Starring - Agustin Olcese (Blood Covenant, The Summoning of Baby Blue), Mario Alarcon (The Dollmaker, Pretenders), and Carlos Portaluppi (Sector VIP, The Extortion)
Release Date - 2024
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Torment is just the beginning"
Format - Streaming (Tubi)
Rating (out of 5):
Several years I was introduced to the horror films of the Onetti Brothers. These two filmmakers have released some of the most brutal international horror films that I've been lucky enough to see. I've been fortunate enough to review several of their films over the years and I always look forward to checking out their work whenever I get a chance. A few weeks back I was lucky enough to receive a press release for the 2024 Onetti Brother's horror flick 1978. The press release was announcing that the film was heading Tubi. I made note of it and made sure to add it to my October horror binge this year.
The film takes place in Argentina in 1978 as the World Cup takes place. A group of men round up and kidnap those they suspect are secretly communists to torture and kill. What they don't know is that some of them are in a cult and one of them is currently pregnant and the birth is about to unleash hell on Earth.
I went into this one completely blind. All I knew about this one was that it was a film by the Onetti Brothers. I assumed the title was a reference to the year in which the film was set but I wasn't positive. I get the title but there is so many more compelling titles they could have used with such an awesome story. The acting in this one is phenomenal. The film features a cast of a lot of characters all with varying personalities which they do a phenomenal job at bringing to life. Some of the performances get lost in the differences in language as you are forced to look away from time to time to read the subtitles. While it is easier to watch a dubbed film, there is something about watching a horror title in it's native language. The story for this one made me second guess my choice for the first 20 minutes or so but once it gained traction I was fucking hooked. It's a painfully dull start but it absolutely delivers during the film's last leg. I don't want to give too much away but I was really impressed how the film was able to turn itself around. Finally, the film does not shy away from the red stuff. It starts out making the viewer think it is going to be another throw away torture flick but I redeems itself with the amount of blood and carnage we are given. The effects look great and make the film as much fun as it is. Overall, 1978 may push some viewers to turn it off prematurely but if you stick with it you will not be disappointed. I fucking loved it and know many genre fans will too if they give it a chance. Check it out.





























