Tears of Kali

This episode movie uses demons, meditation and a strange sect as its vehicle for the ultimate traumatic horror movie: the whole atmosphere of this film is extremely frightening though you never believe the esoteric background that is supposed to be there! The people doing the movie obviously never had real contact to the Baghwan ideology. But who cares? I don't think John Wayne ever was a professional cowboy nor was Louis De Funes a french Policeman. Anyway, there are some professional actors in this flick doing their best, some horror movie buffs just playing actors. Good old German Matthieu Carriere plays a spiritual healer in the last episode. Attention: The special effects are not for those with weak stomachs: eyelids are cut off, a guy skins himself alive and there goes your breakfast! If you are into splatter and gore but to old to take Fulci seriously – give these young film makers a try.

one of the best low budget movies from Germany! is this is the dark side of new age? if you believe in esoteric, please don't watch this movie! it blows all your positive fantasies away. this movie shows that beyond the peaceful façade of spiritual soul searching lies a world of extreme transgressions and terror. i hope there will be a 35 mm copy soon! Andreas Marschall's first film is just the beginning of a new area, making movies with a few euros! i'm waiting for the second hit!

Unfortunately, the R1 DVD of "Tears of Kali" is dubbed in English with no subtitle option. It was hard to fully immerse myself in the creepiness of the film considering that the dub job is one of the most hideous these ears have ever heard. I would love to revisit this in the future with English subs. The movie has a fair share of sick gore, but more interesting to me is that it has a unique and more familiar take on cults than most horrors (especially 70s exploitation) do. It works sort of like an anthology horror in that it consists of three shorts that take place in present time. The catch is that each features characters who were once connected to the Taylor-Erikkson cult in India in the 80s. Very original and creepy movie, but damn that dub job!

As the description says, it is three segments about a mysterious cult. A "reporter" with a hidden agenda manages to get the "inner demon" of Elizabeth (Jandris Irena-Heliana) released in the first segment with almost deadly consequences.

The demon attack, and the bizarre suicide, barely compensated for the low budget look of the film.

I have never seen anger management therapy the way this cult practices it. A man who wanted to jump out of his skin was literally forced to remove his skin. It won't help in this life, but it will make him better in the next.

I am not really sure about the third segment. It was just strange.

Three horror stories based on members of a transgressive Hindu cult that return home but changed in some way. In the first story our former cult member is now in an insane asylum and is visited by a reported who wants to find out about what went on at the cult. Somewhat slow going as story is told in flashbacks while the two sit on chairs and face each other. Reporter is particularly interested in what lead to the death of the participants. What seemed rather boring suddenly turns very exciting with a surprising twist in the story. Things get quite bloody.

Second story has a violent young criminal visiting a psychiatrist for mandatory therapy. The patient seems to have some type of agenda but the psychiatrist is up to the task. Again, things slow down a bit and get weird. Then there's a strange twist in the story that is very well written and surprising.

Final story deals with spiritual healer who claims to be able to remove the persons illness from them with his hands. One of the patients is a former cult member, so the successful healing gets more complicated. Again, we are surprised by a twist. Has a pretty gory scene in there.

There some nice female full frontal nudity as well as male full frontal nudity for some reason. I found the stories to be very well written and the director succeeds entirely in setting up each story with its surprising twist and the gory aftermath.

Note: review of the German DVD.