The Nameless (1999 film)

Scene from The Nameless (1999 film)...

The Nameless, AKA The Cult of the Nameless, Los Sin Nombre, "La Secta de Los Sin Nombre"

Summary

"Trying to reach the limits of evil... But evil has no limits." A grieving couple who receive a phone call from their murdered daughter contact a parapsychology investigator for help in tracking down a malevolent cult before it kills again.

Details

• Release Date: 1999
• Country/Language: Spain, Spanish (English subtitles or dubbing)
• Genres/Technical: Drama, Mystery, Horror
• Runtime: 1 hr 42 min
• Starring: Emma Vilarasau, Karra Elejalde, Tristán Ulloa
• Director: Jaume Balagueró
• Writer: Ramsey Campbell (story), Jaume Balagueró (screenplay)
• Producer/Production Co: Filmax S.A., P.C. Joan Ginard
• View Trailer: (link)

Ratings

MPAA Ratings

• Rated: R (Violence, Profanity, Adult Content, graphic Nudity)

Tentacle Ratings

A rough measure of how "Lovecraftian" the work is:

• Ss___ (One and a Half Tentacles: Barely Lovecraftian)

Not very "Lovecraftian", aside from being written by Ramsey Campbell (who has sometimes written "Lovecraftian" fiction, though apparently not in this case), featuring a (Satanic?) cult, and having a grim ending.

Note: This rating is not intended as a measure of quality, merely of how closely related to Lovecraftian "Weird" fiction the work is.

Reviews

Review Links:

• Horror-Movie-a-Day, (link) - "...It's very slow, and needlessly so. I'm all for an atmospheric slow burn, but this is slow, slow... and then BAM! the ending practically comes out of nowhere.... Despite all its story/pacing issues, [director] Balagueró makes it all watchable... the ending of the film is what forms your final impression of it, and ultimately the ending didn't make the rest of the film worth the wait...."
• Richard Scheib at the Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review (2.5/5 Stars) (link) - "Jaume Balaguero generates such fine atmosphere that it is a shame that the film is not supported by any teeth. The ending arrived at is joltingly abrupt."

Synopsis

 Spoiler Section (Highlight to Read)

Claudia and Marc are horrified and heartbroken when their young daughter's body is found mutilated. Several years later, Claudia gets a call from a young woman who could be her child. Claudia then launches an investigation involving a detective, Massera, and a reporter, Quiroga. Their target -- a satanic cult, which may be holding and torturing the girl, and whose members could subject all involved in the case to dire fates.

Notes

Associated Mythos Elements

• TO DO
• Fiction: based on Ramsey Campbell's novel The Nameless (fiction)
• race: Human Cultists
• cult: The Cult of the Nameless