I caught The Slasher Face Forsaken Franchise at Cursed City Con this past weekend, and I’m glad I did. Few documentaries manage to blur the line between myth, urban legend, and film history as eerily as this one. What begins as an exploration of a forgotten horror film snowballs into a generational story of cursed productions, missing reels, vanished crew members, and an unstoppable folklore that refuses to die.
The documentary, put together by a scrappy team of Texas and Mexico-based filmmakers, collects testimonies from witnesses, former law enforcement, the son of the original writer, horror fans, and cast members from the long-awaited Slasher Face 3. Each voice helps reconstruct the strange, fragmented history of a franchise that seems to exist halfway between nightmare and reality.
The original Slasher Face (1969) was supposedly inspired by an ancient Mayan legend: a face-harvesting demon wielding a green obsidian blade. Made on a shoestring budget in Mexico, the film’s disturbing imagery, especially the notorious “strip club massacre,” sparked an investigation into whether actual murders had been caught on camera. Seized and mostly destroyed soon after, it left behind only whispers of arson and cover-ups.
In 1983, a sequel was attempted in Austin, but the production spiraled into tragedy. Cast abandoned the project, a young actress died mysteriously, and federal agents stepped in to confiscate the footage once more. Yet whispers persist that a rough VHS cut circulated underground, complete with the actress’s death left in. The documentary doesn’t confirm this, but interviews with a former FBI agent, a police chief, and a video store owner add fuel to the fire.
Decades later, indie filmmakers revived the project with Slasher Face 3. Against all odds, and through production setbacks involving car accidents, unexplained illnesses, and what some describe as a genuine curse, the film is now complete. Interviews with producer Ronaldo Mercado, actress and musician Ilsa Ambika Ryan, and SFX artist Jenna Green highlight the passion and grit that made it possible. Green’s practical gore effects look especially promising in the trailer, which caps the documentary with a bloody, 80s-inspired flourish.
What makes The Slasher Face Forsaken Franchise so effective is that it never outright tells you what’s real. Instead, it lets recovered audio, blurred-out testimonies, and campfire-style accounts build a layered mythology. Whether you believe the franchise is cursed, covered up, or simply a bizarre case of indie horror gone wrong, it’s impossible not to be drawn in.
With a runtime tight enough to keep the story sharp and a finale that teases the carnage to come in Slasher Face 3, this is catnip for horror fans who love lost films, conspiracy-laced production stories, and the kind of folklore that thrives on rumor. Keep an eye out for this one at horror conventions and festivals. It’s a fascinating slice of film history, myth, and pure nightmare fuel.
Jessie Hobson