Film Reviews, “In 1536, fleeing from the Inquisition, the alchemist Huberto Fulcanelli disembarked in Veracruz, Mexico. Get your swag on with discounted movies to stream at home, exclusive movie gear, access to advanced screenings and discounts galore. After he winds the ornate, scarab-shaped device, it unfurls spider-like legs which grip him tightly, and inserts a needle into his skin, which injects him with an unidentified solution. Meanwhile, a rich, dying businessman, Dieter de la Guardia, who has been amassing information about the device for many years, has been searching for the archangel statue with the Cronos device. In the website's plot synopsis of the film, it's described as "A dark, visually rich, & emotionally captivating fantasy". Jesús Gris, an antique dealer, discovers by chance a mechanical device hidden by an alchemist of the XVIth century in the pedestal of a statue. When Gris faints, Angel places his body inside a car and pushes it off a cliff. Jesús, who hasn't been able to resist the temptation to use the device, understands that the regeneration can not be completed without feeding his body with new blood. As for vampires, well, they were flesh made immortal, just what the alchemists sought. How to Get Your Book or Comic Reviewed on HNN. [11], In North America, the film was given limited release to only 2 theaters where it grossed $17,538 its opening weekend and grossed a total of $621,392 playing at a total of 28 screens. His granddaughter Aurora notices this, and begins to worry about Gris. Those dark feelings are at the heart of del Toro's story, made more poignant because the antiques dealer is a good man who has had immortality with all of its inconveniences thrust upon him, while the industrialist is a cadaverous monster and the nephew is a goon. Gris agrees to hand it over in exchange for knowing the "way out", whereupon Dieter stabs him. After a brief investigation, the mansion and its contents were sold at public auction. Meanwhile, a millionare recluse is looking for the device to become immortal. Dieter beats Angel for not ensuring Gris's heart was destroyed, and sends him to check on the body. Perlman brings a comic element into the film, whistling "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in a way that for the first time finds sinister undertones in the tune. As far as anyone knew, it never existed.”. Gris throws them both off the roof, killing Angel. He and his nephew (Perlman) will do anything to get the Chronos Invention. Luppi brings a depth to the vampire which is rarely seen in modern cinema; there is no sparkling, devilishly handsome man here, just an old man feeling a little younger. Sharon Ring Antique dealer, Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi), discovers a gold, clockwork beetle inside a small statue of an angel; his curiosity is roused after a man enters his shop, paying special attention to the statue. Surprised to still be alive, he believes God to have saved him because of his attempted self-sacrifice. He also develops a thirst for blood. In the year 1536, an alchemist in Veracruz develops a mechanism that can give eternal life. The device is relentlessly pursued by a dying tycoon named Dieter de la Guardia, whose nephew Angel, reluctant to see his uncle live a moment longer, must still do the old man's bidding. With his grand-daughter (Aurora) looking on, he winds the clockwork mechanism to see if it still works. Tyler Posey realizes he's on his own in an exclusive clip from 'Alone,' now on FandangoNOW, What to Watch on FandangoNOW: ‘Unhinged,’ ‘The Opening Act,’ Miranda July’s ‘Kajillionaire’ and More, This Week in Family Movie News: ‘Thomas & Friends’ Coming Down the Track, First ‘Addams Family 2’ Teaser and More, R, Appointed official watchmaker to the viceroy, Fulcanelli was determined to perfect an invention which would provide him with the key to eternal life. When opened, it painfully stabs whomever is holding it, but the wound brings youthful vigor and a vampire's need for blood. Film Review: Cronos (1993) Sharon Ring 11/05/2019 Film Reviews. Synopsis Antique dealer Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi) stumbles across Cronos, a 400-year-old scarab that, when it latches onto him, grants him youth and eternal life -- but also a thirst for blood. He then painfully destroys the device, despite previous warnings. This was the alchemist. Jesus has, and is using, the Cronos device: De La Guardia has the original, hand-written notes detailing how to correctly use the device. With some movies it’s not that big a deal. The heart of the story is the love that persists between the little granddaughter and the immortal old man, after everything begins to go horribly wrong. Alchemists, in their most esoteric form, were not just obsessed with the transmutation of base metals into precious metals; they were also seekers of immortality, the Holy Grail so to speak. This was the alchemist. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Taglines Keith B Walters. Dieter is suffering from a terminal disease and is searching for years now this device whose mechanism is described in an old manuscript he owns. Before being able to strike the killing blow to the chest, Dieter is incapacitated by Aurora and Gris feeds on Dieter. Perlman revels in his role as Angel, an unwitting pawn in his uncle’s desire for immortality. In the present, an old, somewhat religious antique dealer, Jesús Gris, notices the base of an archangel statue is hollow. After a brief investigation, the mansion and its contents were sold at public auction. He returns to his home where Aurora lets him in. In the present days, the antiques dealer Jesus Gris finds Cronos hidden inside an ancient statue while cleaning it with his granddaughter Aurora. One of the curious things about immortality in fiction is that it almost always seems to be possessed by those unworthy of it. Easy come, easy go. It’s beautiful without being excessively bloody, creepy without being too obvious – a waking, haunting nightmare committed to film. Every now and then a movie slips through the net. Out of the blue, the stranger Angel de la Guardia visits Gris's shop and buys the old statue. The authorities located the residence of the dead man. [10] The film is sold separately, and as part of a movie collection named, "Trilogía de Guillermo del Toro", which includes del Toro's other Spanish language horror films The Devil's Backbone & Pan's Labyrinth. He has buyers out searching for the statues, mediated by his nephew, Angel, beautifully played by Ron Perlman. [7], In the early 2010s, Time Out conducted a poll with several authors, directors, actors and critics who have worked within the horror genre to vote for their top horror films. When he finally dies during a cave-in in 1937, the secret is lost. The body of the alchemist is found dead in the rubble, his heart pierced by a stake, of course. Collect bonus rewards from our many partners, including AMC, Stubs, Cinemark Connections, Regal Crown Club when you link accounts. A hired thug is responsible for finding it. The strong cast, especially Luppi, Perlman and Brook, make Cronos one of the strongest and most poignant vampire films I’ve ever seen. Elsewhere in the city, a dying industrialist (Claudio Brook, favorite Mexican actor of Luis Bunuel) obtains the journal of the ancient Spanish alchemist, and learns of the Cronos Device. An aging antique dealer named Jesus Gris happens upon an elegant mechanized scarab. Earn 125 points on every ticket you buy. Angel is sent by De la Guardia to hunt down Gris to get Cronos no matter the costs. Enter your location to see which His last words: Sua tempore. A stand-alone sequel, We Are What We Are, was released in 2010, w… Absolutely adore Cronos – great review btw. But "Cronos" is not really about plot. The Cronos device is found by an antique dealer, who has no idea what it is, or how to use it. The disc contains two audio commentaries by cast and crew, a video tour of del Toro's home office, several interviews, and Geometria, a 1987 short film (although finished in 2010) written and directed by del Toro. He pays a visit to Angel that introduces him to the eccentric millionaire De la Guardia that explains the healing power and the eternal life given by Cronos. After the initial voice-over (see synopsis), the movie moves to seventies Mexico. Parents Guide, Maximiliano Maza , "In 1536, fleeing from the Inquisition, the alchemist Humberto Oganelli disembarked in Veracruz, Mexico. Rack up 500 points and you'll score a $5 reward for more movies. The Cronos Device, hidden inside an ancient wooden statue of an archangel, is purchased by an antiques dealer named Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi), who finds the diabolical toy, winds it up, and watches with terror as it attaches itself to his skin and makes him, he later discovers, immortal. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 91% approval rating based on 53 reviews, with an average rating of 7.29/10. | Not just a great vampire film but, for me, still the absolute best Del Toro film. Gris briefly awakens and prays for survival, but seemingly dies. Antique dealer Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi) stumbles across Cronos, a 400-year-old scarab that, when it latches onto him, grants him youth and eternal life -- but also a thirst for blood. Cronos is a 1993 Mexican independent horror drama film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, starring veteran Argentinean actor Federico Luppi and American actor Ron Perlman. Vampire books and movies are constantly striving to inject something fresh into the old legend – new blood, so to speak. Plot Keywords He finds out the dealer has found the invention, but it all leads to tragedy. He later revives in an undertaker's establishment and escapes before he can be cremated. Synopsis We know life happens, so if something comes up, you can return or exchange your tickets up until the posted showtime. He was to name it the Cronos device. The rest of the movie draws us into De La Guardia’s efforts to take the device from Jesus and the metamorphosis of Jesus himself as he moves ever closer to full vampirism. The film received acclaim by critics for its acting, originality, mythology, religious references, and its balance of horror and drama. Four hundred years later, one night in 1937, part of the vault in a building collapsed. The fact is this: Vampires have a lot in common with Jesus Christ. It doesn’t always work out – look at Twilight for a recent example of total vampire fail – but Cronos works just beautifully. Rate This Movie: SYNOPSIS: “In 1536, fleeing from the Inquisition, the alchemist Huberto Fulcanelli disembarked in Veracruz, Mexico. Never, on any list or inventory, was the Cronos device mentioned. Click on a plot link to find similar books. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. "Cronos" begins with the legend of a 14th century Spanish alchemist who invents a device both elegant and horrifying: a small golden machine, looking like a scarab beetle from Faberge, which unfolds its beautiful claws and sinks them into the flesh of its user, injecting a substance which will impart immortality. There is always something shameful, in these stories, about being unwilling to die when your time has come. was still alive. When the film got the attention of international film critics including those from United States, it has since been recognized as one of the greatest horror films and Spanish language films of all-time.