‘When Evil Lurks’ and the Solitude of South American Gauchos
By Marcos Codas
I’m still in awe of the fact that we live in a world where Argentinian horror cinema is kind of mainstream. Demián Rugna, writer and director of Terrified (2017), a film that became an instant cult classic on streaming platforms, had his latest film, When Evil Lurks (2023), released this year. If anything, this was even more successful in captivating the public’s imagination. And the thing that makes me the happiest is that Rugna imbues his films with extremely Argentinian things. In When Evil Lurks, the backdrop is the sometimes-self-imposed exile of gauchos (Argentinian cowboys), a subject near and dear to my heart.
When Evil Lurks
Rugna’s latest is an ode to possession films. I won’t spoil the plot, but it is a fascinating deep dive into the dynamics of a deeply flawed, but at its core, good life. The film centers on two brothers, Pedro and Jaime “Jimi” Yazurlo, who discover an unborn demon in their village. Full of practical effects, amazing photography, and gripping pace, it’s no surprise that “99% of 97 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.9/10” (Wikipedia contributors, 2023).
Both brothers are gauchos aka Argentinian cowboys. There is a lot of folklore around gauchos in Argentina. They are a solitary breed, often living by themselves or in small groups on the remotest ranches in South America. Tough, no-nonsense, and sometimes, as is the case with the Yazurlo brothers, seeking distance from someone or something.
Though the experience of being a gaucho can provide peace and distance from the outside world, it can also make for a terrifyingly lonesome place to be should things go awry, as they do in the movie. It really is quite a perfect and unique setting for a horror film.
My Gaucho Experience
As previously mentioned, I’ve always found gauchos fascinating, so this film attracted me from the get-go. My mother is Argentinian and so is half of my family. They come from a tiny town with a population of under 300 people, surrounded by farmland, extremely reminiscent of the setting in When Evil Lurks.
I clearly remember going on vacation to La Pilar, the ranch my grandparents owned. As a kid, the wide expanse, the smell of pine on the long driveway to the house, and the endless sunflower seeds seemed like something out of a fairy tale. But my favorite thing was talking to Luis Volpato, the head gaucho at the ranch. With mate (a hot infusion of yerba mate and water) always in his hand, he seemed so tough. Invincible. And he could fix anything.
But he was also a bit reclusive. Even though he was sociable and jovial, I have no clue as to his personal life at all. In fact, that is the case for every single gaucho I’ve ever met, in Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.
They always seem to find not solitude but solace in their remote existence, as if they tolerated other people rather than enjoyed their presence.
Witness of Another World
Before When Evil Lurks brought major attention to the gaucho lifestyle I so loved, I learned of an independent documentary called Witness of Another World. Released in 2018, directed by Alan Stivelman, and featuring French actor, writer, and documentarian Jacques Vallee, Witness of Another World follows the story of Juan Perez, a gaucho who experienced what he believes to be an alien encounter as a kid.
Ostracized after sharing his story with the wider world, Juan became a recluse gaucho who wanted nothing to do with the people who made fun of him. Hidden on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, he leads a peaceful life, carrying a life-changing experience with him.
Witness of Another World is a kind exploration of the unexplained, the possibility of alien life and its interpretation in Indigenous communities in South America, and the comfort of living the gaucho lifestyle. Juan’s story is heartbreaking. Not because of the supernatural events he experienced, but because of the cruelty he suffered at the hands of his fellow human beings.
Gauchos, Cinema, and Solace in Solitude
To summarize, then, I will reiterate that I am fascinated by the gaucho lifestyle. As a person with severe anxiety, depression, PTSD, and agoraphobia, the thought of living by myself in a remote cabin brings nothing but serenity. That’s why I’m so happy to see this lifestyle represented in cinema. Be it as the backdrop of a horror story like When Evil Lurks, or the reality of Witness of Another World, it is obvious that while some of us crave to live in places like New York or London, the human experience is not a “one-size-fits-all” situation.
Some of us really love to be at peace. Be it for contemplation, to escape from mistakes of the past (as was the case for Pedro Yazurlo in When Evil Lurks), or out of contempt for having been mistreated by society (as was the case for Juan Perez in Witness of Another World), the gaucho lifestyle provides a unique sense of self-imposed isolation that is utterly unexplored and wildly fascinating. 🩸
About
Marcos is a Paraguayan-Canadian multimedia producer, writer, filmmaker, and game developer. He is the former assistant editor at Dread Central and has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. He is an unashamed fan of found footage films, handheld gaming, and restoring old vehicles, which he does in his spare time.
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