*Frankelda* is a prequel to the HBO miniseries *Frankelda's Book of Spooks*; it chronicles how Francisca Imelda came to be Frankelda and establishes the circumstances of her life as depicted in the series.
So, is it necessary to watch the series before the movie? Actually, I think it is better to watch it afterward—I’ll explain why later.
Directors: Arturo Ambriz, Roy Ambriz
Writers: Arturo Ambriz, Roy Ambriz
Stars: Assira Abbate, Anahí Allué, Arturo Ambriz
First of all, the animation is magnificent. The character designs are both beautiful and terrifying; we see a wide variety of specters, with the Coyote Shaman being my personal favorite. The settings are rich in color and detail. The passion behind the project is evident in every frame, and the inspiration drawn from the works of Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington is unmistakable. Furthermore, knowing that the directors worked on a very tight budget—even going so far as to mortgage their homes—makes it impossible not to admire their dedication.
The plot revolves around Francisca’s desire to become the greatest horror writer of all time; however, in the 19th century, women were not taken seriously in this field, and the townspeople viewed her as an oddball. Herneval, the prince of Topus Terrentus (the land of specters), invites her to help him write nightmares to scare people in our world, as they are losing their fear of specters. However, this threatens the position of the royal writer, Procustes, who attempts to steal Frankelda’s stories and seize control of the kingdom of Topus Terrentus.
A simple plot isn't necessarily a bad one; the main issue here lies in the runtime and pacing. At nearly two hours long, there simply isn't enough story to sustain that duration. And if, like me, you watched the series before the movie, the first act feels a bit sluggish, given that the series' final episode covers these same events more briskly.
A tighter edit would undoubtedly have improved the overall experience. There is hardly any character development; Procrustes, the villain, possesses the most interesting traits and motivations. Consequently, if we find the villain more compelling than the heroes, we ultimately stop caring much about the latter. Another minor complaint concerns the audio mix of the songs. While the orchestra does a magnificent job with the compositions and the vocal performances are flawless, the mix renders some phrases unintelligible.
Overall, the film is well worth the time and money. It is a project deserving of our affection and support. Frankelda has built a solid fan base in Mexico and Latin America, and I truly hope its reach extends worldwide. We often overlook the flaws in Hollywood movies yet tend to be unforgiving toward independent cinema; it is time to change our mindset and do the exact opposite.
P.S. If you want to support more high-quality Mexican stop-motion creators, check out "Muerte al Buen Cine" on social media—though it is worth noting that the content isn't suitable for children, haha.
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