Inside the Mind of Coffin Joe (Blu-ray Review)

Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
Review Date: May 02, 2025
Format: Blu-ray Disc

Director

José Mojica Marins

Release Date(s)

1964-2008 (March 11, 2025)

Studio(s)

Indústria Cinematográfica Apolo/Olhos de Cão/Gullane Filmes (Arrow Video)

Film/Program Grade: See Below
Video Grade: See Below
Audio Grade: See Below
Extras Grade: A-
Overall Grade: A-

https://www.arrowvideo.com/

Review

José Mojica Marins invented the persona of Zé do Caixão (Coffin Joe) in 1964, co-writing, directing, and starring in the first Brazilian horror film, At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul. Achieving immediate success, he would go on to make and appear in many more films featuring the diabolically-minded character before his death in 2020. Coffin Joe also became something of a pop culture icon and cult figure, influencing horror across the globe. Celebrating Mojica’s work for the first time in high definition, Inside the Mind Coffin Joe gathers together 10 of his films, as well as documentaries, shorts, excerpts, and other materials from his entire career.

In 1964’s At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (À Meia-Noite Levarei Sua Alma), Zé do Caixão (Coffin Joe) is the local undertaker of a small village who thumbs his nose at religion, his primary concern being the continuation of his bloodline, at any cost. After a series of frequent violent run-ins with certain locals and being disgusted with his barren wife, he goes on a murderous rampage in order to secure a woman with the ideal womb that will bear his children. Despite the community knowing that he’s the one behind the killings, no one will go against him and the police are seemingly powerless to stop him as there appear to be no clues that would lead to his arrest. But soon the unrestful spirits of those whom he’s harmed will soon be coming for his soul.

As if it wasn’t abundantly clear, Coffin Joe is not your typical Vincent Price type of horror figure, wherein despite how awful he gets, his persona is still quite charming. He’s a fascinating character, but he’s an antihero of sorts and mostly despicable, only ever showing sympathy for children when they’re harmed or in some kind of danger. His strong belief that children are innocents, uncorrupted by the idiocy and egotism of adults, ties strongly into his need to create a son of his own. The film takes place perpetually at night, and it’s gushing with atmosphere. There’s almost no space for light, aside from candles, and the frame is often tight due to Mojica’s using mostly sets instead of locations. Coffin Joe’s descent into madness and his eventual comeuppance can be a bit hard to take in a single viewing, but further viewings yield better results as more layers, thematics, and talents for the filmmaking craft will reveal themselves.

At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul was shot by director of photography Giorgio Attili on 35 mm black-and-white film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2022 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The sources used for this restoration include 35mm interpositives, struck in 1996, and a 35mm print. The quality is miles beyond what we’ve seen before, though not perfect. The aforementioned print appears to be the primary source for optically-printed elements, including title overlays and transitions, since the quality drops significantly during these moments. Otherwise, newfound clarity and delineation are on display with deep blacks and impressive gradations. Though mostly repaired, faint scratches tend to run through the frame and there are exposure issues in the latter half of the film, but it appears so much more crisp and clear than before, even with visual flaws.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. It’s no great shakes as it features extremely low treble and a mild crackle and hiss throughout, but you get used to it after a while. It’s likely as good as it’s going to get at this point, so you have to cut it some slack.

AT MIDNIGHT I’LL TAKE YOUR SOUL (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B/B/C

1967’s This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse (Esta Noite Encarnarei no Teu Cadáver) is a direct sequel that quickly retcons the ending of the first film in which Coffin Joe was clearly killed by supernatural forces. However, doctors manage to save him, whereupon he regains his sight and returns to his village to continue his murderous search for the perfect woman who will bear his child. Assisted by his disfigured and hunchbacked assistant Bruno, they begin capturing women in the area and subjecting them to various horrors, testing their courage before doing away with those he deems unworthy. Unfortunately for him, the villagers have had enough, and even without clear proof, they make it their mission to destroy him once and for all.

In many ways, This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse is a slicker version of the first film since it repeats many of the same beats and ideas. After the success of the original (which, unfortunately, Mojica made no money from due to its crooked distributors), he had a slightly larger budget to work with. There are many memorable moments, including two scenes of subjecting the aforementioned potential female breeding candidates to horrible things, including letting a large amount of tarantulas into their bedroom while they’re sleeping, and keeping them in a pit of venomous snakes, all while Coffin Joe looks on with sadistic glee. There’s also a full color nightmare sequence in which he winds up in Hell. Body parts of the damned hang out of ceilings and walls, subjected to endless tortures. Mojica pulls double duty here as well, portraying the Devil himself via split screen and dressed in Roman emperor togs. The film also delves further into Coffin Joe’s rejection of religion, believing himself to be immortal and invincible. As was the case before, those that he’s harmed continue to haunt him and will prove him wrong.

This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse was shot by director of photography Giorgio Attili on 35 mm black-and-white and color film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2023 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The sources used for this restoration include the original camera negative and 35mm interpositives, struck in 1985 or 1986. For obvious reasons, this is a much stronger presentation than the first film. Though restorationists had the original camera negative to work with, they seemingly used interpositive elements for opticals, including the jittery, hand-written opening titles. It’s a clean presentation with only minor lines occasionally running through the frame. Sharing a disc with another film, bitrates tend to range anywhere between 15 and 40Mbps. The aforementioned color sequence is rich with pink, red, blue, and purple hues, despite being a tad yellow overall. Deeps blacks with very good contrast are also present.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. It’s a clearer, stronger, and more balanced soundtrack in comparison to the first film, but still print-sourced as some of the quieter moments have less definition due to the clean-up process, though not excessively. Sibilance is never an issue, but there are few dropouts throughout. The various elements, though limited, blend better than in the first film.

THIS NIGHT I’LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B/A-/B-

1968’s The Strange World of Coffin Joe (O Estranho Mundo de Zé do Caixão) abandons the Coffin Joe storyline altogether for an anthology film in which he acts as a master of ceremonies for a trio of horror tales, even appearing in one of them. In O Fabricante de Bonecas (The Dollmaker), a group of young men at a nightclub overhear that a local dollmaker has four beautiful young daughters and money stashed away in their home. Barging in and demanding the money from him while taking advantage of the four women, they’re unprepared for their fate. In Tara (Obsession), a beautiful young woman is followed by a seemingly homeless balloon seller, and attempts to return to her a pair of shoes she dropped after exiting a department store. She’s unfortunately murdered, but that won’t stop him from getting to her. In Ideologia (Ideology), professor Oãxiac Odéz (Mojica) appears on a television program to talk about his theories involving love and human instinct, which one of his hosts thoroughly disagrees with. Afterwards, Odéz invites him into his home, whereupon he’s captured and diabolically used as a test subject to help prove Odéz’s theory.

This collection of anthology shorts offers variety in terms of storytelling and tone, with Mojica’s usual graphic and seemingly unrestricted content. It’s worth pointing out that even he was subject to censorship in his day, and in the case of The Strange World of Coffin Joe, was asked to shoot a happy and moralistic ending to appease his catholic-driven overlords. The film opens with a strange hymn that celebrates the how and why of Coffin Joe, juxtaposed against footage of young people dancing at a nightclub, which leads into the first story. The Dollmaker feels like the more perfunctory of the three, Obsession has a dark sweetness to it, and Ideology is pure Coffin Joe-type graphic horror. The three segments are sequenced well, closing with the most outrageous of them all, but all reflective of Mojica’s personality and beliefs. It’s not quite as impactful as the two films that came before it, but The Strange World of Coffin Joe is seemingly a linchpin for Mojica to use his alternate persona in other ways, not just at the cinema.

The Strange World of Coffin Joe was shot by director of photography Giorgio Attili on 35 mm black-and-white and color film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2023 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The sources used for this restoration include 35mm interpositives, struck in 1996, and a 35mm print. Like At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, the reconstruction of interpositives and a print doesn’t yield a top tier image, but it’s considerably better than in standard definition. The opening titles, which are filled with opticals, are rough, but the image evens out more or less after that. It contains a slightly lesser bitrate than the film it shares a disc with, but strong levels of fine detail. Mild instability with occasional lines running through the frame are the most obvious visual flaws, but blacks are mostly deep with excellent contrast, though the worn condition of the elements occasionally lighten the image briefly.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. It offers decent support for the various elements, though treble is a bit low with minor crackle and thumps in various places, some of which are likely baked into the soundtrack itself. Only a minor dropout at the 9:39 mark was noticed.

THE STRANGE WORLD OF COFFIN JOE (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/B/C+

In 1970’s The Awakening of the Beast (O Despertar da Besta), which was also released as O Ritual dos Sádicos (The Ritual of the Sadists) before the censors demanded that the title be changed, Mojica takes a left turn and does what I would consider to be his version of F for Fake. In the film, a group of psychiatrists discuss the perversions of drug addicts, with one having developed a study in which four of his drug addict test subjects take LSD, with him recording the results. Also on this panel is José Mojica Marins himself, sitting in as an expert on depravity, whereupon the validity of his films and his standing as an artist come into question.

The Awakening of the Beast is one of the more interesting films in Mojica’s filmography, in so much as it pre-dates the term “meta,” delving into the effects of Coffin Joe and the films he appears in on society. Not only does Mojica play as himself, but he also appears as Coffin Joe at the beginning of the film once again as master of ceremonies. Later he re-appears in several drug-fueled hallucinations in the minds of the LSD test subjects after having seen one of his films at the cinema, but also after having been shown a poster of him prior to their trip. Much of the film has its own sense of rhythm, or rather a lack of it, as scenes go on far longer than they need to. Walking into this one cold, you’re not quite sure where it’s going at first or what it’s trying to say as you’re confronted with one unorthodox sequence of “depravity” after another. Nevertheless, The Awakening of the Beast is an interesting sidebar in the Coffin Joe milieu, cross-examining itself in a way that predates the glut of self-aware horror films. It’s still very much a horror film as the drug-induced sequences are nightmarish, but it’s also a thoughtful examination of a cultural icon.

The Awakening of the Beast was shot by director of photography Giorgio Attili on 35 mm black-and-white and color film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2023 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The sources used for this restoration include 35mm interpositives, struck in 2008, and a 1969 35mm censured print, which featured the The Ritual of the Sadists title. It’s a handsome presentation overall, with a high bitrate that often sits between 30 and 40Mbps at any given time. It features a very nice grain structure, which is more evened out in comparison to some prior presentations. Occasional lines run through the frame, but it’s otherwise clean with deep blacks and excellent contrast. The full color sequence offers a rich tapestry of hues before switching back to black-and-white.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. It’s the shakiest track thus far in terms of quality. Dialogue and score are given an ample amount of fidelity, though lacking nonetheless. Sibilance is definitely an issue and there are minor dropouts at the 29:14 and 30:22 marks.

THE AWAKENING OF THE BEAST (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/B+/C

If The Awakening of the Beast was José Mojica Marins’ F for Fake, then 1971’s The End of Man (Finis Hominis) would be his version of The Holy Mountain (I’d also throw in a bit of Being There for good measure, despite the fact that The End of Man predates Being There by eight years). In the film, a nude man wanders out of the ocean and into various circumstances in which he seemingly helps others, sharing his personal brand of wisdom along the way. After he’s given clothing and self-proclaims himself to be Finis Hominis (the end of man), he begins to have a greater influence on those in need. Soon he amasses a following, many believing him to be a messiah, disturbing world leaders who believe that his powers could be a danger to mankind.

Obviously, this is not a Coffin Joe film by any means, but Mojica was also keen to tackle other ideas. This is a highly experimental and surrealist piece that ultimately ends on a humorous note, recontextualizing the entire film in the process. There’s a tongue-in-cheek quality at times, such as an instrumental version of Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head, as well as the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiash, continually cropping up. Telegraphing a moment in which two people make love is a background poster on the wall for the 1968 Brazilian comedy Enfim Sós... Com o Outro (Finally Alone... With Each Other). Other posters surround them, but it might well have been Mojica commenting on the scene without actually appearing in it. He’s otherwise in the bulk of the film as the titular Finis Hominis, wandering from one choppy scene to the next with a Christ-like sense of observation and contribution. It’s certainly a tough film to take in one sitting, especially in a marathon viewing of his filmography, but it’s a low budget attempt at an art film by someone who was not traditionally educated. For that, it makes for an interesting watch.

The End of Man was shot by director of photography Giorgio Attili on 35 mm color and black-and-white film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2023 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The source used for this restoration was the original 35mm camera negative. Being that it’s entirely from the original negative, it fairs better than any of the previous presentations. Mostly solid, well-attenuated grain and high levels of fine detail are on display, with bitrates that sit between 30 and 40Mbps most of the time. For shots and scenes that take place in color, hues are fairly potent, with deep blacks and excellent contrast. The black-and-white footage, however, has a sharper, crisper quality to it, likely owing to the film stocks available at the time. Minor scratches are visible on occasion, and the final reel has some color inconsistencies, as well as built-in camera flashes, but it’s a solid presentation overall.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. (It’s worth noting that initial copies of this disc had subtitles issues, and a replacement program was undertaken, but all copies on the market now contain the corrected disc.) It occasionally has a mild warbling quality, especially noticeable whenever music is being played, while mild hiss and crackle are present throughout. Multiple dropouts occur throughout, as well. It’s not a terrible audio experience, but it could have used a little more restorative effort to improve upon its lesser qualities.

THE END OF MAN (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/A-/C+

1972’s When the Gods Fall Asleep (Quando os Deuses Adormecem) is a direct sequel to The End of Man, in which we see Finis Hominis once again wander out into the world only a few days later, but now with his home under threat. This time around, he deals with Satanic cultists, murderous fighting gypsies, rival gangs, and as always, unfaithful partners. Unfortunately, outside of the subplot, which is not easy to get into without spoiling and barely makes a blip on the radar until the very end of the film, this is more of what we’ve already seen, but to a lesser degree.

What’s also different about When the Gods Fall Asleep is how much less surreal it is compared to the first film. We get long, extended sequences of fighting between various groups of people that go on interminably, but it all feels more tangible. It also deals with darker subject matter, including an unfortunate sequence of the aforementioned cultists biting into, ripping apart, and eating live chickens, which Mojica is at least kind enough to stop the film and audibly warn us about before the sequence begins. The film also once again switches back and forth between black-and-white and color footage. Seemingly moments not involving Finis Hominis or the people he involves himself with are black-and-white, though there’s a moment when he breaks up a fight between three women that remains in black-and-white. None of it has much of a lasting impact and feels like table scraps since the why and how of Finis Hominis was revealed at the end of the first film. It just seems like a wasted opportunity to use the character more creatively, rather than just repeat the same kind of beats.

When the Gods Fall Asleep was shot by director of photography Edward Freund on 35 mm color and black-and-white film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2023 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The source used for this restoration was the only existing 35mm print of the film. Much of this presentation is quite good for being sourced from a print, offering decent color and contrast. However, it’s loaded with scratches and delineation issues that come and go, as well as some mild instability in spots. Birates are high, usually sitting between 30 and 40Mbps, to get the most out of the encode, but it’s unfortunate that the original materials for the film are seemingly lost. It’s still a watchable presentation, but far removed from everything that’s come before.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. It’s an extremely narrow and distorted track, though I’m sure that everything that could be done with it in order to make it more presentable has been done. That said, it’s loaded with dropouts, some of which may simply be a part of the original music tracks used to create the film, but they stand out more here than on any other track.

WHEN THE GODS FALL ASLEEP (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): D/C/C-

1976’s The Strange Hostel of Naked Pleasures (Estranha Hospedaria dos Prazeres) is the first film in this set not to be 100% directed by Mojica. Instead, the majority of the film was helmed by occult writer Marcelo Motta, but with Mojica’s guiding hand. In the film, multiple groups of people check in at the Hospedaria dos Prazeres, or Hostel of Pleasures, seeking refuge for the night from a rainstorm. The owner (Mojica) allows the majority of them to come in and stay, though he refuses others, insisting that it’s not their time to stay there just yet. This motley crew of motorcyclists, gamblers, thieves, adulterers, and businessmen make themselves comfortable in their rooms, unaware of their ultimate fate.

If this sounds like a narrative similar to that of 1972’s Tales from the Crypt, then you’re right on the money. The key difference here is that this is a ponderous and surrealistic “waiting room” of sorts. The hotel owner, a thinly-veiled version of Coffin Joe, spouts Mojica’s usual philosophical treatise to his incoming guests, showing them a surprising amount of respect. He’s no boogie man, but more of a caretaker of sorts, answerable only to one other higher being (you can likely guess who). Mojica’s frequent usage of Auld Lang Syne and the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah is in full effect here, as it often is, as well as a heavy use of colored gels and frequent close-ups of Mojica’s eyes. The outcome is by no means a surprise, but perhaps that wasn’t necessarily the case in 1976 when these types of plot revelations weren’t as easily identifiable, certainly from a filmmaker like Mojica. Nevertheless, even at 81 minutes, it can be a slog because we know exactly where this is going. It just takes a very long time to get there.

The Strange Hostel of Naked Pleasures was shot by director of photography Giorgio Attili on 35 mm film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2023 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The source used for this restoration was the original 35mm camera negative. It’s another relatively strong presentation with high levels of detail and bitrates that mostly sit between 30 and 40Mbps, though it’s not without its flaws. There are minor scratches and some speckling, as well as minor damage along the way. One shot in particular, from 49:40 to 49:45, looks as if it was pulled from a lesser element. Otherwise, the color is good and blacks are mostly deep with excellent contrast.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. It’s a far cry from its predecessor as it has a little more life to it, though hiss, crackle, occasional thumps, and a few dropouts persist.

THE STRANGE HOSTEL OF NAKED PLEASURES (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/B+/C+

1977’s Hellish Flesh (Inferno Carnal) is a change of pace in that it’s a narrative-driven film, lacking much of the surrealism we’ve become accustomed to thus far. In it, George (Mojica) is a wealthy scientist who devotes little time to anything other than his work. As such, his wife begins having an affair. Hoping to get rid of him and inherit his fortune, she throws an experimental acid in face while her lover sets the lab on fire. However, George survives, hiding behind a mask, but oddly providing his wife with whatever money she needs to live. He also hires a plain clothes policeman to follow her around, but she beings to feel more and more regretful, especially since her lover is spending all of the money and frequenting night clubs with other women. Whatever George’s goal is in aiding her and making sure she’s safe remains a mystery until the end.

In many ways, Hellish Flesh feels like a made-for-TV movie. The plot is certainly reminiscent of many a story in which a vindictive or conniving lover or spouse attempts to bump off their significant other for money, only for their plan to backfire and said significant other returns from the grave for revenge. It rings of familiarity, both at the movies and on TV. Outside of a small amount of nudity, a couple of semi-graphic moments, and actual footage of someone’s eyeball being surgically operated on, it could be trimmed down for a quasi-Twilight Zone or Tales from the Crypt type of TV program. In fact, its biggest weakness is its length. Mojica always extended moments and sequences in his films, but for such a straightforward story, this really needed some scissors taken to it, or more of something happening, other than George staring into the darkness repeatedly and being haunted by his near death experience; not to mention George’s wife either fooling around with her lover or being stood up by him. That said, the twist ending is worth the price of admission in that it deals with the aforementioned story trope in a much different way.

Hellish Flesh was shot by director of photography Giorgio Attili on 35 mm film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2022 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The source used for this restoration was the original 35mm camera negative. It’s worth noting that most of the opening titles (as well as the closing title) appear to have been re-created from scratch. This is definitely one of the best-looking films in this set, with bitrates that sit mostly between 20 and 30Mbps. Some of the stock footage is a little dodgy, but it’s a mostly organic master with minor color temperature changes. Blacks can be a little flat during darker sequences, of which there are many, but generally they’re deep with good contrast. It’s also clean with only a few stray scratches, and a few times throughout, the beginning of a cut is zoomed in for a single frame.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. It’s a narrow track with low treble, mild hiss, and crackle throughout, but dialogue comes through with some authority regardless. Minor dropouts occur several times throughout.

HELLISH FLESH (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/A-/C+

1978’s Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind (Delírios de um Anormal) feels like the bookend of a career in some ways, though Mojica’s career was nowhere near over at the time. Due to the film’s re-using of footage from his previous films, it almost feels like a greatest hits package. However, there is a wrap-around story that attempts to blend it all together. A psychiatrist, Dr. Hamilton, begins having severe nightmares about Coffin Joe and his exploits, with the increasing threat that he will be coming for his wife, Tânia. She and Dr. Hamilton’s friends and colleagues are baffled as to how to help him, eventually phoning José Mojica Marins himself to stop by, trying to convince Hamilton that Coffin Joe is a fictional character, though Hamilton is convinced otherwise.

While the Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind inadvertently feels like the summation of a career, its extended use of scenes from This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse, The Strange World of Coffin Joe, The Awakening of the Beast, and The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe make it seem more like an obligation. Coffin Joe haunting a man’s unconscious mind is merely the setup for this footage to occur, though Mojica isn’t entirely out of ideas. There are also additional nightmare scenes involving Hamilton and Tânia in which they’re surrounded by nude dancers, as well as an unsettling Society-esque flesh miasma of faces and body parts. The story surrounding the nightmare footage isn’t all that interesting, aside from the ending which leaves more questions than answers. Nevertheless, you can never fault Mojica not for making something intriguing.

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind was shot by director of photography Giorgio Attili on 35 mm film with spherical lenses, and finished photochemically at the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes a 2023 4K restoration by Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films, under the supervision of Mojica’s last producer, Paulo Sacramento. The source used for this restoration was the original 35mm camera negative. It’s another attractive presentation, despite an erratic bitrate that drops as low as 10Mbps and goes as high as 40Mbps at any given time. Excellent textures and beautiful color are on display, even if grain is inconsistent. Blacks are deep with terrific contrast, however, and it’s the cleanest and most stable presentation thus far.

Audio is included in Portuguese mono LPCM with optional English subtitles, restored from a pre-existing telecine of a 35mm print. While flawed, it’s considerably more robust than previous presentations, especially when it comes to dialogue, which does have some sibilance issues. It’s relatively free of hiss and crackle, but a few dropouts are present along the way.

HALLUCINATIONS OF A DERANGED MIND (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/B+/B

41 years after the release of This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse, Mojica finally returned to the story of Coffin Joe, completing The Coffin Joe Trilogy. 2008’s Embodiment of Evil (Encarnação do Demônio) was made during the torture porn era of horror, but oddly enough Coffin Joe’s aesthetic fits right in with it. In the film, it’s revealed that, in a clever bit of retconning, that Coffin Joe didn’t die at the end of the previous film, but instead rose to kill again. He was arrested and sentenced to jail for forty years, and now having served his sentence, he heads back out into a different world, with his faithful servant Bruno by his side, to continue his quest to find the perfect woman who will carry his sacred bloodline. Soon he learns there’s a small cult of followers who have been waiting for him and will do anything he asks, though many that have been wronged by him in the past have been waiting to seek him out and destroy him.

Embodiment of Evil is a surprisingly strong, well-made effort from a filmmaker constantly accused of not knowing what he was doing. The film moves by at a brisk 93 minutes, and offers some amazing horror set pieces and haunting images. It’s light years beyond what he made in the 1960s and 1970s, with a fairly solid narrative that’s shockingly compelling. In some ways, Coffin Joe is a more sympathetic character at times, likely due to Mojica’s age, but also when he’s being haunted by images of his past. On the other hand, he’s still a horrible monster, and does horrible things to his victims. Yet he’s so magnetic that you want to see how things are going to play out for him. The film isn’t flawless and it’s a little chintzy around the edges, but if you’re expecting a cheaply-made, direct-to-video rush job, this isn’t that. It’s a thoughtful, well-mounted sequel that fully embraces the Coffin Joe aesthetic and mythos with graphic pleasure.

Embodiment of Evil was shot by director of photography José Roberto Eliezer on 35mm film, scanned in and finished digitally as a 2K Digital Intermediate, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Arrow Video’s Blu-ray utilizes an existing high definition master taken from the film’s 2K DI. It’s worth noting that Synapse Films released the film on Blu-ray in 2011, but I don’t have that disc to make a director comparison. My guess would be that this is likely the same presentation, with only minor tweaking for color (as is Arrow’s usual modus operandi). It’s a fairly robust presentation with a bitrate that mostly sits between 30 and 40Mbps, often soaring far above that. The film also mixes in footage from the previous films and it definitely stands out comparatively, not really fitting in. The vintage computer-generated effects and special effects make-up hold up very well, though the opening and close credits are a bit low-fi. Nevertheless, excellent color with deep blacks and good contrast is on display, with nicely-layered grain. It’s clean and stable throughout with no real issues to speak of. Only a UHD upgrade could improve the depth in the image (which I suppose also goes for all of the films in this boxed set).

Audio is presented in Portuguese 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 LPCM, with optional English subtitles. It’s worth noting that the previous Blu-ray also contained 5.1 and 2.0 options, but the 2.0 was presented in a DTS-HD Master Audio container. The difference is negligible. Aside from some stock sound effects and mixing with audio from previous films, which slams straight into mono territory when they happen, both tracks have excellent fidelity, incorporating occasional pans, as well as frequent ambient activity. Dialogue exchanges are clear and distinct, with score and music given plenty of breathing room to fill out the surrounds.

EMBODIMENT OF EVIL (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B/A-/B+

Arrow Video’s Region A Inside the Mind of Coffin Joe boxed set features six dual-layered BD-50 Blu-ray discs in 1080p, each containing the films plus extras, and packaged in three clear Amaray cases with double-sided inserts, with double-feature artwork for each film by Butcher Billy on either side. All our housed in a thin slipcase featuring more of Butcher Billy’s artwork. It’s a slimmed down version of their Limited Edition boxed set release, which is technically out-of-print, but as of this writing, some retailers still carry copies of it. That release features the same discs and disc-based content, but contained within six slim Amaray cases instead, each containing a total of 12 postcard-sized, double-sided art cards featuring theatrical poster reproductions on one side and Butcher Billy’s artwork on the reverse. Likewise, the double-sided inserts feature the full original Butcher Billy artwork on each side for each film. Also included is a “Funerária” business card replica as seen in This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse, a double-sided poster showcasing two variants of Butcher Billy’s artwork, and the 92-page booklet Coffin Joe: Against the World!. It contains cast and crew information for each film, the essays Zé do Caixão: The Nightmare that Must Survive by Tim Lucas, The Philosophy of the Sadean Libertine & Coffin Joe by Jerome Butler, The Strange Case of Mojica and Zé do Caixão by Amy Voorhees Searles, Curse Your Faith: Atheism and Catholicism in the Coffin Joe Trilogy by Kyle Anderson, The Eyes: Vision and Agony in José Mojica Marins’ Films by Carlos Primati, Cinematic Alchemy by Paulo Sacramento, restoration details, production credits, and special thanks. All of this material is housed in sturdy flip-top, cardboard packaging with Butcher Billy’s artwork. The following films and extras are included on all discs and both releases:

DISC ONE: AT MIDNIGHT I’LL TAKE YOUR SOUL / THE STRANGE WORLD OF JOSÉ MOJICA MARINS

Audio Commentary with José Mojica Marins, Paulo Duarte, and Carlos Primati
Coffin Joe’s Sadean Underworld (HD – 12:10)
Damned: The Strange World of José Mojica Marins (SD – 65:19)
Bloody Kingdom (Upscaled SD – 8:55)
Early Works:
- Adventurers Fate (A Sina Do Aventurerio) (SD – 12:49)
- My Destiny in Your Hands (Meu Desino Em Tuas Maos) (SD – 15:55)
Trailers:
- Trailer #1 (SD – 1:51)
- Trailer #2 (HD – 3:18)

The archival audio commentary features Mojica, filmmaker and writer Paulo Duarte, and film scholar Carlos Primati, presented in Portuguese with English subtitles. Coffin Joe’s Sadean Underworld is an essay by scholar, author, and filmmaker Lindsay Hallam, who examines the early films of Mojica in the context of themes found within the work of Marquis de Sade. The Strange World of José Mojica Marins is a 2001 documentary about the filmmaker by André Barcinski and Ivan Finotti, discussing his career with Mojica, his family members, and his colleagues. Bloody Kingdom is an early short from 1952 made by Mojica, which runs silent as the sound elements have been lost, but commentary is provided by Mojica himself. Adventurers Fate (1958) and My Destiny in Your Hands (1963) are excerpts from two of Mojica’ earliest feature-length films, though likely unavailable or lost based upon the quality. Last are two trailers for the main feature.

DISC TWO: THIS NIGHT I’LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE / THE STRANGE WORLD OF COFFIN JOE

Audio Commentaries with José Mojica Marins, Paulo Duarte, and Carlos Primati
Eccentric of Cinema: A Retrospective on José Mojica Marins by Stephen Thrower (HD – 87:28)
On Tonight’s Horror Show! Coffin Joe and the Horror Host Phenomenon (HD – 17:14)
Alternative Ending for The Strange World of Coffin Joe with Optional Commentary (HD – :54)
Trailers:
- This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse (HD – 2:30)
- The Strange World of Coffin Joe (HD – 1:49)

The archival audio commentaries for both films once again feature Mojica, filmmaker and writer Paulo Duarte, and film scholar Carlos Primati, presented in Portuguese with English subtitles. Eccentric of Cinema is a long-form discussion with celebrated author and genre expert Stephen Thrower, who does a deep into Mojica’s upbringing, his journey as a filmmaker, his various influences, the finer aspects of his films, and how his personal beliefs and ordeals affected his work. In On Tonight’s Horror Show!, scholar and author Miranda Corcoran provides a visual essay on the history of horror hosts and how Coffin Joe was influenced by them. Last is an alternative ending to The Strange World of Coffin Joe with optional commentary by Mojica, Duarte, and Primati, as well as trailers for each film.

DISC THREE: THE AWAKENING OF THE BEAST / THE END OF MAN

Audio Commentaries with José Mojica Marins, Paulo Duarte, and Carlos Primati
The Strange Mind of Coffin Joe (HD – 18:25)
The Woman for Joe: The Gender Politics of Coffin Joe (HD – 17:40)
Alternate Opening Titles for The Awakening of the Beast (HD – 4:04)
Trailers:
- The Awakening of the Beast (Upscaled SD/HD – 3:16)
- The End of Man (HD – 4:02)

The archival audio commentaries for both films once again feature Mojica, filmmaker and writer Paulo Duarte, and film scholar Carlos Primati, presented in Portuguese with English subtitles. The Strange Mind of Coffin Joe features an interview with author and filmmaker Guy Adams who theorizes that Morica might have been neurodivergent, and that the style, content, and pacing of his films reflect that. The Woman for Joe is a video essay by author Alexandra Heller-Nicolas who delves into the gender politics of Mojica’s filmography, film by film. Next is a set of Alternate Opening Titles featuring the original title The Ritual of the Sadists, as well as trailers for both films.

DISC FOUR: WHEN THE GODS FALL ASLEEP / THE STRANGE HOSTEL OF NAKED PLEASURES

The Demonic Surrealism of Coffin Joe (HD – 25:42)
Delirium, Surrealism and Vision: An Interview With Jack Sargeant (HD – 13:33)
Apostle of Evil: Dennison Ramalho Reflects on His Life With Coffin Joe (HD – 10:46)
Mojica na Neve: Esta noite encarnarei em Sundance (SD – 15:11)
O Encontro às Escuras do Zé do Caixão (SD – 9:42)
The Strange Hostel of Naked Pleasures Trailer (HD – 4:03)

The Demonic Surrealism of Coffin Joe features an interview with writer, film scholar, journalist, and editor Virginie Selavy, who delves into surrealist cinema through Mojica’s lens, with comparisons made to the films of Luis Buñuel, and how complex Mojica’s psychology was. Delirium, Surrealism and Vision features an audio interview with author Jack Sargeant who discusses the various facets of the character of Coffin Joe. In Apostle of Evil, Brazilian horror filmmaker Dennison Ramalho discusses his friend and mentor José Mojica Marins and his exposure to him at a young age. In Mojica na Neve: Esta noite encarnarei em Sundance, or Mojica in the Snow: Tonight I Incarnate at Sundance! as it’s listed on the main menu, Mojica attends the 2001 Sundance Film Festival for a screening of The Strange World of José Mojica Marins, documented by filmmakers Andre Barcinzki, Ivan Fnotti, and Andre Finotti. O Encontro às Escuras do Zé do Caixão (A Blind Date for Coffin Joe) is a comedic short film by Raymond Castile, who portrays young Coffin Joe in Embodiment of Evil. Last is the trailer for The Strange Hostel of Naked Pleasures.

DISC FIVE: HELLISH FLESH / HALLUCINATIONS OF A DERANGED MIND

Audio Commentary on Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind with José Mojica Marins, Nilcemar Leyart, Paulo Duarte, and Carlos Primati
Aesthetics of Garbage: José Mojica Marins, a Complicated Icon (HD – 30:56)
Beyond Good and Evil: José Mojica Marins and the Work of Friedrich Nietzsche (HD – 15:31)
Trailers:
- Hellish Flesh (HD – 3:53)
- Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind (HD – 3:49)

The archival audio commentary features Mojica, editor Nilcemar Leyart, filmmaker and writer Paulo Duarte, and film scholar Carlos Primati, presented in Portuguese with English subtitles. In Aesthetics of Garbage, documentary filmmaker Andrew Leavold explores Mojica’s place within Brazilian mainstream and arthouse cinema, also detailing his work film by film. In Beyond Good and Evil, film critic Kat Ellinger discusses the films of Mojica, their place within Gothic storytelling, their anti-establishment and transgressive nature, and his unstated use of the notions of Friedrich Nietzsche. Last are trailers for both films.

DISC SIX: EMBODIMENT OF EVIL

Audio Commentary with José Mojica Marins, Dennison Ramalho, and Paulo Sacramento
Apprenticeship of Evil: Dennison Ramalho on José Mojica Marins (SD – 84:36)
Learning from the Master: Dennison Ramalho Discusses the Production of Embodiment of Evil (HD – 37:40)
Encarnação do Demônio Making Of (SD – 31:46)
Experimental Making Of (Upscaled SD – 13:25)
Fantasia Film Festival Premiere Footage (SD – 14:22)
Deleted Scenes (SD – 9 in all – 12:11)
Visual Effects – Purgatory (SD – 2:16)
Storyboards (SD – 2:07)
Theatrical Trailer (SD – 1:41)

The archival audio commentary features Mojica, co-writer and Mojica protégé Dennison Ramalho, and producer Paulo Sacramento, presented in Portuguese with English subtitles. Apprenticeship of Evil features an extensive interview via Skype/Zoom with Dennison Ramalho by artistic director of the Fantasia International Film Festival, Mitch Davis. The interview took place during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and in light José Mojica Marins’ passing. Ramalho offers his memories of Mojica before becoming his protégé and eventually filmmaking partner on Embodiment of Evil. He also provides photos from the set, as well as, and here’s your trigger warning, footage from Mojica’s funeral. Learning from the Master continues the interview from Disc Four, Apostle of Evil, in which Ramalho talks about Embodiment of Evil’s production. The first Making Of contains behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew on set during the production. The Experimental Making Of appears to be random pieces of Super 8mm footage (or the equivalency of) shot during production, cut together with odd music, sounds, and pieces of dialogue. Next is footage from the film’s screening on July 25, 2009 at the Fantasia Film Festival, where it came in 2nd place for Best International Film. Davis, Dennison, and Mojica introduce the film and the award is later given to Mojica. The Deleted Scenes are introduced and discussed by Paulo Sacramento and Mojica. They also return to discuss the Visual Effects for the purgatory scene, as well as the use of Storyboards, both with side-by-side comparisons. Last is the film’s trailer.

Obviously, this boxed set is incomplete when it comes to Mojica’s filmography, with the biggest omissions being The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe (which according Arrow, they had difficulty licensing) and Perversion, but there are also a number of extras not carried over from the Synapse Films DVD release of The Coffin Joe Trilogy. Everything carries over from their DVD and Blu-ray releases of Embodiment of Evil, while only the trailers carry over from At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul and This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse. The following is not included:

AT MIDNIGHT I'LL TAKE YOUR SOUL

Coleção Zé do Caixão (Coffin Joe Collection) Animated Short (SD – :49)
Optional Introduction by Zé do Caixão (SD – 2:10)
The Making of At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (SD – 10:01)
José Mojica Marins Discusses His Short Film Reino Sangrento (SD – 8:53)
Interview with José Mojica Marins (SD – 6:43)
New Scene Filmed in 2002 (SD – SD – 6:53)
Easter Egg: José Mojica Marins Eye Surgery (SD – 10:54)

THIS NIGHT I'LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE

Coleção Zé do Caixão (Coffin Joe Collection) Animated Short (SD – :48)
Optional Introduction by Zé do Caixão (SD – 1:42)
The Making of This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse (SD – 8:12)
A Visit to the Coffin Joe Museum (SD – 4:25)
O Universo de Mojica Marins (The Universe of Mojica Marins) (SD – 25:14)
Interview with José Mojica Marins (SD – 7:48)
Still Photos Gallery: Rare Photos (SD – 19 in all – 1:55)

Also not carried over for these two films from the 2002 Cinemagia Region 0 DVD boxed set are additional interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, test footage, still galleries, and screenplay text galleries. While not complete, it’s still an excellent side compendium to the main features.

In truth, trying to put together a boxed set of José Mojica Marins’ work is a difficult task in and of itself since there are massive elements, clearance, and rights issues, but Arrow Video managed to put together a mighty fine Blu-ray boxed set for Inside the Mind of Coffin Joe. It’s fairly extensive, if incomplete. There is, of course, the matter of the rest of Mojica’s filmography, much of which is made up of some fairly obscure work. Even so, I do hope we get a Volume 2 someday. If you’re a deeply-rooted horror fan and you haven’t experienced the Coffin Joe films, or any of Mojica’s work for that matter, you owe it to yourself to check this set out, whether you pick up the Limited Edition or the slimmed-down re-issue version. Both come highly recommended.

- Tim Salmons

(You can follow Tim on social media at these links: Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Letterboxd. And be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel here.)