Interview By Christiano Abrahao

Photos and Stills Courtesy of Jose Mojica Marins

Portrait By Santiago Fernandez-Stelley

Translated By Peter Azen, Daniella Diniz, and Gisela Gueiros

24 Hours of Explicit Sex

48 Hours of Hallucinatory Sex

À Meia-Noite Levarei Sua Alma

At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul

Still from Encarnação do Demônio [The Embodiment of Evil] (2008)

Vice: Do you come here a lot?

José Mojica Marins:

Now that you’re here, I can’t tell if I’m honored or sad that you’re not wearing the Coffin Joe outfit. Do you generally wear it for interviews?

Did the government hassle you at all?

Your once-lengthy fingernails seem to be a few feet shorter now.

Coffin Joe in Brazil's first horror film, À Meia-Noite Levarei Sua Alma [At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul] (1964). Right: Stills from Encarnação do Demônio [Embodiment of Evil] (2008). Click to Enlarge

Why did you, the director, end up playing the Coffin Joe character?

I’ve always been impressed with your casting of females, which cumulatively amounts to the best collection of gorgeous women in Brazilian filmmaking. What’s your secret?

Is it true you made actors submit to “bravery tests”?

You also love to employ spiders.

Esta Noite Encarnarei no Teu Cadáver

This Night I Will Possess Your Corpse

Still from Encarnação do Demônio

That sounds like fun for everyone but your cast.

Cahiers du cinéma

People have often said you are involved with the occult.

Do you have a name for your method of directing?

O Bandido da Luz Vermelha

The Red Light Bandit

Left: Still from Esta Noite Encarnarei no Teu Cadáver [This Night I Will Possess Your Corpse] (1967). Right: Stills from Encarnação do Demônio. Click to Enlarge

How so?

Did it ever get out of hand on one of your sets?

Kill them?