Cronos

Horror

Madman

R4 DVD

Spanish subtitled in English

Guillermo el Toro’s first feature film didn’t get much attention when it was released in 2003 or 2004. Now it has been reissued we can look at the film and see the talent that has marked his work since. Although on the surface it is a vampire story, del Toro has made it into something of a love story between a grandfather and his niece. In the end he will sacrifice all for her.

The Cronos device was fashioned in the shape of a scarab by a Spanish alchemist who fled the Inquisition to Mexico. The device gives immortality to anyone who uses it properly. The alchemist was killed in an earthquake (immortality can only go so far) and the device, hidden in the base of an archangel statue, has passed into the hands of Jesus Gris. Jesus is an antiques dealer and is looking after his niece. There is a deep bond between the two. When a street thug comes looking in his shop and cuts open the parcel containing the statue Jesus is curious and manages to open the statue and take out the Cronos device. With no idea what it does he is holding the device and pressing various points to open it when metal legs come out and fasten into his skin. A needle then draws a sample of his blood and reinjects it after the device has done … something? The next day he is feeling better. The aches and pains of old age are disappearing.

The Cronos device is not without side effects. He now has a craving for raw meat and blood.

A dying millionaire, De La Guardia, has a book on the Cronos device and wants it to heal his own diseases. He sends his brutish nephew (the greatly underused Ron Perlman, playing the part well) to recover it at any cost. The nephew beats Jesus to death (he believes) then pushes Jesus in his car off a cliff. Jesus revives in the mortuary but once De La Guardia realises he is alive the nephew goes back to work. Jesus now knows of the vampire side effects. Can he trust himself with his beloved granddaughter? There is only one way out.

Del Toro keeps the story moving along but still finds time for some wonderful character development. Jesus (Federico Lupi) comes across as a gentle, kind old man. It is hard to make someone like this into a vampire, but Del Toro does it without the gore usually associated with vampire films. De La Guardia (Claudio Brook) is played in such a way that I spite of his greed and menace we can see him as another old man just desperate to hang onto life. The granddaughter Aurora (Tamara Shanath) only plays a minor role in the film with few speaking parts but her actions show her love for her grandfather.

It is a powerful film that is way past the usual vampire story. Perhaps now, on its second time around, it will get its deserved recognition.

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