In 1536 an alchemist named Uberto Fulcanelli (Mario Ivan Martinez) created a gold scarab shaped mechanism that gives the user eternal life. Inside the mechanism is an insect. The insect, when used correctly, gives the user eternal life by filtering their blood. Side effects to the device are that it turns the skin bleach white, and the user requires human blood in order to feed the insect inside the mechanism. In 1937 a building collapses with the alchemist inside it. His heart is pierced with a piece of the collapsed building. According to the legend, this is the only way the human body can die.
In 1996 Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi), an antiques dealer in Mexico, finds the mechanism inside the hollow base of a small statue. With him is his granddaughter, Aurora (Tamara Xanath). Jesus picks up the scarab shaped device. He winds a dial on the back of the scarab. As he is holding it, small legs begin to protrude from its sides and needle-like pincers stab Jesus’ hand, drawing blood. He manages to extract the device. The needles retract back into the device. Jesus puts the device in a box. The next day Jesus begins to feel younger.
Angel (Ron Perlman) comes into the shop looking for the statue. He buys it and takes it to his Uncle Dieter De la Guardia (Claudio Brook). Dieter is an old man who is dying of cancer. He is well aware of the device and what it is capable of doing. Using an old manuscript, written by the old alchemist, he plans on using the device to cure himself and give him immortality. Unfortunately, the device is no longer in the statue.
Angel trashes the antique shop and leaves a calling card. Jesus knows what he is looking for. He goes to see Dieter where he learns, in general terms, what the device is used for. Jesus decides to use the device on himself. Unfortunately for Jesus, he doesn’t have the notes written by the alchemist that explains how to use the device correctly or what it actually does to the human body.
Expecting to just feel younger, Jesus ends up with vampiric tendencies. Eventually Jesus learns that to be young, he must sacrifice his humanity and live in a world of darkness and loneliness. His battle with Dieter and Angel is nothing compared with his fear that he will destroy his family.
“Cronos” was released in 1992 and was directed by Guillermo del Toro. It is a Mexican fantasy horror film with some dark comedy and body horror.
The movie has lots of dark elements to it, but it also has some humorous parts that add some comic relief to the film. Ron Perlman as Angel and Daniel Gimenez Cacho as the funeral worker Tito add lightness to what is mostly an intense and ominous story. The music, composed by Javier Alvarez, punctuates the difference between the horror and the moments of light. I liked it a lot.
Director del Toro has a cameo in the beginning of the film. He can be seen, with his wife, walking a dog in front of the Jesus Gris house. This was his first full-length feature film.
Jesus’ autistic granddaughter Aurora, who is played by Tamara Xanath, says only one word in the entire movie. The word is Abuelo, which is Spanish for Grandfather.
My copy of the film does have English subtitles; unfortunately, the sound is off a little.