping abrupt ending that only exacerbates this. Furthermore, the soundtrack seems to reinforce this aspect of the film, featuring a rather upbeat soundtrack of slow-paced, funky rock jarringly juxtaposed with fast-tempo electronica. This swift interchange between the two can create some unexpected entertainment.
Undoubtedly a product of its time, Mas Carnaza is still a competent display of an SOV splatter horror from yesteryear that still holds a level of entertainment to this day. With its discernible attempt at crafting a gore film visually atypical from the norm, noteworthy special effects, and even unintended comedy, the film is certainly worth exploring for gore-hounds out there.
Released as the seventh title in Tetro Video’s Underground Atrocities collection, featuring extreme cinema made before 1999 such as French slasher Folies Meurtrieres (1984), the extreme exploration of PTSD Blood Massacre (1987), and seasonal scare-fest Satan Claus (1996) to name a few; Mas Carnaza comes in both a sliver slipcase edition DVD (extremely limited at only 30 copies) and a standard edition slipcase DVD. Below is our unboxing of the Limited Edition copy!
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Hey there, I’m Jim and I’m located in London, UK. I am a Writer and Managing Director here at Grimoire of Horror. A lifelong love of horror and writing has led me down this rabbit hole, allowing me to meet many amazing people and experience some truly original artwork. I specialise in world cinema, manga/graphic novels, and video games but will sometime traverse into the unknown in search of adventure.