María Salerno
Born in the early 1950s, María Salerno emerged as a notable figure in the realm of cult cinema during the 1970s. She is best known for her performances in Exorcism's Daughter (1971) and Inquisition (1977), where she navigates the dark and twisted narratives typical of exploitation films. Salerno's work in Diabolical Shudder (1972) further solidifies her role in the genre, embodying characters that reflect the era's fascination with the macabre and the supernatural. Her contributions resonate within the cult film community, making her a key player in the exploration of exploitation themes.
Diabolical Shudder
Diabolical Shudder is basically your age old tale of good vs. evil set in and around an old castle. In the evil corner we have Alex Montan (Mariano Vidal Molina), who has spent years coveting both his ailing mother Mina's fortune and his deceased stepbrother Clay's lovely former flame Vivian (Shepard). Clay supposedly died years earlier in a mysterious auto accident, but the body recovered from the accident site was burned beyond recognition, so no one quite knows for sure. The mother (Rosario Royo) suffers from a bad case of dementia, makes no bones about her disdain for her greedy son and refuses to sign over the estate to him. She also claims that Clay and her former husband Walter (who is also dead) continue to pay her visits late at night when no one else is around. Alex cannot wait to get his hands on his mom's money and is getting impatient waiting for the "medieval relic" to keel over. Alex is also a Satanist who heads up a small sect of followers called "The Brothers of Satan," who wear black robes with red hoods and are preparing to reap the rewards of the their service to the Dark Lord. To say this movie is obscure is a understatement.
