Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Frightfest 2017: Saturday 26 August

'The Bar'  attracted us because it is directed by Alex de la Iglesia, director of 'Day of the Beast'.
An attractive woman, Blanca Surez, is seen walking through Madrid and is cursed by a gypsy
woman shortly before going in to the eponymous bar.   The owner, her waiter and a number of
customers are there when they are instructed by loud-hailer to stay put.   One does not and is
shot and they see men in Hazmat gear outside.   They decide to leave through the sewer network
underneath the bar which proves harder than it might do because of the tight fit of the entrance
to it.   At first, the only person able to get through is our heroine and she can only do so after
removing some of her clothing.   There is a fight which leaves some of the habitues dead but
most get into the sewers and try to find a way through and out.   Tensions which are already
high get higher and the animosity between the men with disputes over what seems to be an
antidote to the mysterious disease leads to more death.   Eventually, the woman is the only one
able to get out and she is seen, muddied and semi-naked walking through the crowd who pay
her no heed.   The characters are well differentiated and the tension of the situation kept up
admirably.

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