The Bermuda Triangle (1978) User Reviews (34)

Creepy Cardona Mystery

[Chase_Witherspoon · 5/10 · 21 June 2010]

Rene Cardona, Jnr was arguably the most recognisable Latin exploitation film maker in the late seventies through mid eighties, and his brand was easily identifiable through his use of fading American character actors and gory special effects. Disappointingly, that brand is conspicuously absent here, with John Huston in a relatively brief supporting role, the only 'marquee' import, and little to none of the gory special effects usually synonymous with a Cardona picture.

The plot concerns the usual spate of mysterious disappearances converging on the Bermuda Triangle, while research vessel inadvertently sails into a maelstrom of intrigue and bizarre occult activity that seems to centre on a creepy-looking doll that is found floating in the ocean. It soon possesses the youngest child and in turn manages to wreak havoc amongst the rest of the crew, until, mysteriously, just a handful of weary survivors remain.

Perennial Cardona leading-men Stiglitz and Garcia make an amiable cinema coupling, and they continue their reliable presence here, with the once-sultry Marina Vlady and former bombshell Claudine Auger largely wasted in shallow supporting roles. Miguel Fuentes as a chiselled, Neanderthal looking mechanic is unintentionally hilarious at times, as he randomly emerges from the small engine room door to taunt the spooked passengers with doomsday prophecies, before returning to the ship's bowels to inhale more petrol fumes and envisage even more facile tales of terror for his next appearance.

While not totally inept - some unsettling suspense, good sets, colour and sound in particular - the special effects are profoundly amateurish and the dialogue is at times, painfully puerile. The possessed doll on which the story centres however does convey a certain Argento 'esque feel which is plainly scary (watch for those unnerving close-ups of the doll's face - creepy). Not your typical Cardona-style picture, and probably more accessible as a result. Average, but worth a look.

What's John Huston doing in this movie?

[bensonmum2 · 5/10 · 25 November 2005]

It's official - I can't seem to get enough of Rene Cardona, Jr.'s brand of movie-making. When I got my hands on The Bermuda Triangle, I was expecting the usual stuff – planes and ships disappearing at sea, unknown lights, and the ocean changing colors. While The Bermuda Triangle gives you all this, Cardona has stuffed the movie with so much more including: a possessed doll, a girl who talks to dead people, sharks, underwater earthquakes, parrot attacks, hurricanes, and more. None of it is fleshed-out very well, but boy is it fun.

Please don't misunderstand – The Bermuda Triangle isn't really a very good movie. The acting is bad, the dubbing is horrible (people in normal conversation often have the same tone in their voice usually reserved for a radio announcer), the special effects are weak, and the story is often predictable. To top it off, Cardona feels the need as he does in some of his other movies to show sharks being slaughtered. But none of this kept me from having a good time with The Bermuda Triangle.

No, lets not throw the obvious cause of all this overboard!!!

[Aaron1375 · 3/10 · 19 April 2020]

This film had a couple of interesting deaths and I wondered how it would all play out and suffice to say, it played out very badly. Apparently, whomever wrote this died before they had a chance to finish the screenplay and instead of trying to figure out where said screenwriter was going, they just kind of wrapped it up instead. Seriously, the film ends without showing us any sort of resolution and no kind of hint as to what was happening other than the fact that the little girl and her dolly were evil!

The story has a family aboard a boat touring the Bermuda Triangle and wishing to go on a dive where they feel they will find the lost city of Atlantis...well the kid with the unibrow thinks that is what they are going to find. Meanwhile, the engine room guy thinks they will find trouble and the cook is a walking stereotype that one would expect to see in the a film from the 1940's, not the 70's! They pick up a doll, give it to the girl and despite all the signs this doll is cursed, no one even thinks to throw it into the sea even after the guy who says he is going to throw back into the sea gets all chopped up by the propeller while little girl is in engine room!

The cast of this film is a bunch of people you have seen in other things along with John Huston who is apparently a dad to a bunch of young children even thought he looks to be well passed 60. The fact they keep dismissing the doll is irritating, I know it is irrational in real life to think a doll is behind things, but all the stuff that happens after they pick it up would make the most rational mind toss the thing. If nothing else, it was making the kid all creepy. Then we have an underwater scene that goes nowhere and where they keep showing us sharks being killed, did not think that added anything to the movie and was completely unnecessary.

So, this one had some interesting things going on as I wondered what was going to happen or if we would see any of the sea creatures depicted in pictures throughout the ship. The answer to that is no, they were as pointless as the planes being lost with no real background to the characters depicted. Just a huge waste of time in the end other than seeing that one blond in her bikini and a few interesting concepts used and then forgotten and an ending that sort of just peters out with no real resolution. I mean, why show a strange green glow if you are not going to show what it is attached to?

Awful

[Michael_Elliott · 12 March 2008]

Bermuda Triangle, The (1978)

* (out of 4)

Incredibly bad film from Mexican director Rene Cardona, Jr. A family goes off to the Bermuda Triangle to see what the big deal is and guess what happens. This film tries to be mysterious and creepy but fails on both levels because the screenplay is all over the place and never really makes a bit of sense. Character enter and exit the film without any explanation and the "mystery" of the Bermuda Triangle is never resolved or even talked about much, although the film tries to play claim to a cursed doll, which causes all the problems. There's some wonderful underwater photography but this too get hampered by three real sharks being killed on the screen for no reason. John Huston, Andres Garcia, Gloria Guida and Claudine Auger star.

Watch John Huston's career vanish in THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE

[udar55 · 4/10 · 23 September 2014]

Edward (John Huston...yes, that John Huston) charters the Black Whale III to take his family out to some Caribbean waters to search for what he believes is a sunken city. Naturally, they pass into the Bermuda Triangle and strange stuff starts happening (can you guess which actor disappears first, paycheck clenched tightly in hand?). It is up to Capt. Briggs (Hugo Stiglitz) to get everyone to safety. René Cardona Jr. was certainly getting his water freak on during this time period (this, TINTORERA, CYCLONE). The film is slim on thrills but somehow watchable. Cardona throws about every horror cliché at the screen and the crux of the plot rests on a young girl fishing a possessed doll (that may or may not be an old Triangle victim...don't ask) out of the ocean in order for the mayhem to start an hour in. He then throws in some other Triangle incidents randomly like some planes that go missing. There is also some nice underwater footage but Cardona ruins it all with some unnecessary real footage of two sharks being killed. Ugh. On a side note, did something drastically go wrong in John Huston's personal life in 1977? Divorce? Health bills? Loan sharks? Something? Because I can't explain his starring roles that year in this, TENTACLES, and Umberto Lenzi's BATTLE FORCE. We're talking three years removed from CHINATOWN here folks.

THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE (Rene' Cardona Jr., 1978) *1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 2/10 · 2 June 2006]

I know I've watched some film about the mysterious and notorious titular area in my childhood but I can't, for the life of me, recall if this was the one - hence my considering it as a first viewing! The subject matter is handled in the low-brow fashion which prevailed during the last gasp of "Euro-Cult" - even to the point of ludicrously ripping off Mario Bava's KILL, BABY...KILL! (1966) in the figure of the sinister girl, with a devil-doll in tow, 'causing' the various deaths; the silly revelation at the finale, then, takes it into "Outward Bound" territory! The 'star' cast looks embarrassed (an absurdly over-age John Huston, above all, must have been hard-up for cash - though, in all probability, he was financing WISE BLOOD [1979], one of his least commercial films, during this time) tackling their respective stereotyped characters, which include a perennially soused ex-doctor and a scaredy-cat of a black chef (the kind that was already passé forty years previously)! Stelvio Cipriani's efficient score is utterly wasted on this drivel.

Awful But Good For a Few Laughs

[utgard14 · 3/10 · 1 June 2014]

Folks on a boat cruising around the Bermuda Triangle find an evil doll floating around in the ocean. The doll is given to a little girl on board and then a bunch of strange stuff starts happening. What a turd. John Huston must have needed money badly. It doesn't have much to say about the Bermuda Triangle, either. That's just a means to an end to get this evil doll story going. On the plus side, the bad dubbing and worse dialogue are good for laughs. There are also a few weirdos in the supporting cast who are fun. Beautiful Gloria Guida certainly gives us some nice eye candy. It's not a good movie but fans of badly-dubbed stinkers might like it more.

Ummm...this movie stinks!

[phibes012000 · 1/10 · 2 March 2005]

Reading the other comments I must say that I'm not surprised. I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't recognize one's right to like stinky films. I like some z grades myself, but this movie ain't one of 'em. I spend 15$ on this crap. John Huston is in it, but doesn't do much other that stand around and talk in that voice of his. its almost a relief when his character is eaten by sharks. The only reason I like Rene Cordona Jr.s films is the nudity and luridness: this film has neither, so I hated it. As for the Bermuda Triangle I know nothing new about it after watching this film, and I'm not afraid of it any more than before. To add insult to injury there's a black character that is dubbed in mushmouth. Truly horrible: a disappointment in exploitation and offensive to boot.

Throw the Friggin' doll overboard !!

[Nemesis42 · 4/10 · 2 October 2020]

Cheese and ham, uniquely baked into a mess but somehow watchable. Completely overdubbed and bizarrely so. There are two young children in this. Their overdubbed voices sound like non-actors 10 years older with English as their second language, while dictating a script they are unfamiliar with. Crazy film making. The story is simple and linear but the acting and dialogue, OMG.

The characters are dumb in this. It's strikingly obvious to most characters what the problem is but no one takes the easy step to solve it. Geeez.

Strangely effective

[Bezenby · 7/10 · 5 December 2018]

Before I forget, I'd like to point out how that John Huston's two sons in this film are dubbed in a hilariously camp way that just adds to the general weird atmosphere of this one.

The title says it all - It's a film about the Bermuda Triangle. Kind of. It takes place almost entirely on a boat called The Black Whale III, owned by explorer John Huston and filled with his relatives - his two daughters (one a small child, the other played by definitely not a small child Gloria Guida), his two, campy-voiced sons, his drunken ex-doctor brother-in-law and his put-upon wife (Claudine Auger). There's also a crew consisting of permanently rough looking Hugo Stiglitz, skipper Andres Garcia, a token black chef, and some others peeps.

Huston is out looking for a lost city, but before he finds anything, they fish a creepy doll out of the sea which is adopted by his youngest daughter. The next thing you know the daughter is asking the chef for raw meat for the doll (!), they keep receiving mayday signals from boats that vanished years before and that's just the start of the weirdness.

I had a look at the running time of this one and at nearly two hours I thought I was going to be bored. It's cheaply made and all over the place, there's random footage of shark hunting thrown in and the film is full of wooden actors, but there's a few times where the creepiness factor in this film is turned all the way up to ten. The little girl is randomly attacked by parrots and it's implied that the doll bit a few of their throats out. Worse still, some of the cutaway shots to the doll reveal the doll being played by a human child. That caught me off guard and is by far the creepiest part of the film.

And it's rated 'U'! Did anyone watch this thing? One character gets her legs crushed and we get to see it in glory close-up. Another falls onto broken glass and bleeds out, then there's the bit that had me rewinding in disbelief - a character is under the boat doing a bit of spot-welding when a propellor starts up and the guy explodes! A U, how?

This film is cheap, oddly acted at times and overlong, but i'll be damned if it didn't work for me!

Not much of a mystery here...

[paul_haakonsen · 3/10 · 24 June 2021]

I stumbled upon the 1978 movie "The Bermuda Triangle" in 2021. I had never heard about the movie before. But as I had the chance to sit down and watch it, of course I did. And I must say that I was initially intrigued, because the mystery that surrounds the area of the Bermuda Triangle is very interesting in itself.

However, "The Bermuda Triangle" felt more like a series of randomly filmed segments filmed at the demand of director René Cardona Jr. As he came up with ideas as the filming progressed. There weren't really any real red thread to the course of the movie, which made for a less than mediocre movie experience actually.

Sure, the movie was showing signs of being from 1978, but it was actually sort of charming and fun to watch. The sound felt like it had been restored on the version I watched, and especially the dialogue felt like they had recorded new voice-over, because it sounded very atrocious and felt sort of out of tune with the characters on the screen.

I found little enjoyment in "The Bermuda Triangle", and it was a shame, because I had initially hoped for a bit more from the movie, truth be told.

I am rating this 1978 movie a mere three out of ten stars, mostly because the movie didn't really feel like a proper movie, but more like a random collection of filmed events put together to form a movie of sorts.

Great horror flick!

[PeterNeal · 8/10 · 18 March 2005]

Excellent vintage horror, borrowing tales & legends about the so-called Bermuda Triangle just to terrorize the viewers by various topics loosely relevant to the main plot. An unnerving score (courtesy of the talented, underrated Italian composer Stelvio Cipriani) comments nightmarish sequences about lots of strange supernatural phenomena, mysterious presences haunting the depths of the ocean, a ghost ship, and the creepy relation (often really disturbing) between a little girl and her evil killer doll. The story is neither solid nor coherent at all, as in Lucio Fulci's "The beyond" e.g., and the technical quality is quite poor, except for some underwater shootings by the good cinematographer Ramon Bravo, but these two aspects incredibly increase the tone of the whole movie's atmosphere. Written by Carlos Valdemar and directed by Renè Cardona Jr. (who later did the entertaining "Cyclone") this Italian/Mexican co-production scared me much more than "The shining"; I've seen it several times and I highly recommend it!

"Respect its secrets. Don't provoke its wrath."

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 6/10 · 29 December 2022]

This film is a patchwork of elements that illustrate the perils of The Bermuda Triangle but don't cohere into a satisfying whole. You have lost aeroplanes, lost ships, strange tides, intimations of sea monsters, odd lights, a creepy doll (?) flocking birds and an ending out of nowhere, almost similar to an 'it's all been a dream' conclusion and everything that's gone before doesn't really matter. It has an interesting cast including John Huston, Hugo Stiglitz, Claudine Auger and the comely Marina Vlady. The child billed as 'Gretha' playing Diana is almost as creepy as the doll.

There were parts I really liked; the underwater scenes particularly the dangerous falling pillars, the scenes of the storm rocking the boat, the melancholy air of oncoming doom and definitely the atmospheric music score by Stelvio Cipriani that added to the fear and tension. It's not a great film but it entertained and I wasn't bored throughout its one hour fifty-two minute runtime.

Utter Rubbish

[thecomputer-201-251463 · 1/10 · 1 January 2015]

This film is utter garbage, the dubbing is horrible to the point of distraction, some acting is pretty good, some very bad... and the plot... a computer program could do better just stringing thriller movie cliché's together. We developed no empathy for the characters, and were just hoping they would all meet a quick demise, not for them, but so that we could end our suffering watching this film. Generally I enjoy cheesy classic 70's and 80's thriller/disaster films, but didn't enjoy this one bit! I actually took the time and effort to sign up for an IMDb account just so I could review this film and warn the rest of the world what manure this film is. Worst I've seen in years, save yourself 2 hours of your life and skip it.

"I Hope You're The First To Be Sea sick!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 5 January 2020]

BERMUDA TRIANGLE is the story of the titular three-sided area, and its effect on a ship full of passengers. We quickly notice that this place causes peculiar voice-over dubbing, making children sound like adults that are pinching their noses while they speak. There's also a devil doll with its own theme music, found bobbing in the ocean. Said plastic menace gets more screen time than most of the humans!

Why does the music from FORBIDDEN PLANET keep playing?

Characters include: The "zany cook", straight out of the 1930's. The ship's captain, who has more hair on his head and face than an orangutan has on its entire body. The "wise engine room guy" who waxes mysterious, while someone plays a saw. Then, there's the lady and her bitter, jackass husband who has "anchor" written all over him! How is he NOT at the bottom of the sea?

Thankfully, there's a blonde hottie on board who brought only a bikini for the voyage. Her presence helps to numb the agony caused by the rest of this debacle. Someone convinced John Huston to be in this bilge. Wasn't TENTACLES enough?

Cue the endless underwater scuba shots, where sharks are senselessly slaughtered for the sake of this hogwash.

Oh no!

Disaster strikes, leaving bikini-girl trapped under water! Nooo! Why her? Why not the idiot husband or the werewolf captain? Oh hurrah! She's saved, though her knees now look like raw meatloaf.

Arrr, there's a storm a-brewin'!

The devil doll gets to work, while stock lightning flashes.

Now, it's time for THE BEST SCENE IN THE MOVIE: Engine room guy tries to weld the underside of the boat, only to have devil doll mystically send him through the ship's propeller like a sack of tomatoes through a wood chipper! Blllooorssh!

Be advised, this film is schlock meant only for those seeking a good brain hammering...

People Talk Without Opening Their Mouths

[Theo Robertson · 3/10 · 8 August 2013]

I saw the name of John Huston in the credits and since it had the title of THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE I had high hopes that this might be a scary movie featuring the stuff of legend where some boat passengers get lost and find themselves battling demonic forces . I thought wrong because this is bland nonsense of the worst sort

It's not really the sort of film that concerns itself to getting to the bottom of the mystery of the Bermuda triangle which is fair enough . What it is totally guilty of is failing to compel and chill the audience . You want people to be scared for their mortal lives ? Bad idea to dub the actors in that case . You know these dubbed porn videos of the 1980s where characters have the best sex of heir lives and they speak like they're repeating their grocery list ? Well that's what it sounds like here . No matter what happens to whoever in what ever situation they speak in a bland monotone . You'll also lose count the number of times someone speaks without opening their mouth so obviously this stretch of water causes people to become telepathic

The screenplay is very plodding in its nature , there's very little incident so the director tries to spice things up by adding creepy music which is totally ineffective and soon outlives what little welcome it initially had and soon becomes irritating . It's possibly the worst film made hat features The Bermuda Triangle as its premise

Talk about a tedious bore, how could anyone be a fan of this........

[Idiot-Deluxe · 1/10 · 15 June 2017]

As it's title boldly implies -The Bermuda Triangle- is a film that's based around the lore and mystique surrounding the Bermuda Triangle, which in itself sounds fairly compelling, however.....this movie is mostly about the people on board a yacht known as the Black Whale III. Oh and what a charismatic lot they are! The films primary cast is comprised of about 12 people of various ages (including John Huston and Claudine Auger), but mostly the cast is made from a short list of small-time/no-name actors (if you watch this movie you'll know why their not a known name), whose acting is typically so casual and mundane you'd swear that they weren't aware that they were part of a movie. And to make things even worse all of the child actors dialog is over-dubbed (and by people who sound much older then them), which has a way of making them sound unnatural and even ridiculous at times. This is especially true for the little blonde girl, whose voice sounds about as natural as that of a talking dolls. And just to mention it, it's always a bad sign when the quarrelings of a dysfunctional middle-aged couple are the movies most entertaining moments and that's where Claudine Auger comes in. Filmed in 1977, a full 12 years after her famous appearance (as Domino) in Thunderball, she's not looking quite as beautiful here and she's constantly bickering with her boozehound hubby (whose hitting the J & B scotch ultra-heavy). Sadly, these scenes between the two are, for me at least, the movies liveliest scenes. I find that there's something very compelling about their biting mutual disdain for each other, not to mention all the great free-flowing sarcasm that these two bitter souls stir up between each other.

The purpose of their cruise is to scuba-dive on the site of some ancient underwater ruins that are many miles out to sea (this type of setting can make for some absolutely incredible visuals, but don't worry, nothing remotely interesting, let alone incredible comes of it), so don your wet-suit and get ready to immerse yourselves in this grand dive of theirs. This lengthy dive sequence was clearly meant to be the movies center-piece, but yet it lasts for far too long and is, like the rest of this movie, a total bore - just underwater this time. You'd think that this sequence would supply some temporary reprieve from all the mundane nothingness that's taking place aboard the decks of the Black Whale III, but that's not the case. This 10 minute underwater foray generates all the thrills and excitement of watching a bowl of jello stiffen. In more capable hands this sequence no doubt could've been a surreal underwater odyssey. It's during this dive when bad luck befalls the loveliest of the ships passengers, when an ancient pillar topples over and crushes her legs. Now things get desperate fast as she needs help ASAP, but the mysterious ways of The Bermuda Triangle (also known as The Devils Triangle) make that impossible and the only doctor on board is a hopeless and bitter drunk. In contrary to how most movies work, this situation of life and death seems to only slow down the pace of the film, which is certainly unusual and even amazing if you think about it. When it's all said and done there is virtually nothing compelling or entertaining about this lame and forgotten movie from the 70's. It's biggest failure is it's cast and that's clearly reflected through their lack of any real chemistry between each other - not that they had anything interesting to say in the first place . And the poor voice-dubbing only makes this bad movie worse.

Once it's all said and done The Bermuda Triangle seems to do nothing, other than kick dirt on John Huston's long and storied career - The Maltese Falcon this is not.

The verdict is: Very slow, very dull and just plain bad. Like so many movies from the 1970's tend to be.

So-so

[Woodyanders · 5/10 · 31 March 2014]

The crew and passengers on board a luxury boat in the Caribbean sea experience bizarre phenomena when the ship ventures into the notorious Bermuda Triangle. Director/co-writer Rene Cardona Jr. assembles plenty of promising ingredients -- a creepy doll, the lost city of Atlantis, a ferocious bird attack, a sea quake, a fierce storm, predatory sharks, and so on -- but alas this movie fizzles when it ought to sizzle: The slack direction, talky script, sluggish pacing, drawn-out and meandering uneventful narrative, lousy dubbing, and padded 112 minute running time make this pedestrian affair a pretty tedious chore to endure. Fortunately, the nifty international cast keeps this picture watchable: John Huston as the crusty Edward, Andres Garcia as amiable first mate Alan, Hugo Stiglitz as the stalwart Captain Mark Briggs, Marina Vlady as the sunny Kim, Claudine Auger as the bitchy Stybil, Carlos East as bitter and spineless alcoholic doctor Peter, and Mario Arevalo as friendly crew member Tony. Moreover, the delectable Gloria Guida looks smoking hot in a red bikini, there are a few moments of effectively spooky atmosphere (several close-ups of the doll as a live baby are truly freaky and unsettling), and the bleak tone becomes more increasingly hopeless and upsetting as the story unfolds towards an uncompromising downbeat ending. Leon Sanchez's sharp cinematography boasts some impressive underwater photography. Stelvio Cipriani's moody'n'melancholy score hits the spine-tingling spot. A merely passable time-waster.

As Barry Manilow sings, 'Bermuda Triangle Very bad!'.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 31 March 2018]

Directed by prolific Mexican exploitation film-maker René Cardona Jr., The Bermuda Triangle is a dull supernatural thriller that attempts to cash in on the mysterious phenomenon supposedly responsible for the strange disappearance of numerous aircraft, boats and ships.

Starring a slumming-it John Huston, Mexican B-movie actor Hugo Stiglitz, Bond girl Claudine Auger, and stunning blonde Euro-babe Gloria Guida, the film centres around a family pleasure cruise that experiences strange occurrences after the youngest daughter takes possession of a doll found floating in the sea. A mysterious fog-bank, a sudden storm, a sea-quake and a series of bizarre fatal accidents subsequently befall the occupants of the Black Whale III.

Like the family's boat, the plot goes nowhere, adrift in a sea of half-baked ideas. Cardona is unable to inject any life into proceedings, and his cast can do little with the directionless script. It comes as no surprise that, with the stranded passengers and crew whittled down to a handful of survivors, Cardona Jr. wraps up his film with a dumb Twilight Zone-style twist that fails to provide any answers.

3.5 out of 10, rounded down to 3 for the senseless harpooning of three sharks that were happily minding their own business.

Just woah...

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 4 August 2018]

René Cardona Jr. gave us Tintorera, a Susan George star vehicle about the Mexican version of Jaws and Guyana: Crime of the Century, which somehow included Stuart Whitman as Reverend James Johnson leading Johnstown, along with Gene Barry and Joseph Cotten. If these things warm your heart, you're reading the right website.

Based on Charles Berlitz's best-selling book, this one has it all. Atlantis. A possessed doll. Black characters dubbed to sound like they're coming straight out of Amos 'n Andy. And John Huston. Yes, that famous director. That guy.

The Black Whale III has set sail for the Bermuda Triangle with the Marvin family leading the way. Sure, they're looking for Atlantis, but mostly they just argue with one another. Finding a doll in the water, the family's young daughter Diana becomes possessed, telling people how they'll die and locking the cook in the freezer.

Oh yeah - there's also a scuba diving expedition that leads to the oldest daughter getting her legs crushed and her father just can't decide whether or not to cut her legs off. Such is the drama of this film.

People start getting killed off until the desperate captain tries to call other ships for help. They end up hearing multiple distress calls, including their own being played back to them. When they finally reach someone, they learn that everyone on board died ten years ago. All that's left is the doll floating in the water.

Claudine Auger (Black Belly of the Tarantula) shows up here, livening things up somewhat. This film is strange, as it wants to be about so many things while struggling to be about anything. And as mentioned before, the near minstrel show dubbing of the black cook is quite troubling at worst or hilariously inappropriate at best.

Let me reiterate: Hollywood legend John Huston is somehow in this piece of crap. Oh the 1970's, when once big time talent would show up in the strangest of films!

I found this for free on Amazon Prime, so I recommend you do the same. The doll parts are at least somewhat cool, as is the atonal soundtrack and poor dubbing.

Whale of a tale to tell

[lanechaffin-964-63190 · 6/10 · 17 October 2021]

Horrendous acting and dubbing throughout this movie mesmerize the viewer. The captain's acting in particular was starkly nonexistent. I have seen many, many movies with bad acting but this may be THE worst I have ever seen. It's almost as if they were intentionally doing it. The acting coupled with the dubbing compromise the movie, but it is all somewhat interesting nonetheless. Joining John Huston on board are three film beauties, Gloria Guida, Marina Vlady, and Claudine Auger. The sound track is eerie and really the movie isn't that bad. I think it is worth a watch if you're curious and enjoy things from the 70's.

Thank you RIFFTRAX

[cherylhouston-20185 · 3/10 · 16 January 2023]

Well if it wasn't for RIFFTRAX I'd give this movie a 1, crazy dumb. What the heck is John Huston doing in this flick?

No one knows whats going on! I'm not sure how many times the line "I don't know" is in the script.

An evil doll, a possessed little girl, a drunk surgeon who has given up hope, a hot blonde, an old man with a hot blonde wife and 4 children, an underwater lost city, senseless murder of sharks YEP! Real sharks being killed on film. Bad dubbing... Really bad dubbing, bad editing, bad plot... just bad.

Can I think of any thing good? Hummmm not really

But RIFFTRAX HAD ME LAUGHING! Thanks guys!

The greatest horror movie about the coolest horror topic!

[svbell · 10/10 · 11 August 2001]

Yes, tales of The Bermuda Triangle terrifies many people, and this movie isn't going to calm their fears.

A stunning work by great director Rene Cardona Jr. who managed to keep a disturbing mood all the film long, from the first minute of disappearing USAF jets, to the last one, with the closing credits showing a list of hundreds of planes / ships who vanished in the Triangle. Unforgettable. Eerie music score adds a lot to the chilling atmosphere, and the use of an apparently inofensive doll can drive your kids afraid of their own toys if they dare to watch this flick (I certainly do not recommend it to kids, all the people I know of that saw Il Triangolo Delle Bermuda told me they hade many nightmares, and so do I...) Rene Cardona don't need any hysterical screams, bloodbath, or giant monsters from the deep, he has this rare talent of being able to bring up such pure psychological horror.

Very hard to find on tape, I sincerly hope it will be available one day on VHS or DVD.

this movie is 2h long

[kaefab · 4/10 · 24 June 2021]

Wow the Bermuda triangle always intrigued me. They had the chance to really do something good with this movie.

A part from a few good scenes, gory maybe 4 i say the whole movie is slow moving and boring.

Rene Cardona Jr.s's best movie

[lazarillo · 4 May 2007]

You have to hand it to Rene Cardona Jr.--maybe his films aren't very good, but he was always able to make them the way he wanted to in Mexico and successfully distribute them internationally (as opposed to today where most Mexican filmmakers manage maybe one acclaimed art film before they're swallowed whole by the Hollywood whale). This film seeks to exploit all the publicity surrounding the Bermuda Triangle at the time. A deep sea diver (John Huston)and his much younger wife and family sail into the Bermuda Triangle to explore some undersea ruins. Along for the ride is his bickering half-brother and sister-in-law and a superstitious crew of Mexican sailors. Strange things begin to happen. They find a creepy doll floating in the sea and give it to the youngest daughter who feeds it raw meat (which, hilariously, no one remarks on)and become possessed by it, accurately predicting the demise of various cast members. There are freak storms, bizarre accidents, and perhaps most creepy they keep hearing distress calls from the ships and planes that have disappeared over the years, including even their own transmissions.

This movie is pretty effective and has a surprising amount of character development. The cast is Cardona's usual mixture of washed-up Americans (Huston), Mexican regulars (Hugo Stiglitz and Andres Garcia) and a little delectable bikini-filler imported from Europe (Gloria Guida). Since this was marketed as a low-budget disaster movie, it is fairly family-friendly (although it's probably too violent and scary for little kids), so don't expect the usual sex and nudity from the director of "Tintorera"--in fact, this is the only movie I've seen with Gloria Guida where she does NOT take her clothes off (she spends most of the movie in bed, literally, after a diving accidentally). It is a testament to the effectiveness of this movie though that I really didn't mind. The only real negative here is the atrocious dubbing: the dubbed dialogue of the black cook, in particular, would be offensive if it wasn't so ridiculous--he comes off like a throw-back to Step'n Fetchit.

Still I would definitely recommend this. Even if it's not much of a compliment, this is definitely Rene Cardona's Jr.'s best movie.