Saci-pererê is one of the most famous figures in Brazilian folklore, portrayed as a very cunning black boy, wearing a red hat, with one leg and a pipe between his lips. Because he is so famous, he was chosen to represent the celebrations of October 31st, the day countries around the world celebrate Halloween.
Here in Brazil, however, Saci Day has been celebrated since 2003. The date was created to bring national culture into this context. To celebrate this day, we have brought here 8 Brazilian horror films to watch on Saci Day:
Saci Day: 8 Brazilian horror films and series to celebrate the national Halloween
1.At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (1964)
To start our list of films and series to watch on Saci Day, we have the iconic horror film by José Mojica Marins, better known as Zé do Caixão (name also given to the character who starred in the films).
The story of At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul follows Zé do Caixão, an undertaker who is trying to father a perfect son. After finding out that his wife couldn’t get pregnant, he rapes his friend’s wife. Seeking revenge, the woman wants to commit suicide, to return from the world of the dead and take possession of her soul.
The cast of the film consists of Magda Mei, Nivaldo de Lima, Ilídio Martins and Valéria Vasquez, as well as José Mojica Marins himself, not only in the main role but also in the screenplay and direction of the film.
The film is available to premium subscribers of both Amazon Prime Video and Globoplay. The sequel Tonight I will incarnate in your corpse (1967) is also available on Prime, but the last film of the trilogy, The Devil’s Incarnation (2008), is unfortunately not available on streaming platforms.
2. Good Manners (2017)
The second film to see on Saci’s day is As Boas Maneiras. Nurse Clara, who lives on the outskirts of São Paulo, is hired to care for Ana’s unborn child. Over time, as the pregnancy progresses, the future mother begins to have strange nocturnal behaviors that end up influencing Clara, and bringing with her a disturbing secret. .
The film stars Marjorie Estiano, Izabél Zuaa, Cida Moreira and Miguel Lobo, and is available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video’s premium subscription and YouTube rental.
3. Reality Z (2020)
The zombie apocalypse arrives in Rio de Janeiro and the participants of the reality show Olimpo become trapped in the recording studio. Now they must find a way to survive amid the chaos. Producer Nina decides to take matters into her own hands, but director Brandão and deputy Alberto Levi won’t make things easier for her.
The series is a version adapted by Claudio Torres and João Costa, of the Dead Set series created by Charlie Brooker, in the United Kingdom. The cast includes Ana Hartmann, Guilherme Weber, Emílio de Mello, to name a few, and a special appearance by Sabrina Sato. The series is available on Netflix.
4. The Dark Forest (2018)
The fourth film to watch on Saci Day is A Mata Negra, which follows Clara, a young girl living in the interior of Brazil, who sees her life and the lives of everyone around her change when she finds the lost Book of Cyprian, whose magic beyond While it brings wealth and power to its possessor, it also brings a terrible curse to the land.
The cast includes the participation of Carol Aragão, Walderrama dos Santos, Jackson Antunes, Clarissa Pinheiros and Markus Konká, with the screenplay and direction by Rodrigo Aragão, and is available on Amazon Prime Video.
5. Insânia (2021)
Paula is a forensic police officer involved in a brutal car accident. When she realizes that her daughter died in the crash, the pain of losing her is so great that she ends up admitted to a psychiatric hospital where she is forced to undergo extreme treatment. Her mind flirts with madness as she tries to investigate how she actually got there.
The series consists of 8 episodes and stars Carol Castro, Eucir de Souza and Ravel Cabral, Rafaela Mandelli, Rafael Losso, Samuel Assis and Rosana Stávis. The production is available on Star+.
6. The Wolf Behind the Door (2013)
The sixth place on our list of films to see on Saci’s day is The Wolf Behind the Door. After her daughter disappears, Bernardo and Sylvia go to the police station to record what happened so that the police officer can start investigating the incident and find the girl. After questioning the parents separately, the police chief discovers that the father was cheating on his wife with Rosa, who is also under investigation. The more the police chief investigates, the more complex this web of lies and jealousy involving the three becomes.
This film is based on a real case that happened in Rio de Janeiro in 1960, which became known as the Fera da Penha case.
The cast includes Leandra Leal, Milhem Cortaz, Fabiula Nascimento and Juliano Cazarré, and won a number of awards, including Best Film, Best Director (Fernando Coimbra), Best Screenplay, among others at the Brazilian Cinema Grand Prix. The production is currently available on Netflix and Star+ and can be rented on YouTube.
7. The Dead Don’t Speak (2018)
Stênio is a night shift worker in a morgue who has the gift of talking to the dead, and is already used to listening to the many stories they have to tell, but when these conversations end up revealing secrets of his own life, he gets triggered a dangerous curse that puts him and everyone around him at risk.
The production stars Daniel de Oliveira in the lead role, as well as Bianca Comparato, Fabíula Nascimento and Marco Ricca, directed by Dennison Ramalho. The film is available for rental on YouTube.
8. Nocturnes (2020)
Trapped in a theater due to a storm, the actors gather to tell scary stories to pass the time. But as the hours pass, the tension between the scene colleagues increases.
The series is based on the horror stories of Vinicius de Moraes, features in the main cast Vaneza Oliveira, Rafael Losso, Thaia Perez, Andrea Marquee, Ícaro Silva and Bernardo de Assis with the special participation of other actors such as Marjorie Estiano and Gilda Nomacce. The production is currently available at Globoplay.
Sources: Globalplay | Netflix | Star+ | Amazon Prime Video | Youtube
The 8 Brazilian Horror Movies and Series to Watch on “Halloween do Brasil” appeared first on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
