Scherzo Diabolico is a 2015 Mexican-American comedy horror thriller film written and directed by Adrián García Bogliano (The ABCs of Death: “B Is for Bigfoot”; Penumbra; Cold Sweat; Here Comes the Devil; Late Phases).
The title refers to a musical piece which is the third of the Études in the minor keys, for solo piano by the French composer Charles-Valentin Alkan.
Main cast:
Francisco Barreiro (We Are What We Are, Here Comes the Devil), Vita Vargas, Evan Alducin, Pau Alva, Tito Guillén, Pablo Guisa Koestinger.
Plot:
Mexico City: Aram (Francisco Barreiro) is a low-paid accountant living an unbearably dull existence. With a nagging wife who berates him for not being assertive enough, he quietly suffers while awaiting a long-deserved promotion. But there’s more to Aram than his quiet demeanour lets on. In fact, he has been secretly devising a scheme to finally get what he feels he is owed.
One day he asserts his power menacingly when he kidnaps a schoolgirl (Daniela Solo Vell) and keeps her tied up in an abandoned warehouse. But what seems like the perfect plan soon unravels into his worst nightmare, and his carefully constructed scheme comes crashing down piece by bloody piece…
Reviews:
“Scherzo 
Diabolico’s third act takes a welcome turn into black comedy, and its unexpected moments of violence will likely inspire huzzahs from midnight audiences. One particular image of gore is basically abstract expressionism. Yet these moments of dark fun are wildly at odds with the psycho-sexual torture of the earlier scenes.” The Guardian
“It’s interesting and meaty stuff that Bogliano address in a subtle and polished way. Through all of the vivid flashes of violence and pitch-black humor, Scherzo Diabolico feels like his most personal and entertaining work yet. There’s a meanness and bleakness to the film that may turn off some viewers…” Bloody Disgusting
“There’s a fine line between being darkly humorous and downright disturbing, and Scherzo Diabolico tiptoes along it like a tightrope. Viewers with leanings toward the sadistic side of cinema might find themselves laughing out loud (full disclosure: I did), but most probably won’t find much of the film to be a humorous matter; it gets dark.” Fangoria
Release date:
The film was released in the US by Dark Sky Films on DVD and VOD on May 3, 2016.
Filming locations:
Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
