The Curse of La Llorona is a popular legend in Latin American folklore. La Llorona, also known as the Weeping Woman, is said to be a spirit who roams around searching for her lost children. The story revolves around a tragic event in which La Llorona drowned her own children in a fit of rage and despair. As a result of her actions, she is condemned to wander in the afterlife, forever mourning her lost offspring. According to the legend, La Llorona can be heard wailing or crying loudly at night, especially near bodies of water. Some believe that her cries are an omen of death or a warning sign, while others see her as a vengeful ghost seeking to harm children in retaliation for her own losses.
New Line made the announcement Wednesday ahead of its second annual ScareDiego presentation ahead of Comic-Con.
Much of the film s supporting cast, however, is Hispanic and according to The Hollywood Reporter , many of the film s casting, directorial, and creative choices suggest a commitment to grounding this film within a Latin American world. The film stars Linda Cardellini as a social worker and widow raising her two kids in 1973 Los Angeles, who finds similarities between a case she s investigating and the supernatural occurrences haunting her own family which turn out to be La Llorona, a well-known figure in Mexican folklore who is the ghost of a woman who has lost her children and causes misfortune to those nearby.
Some believe that her cries are an omen of death or a warning sign, while others see her as a vengeful ghost seeking to harm children in retaliation for her own losses. Her appearance is described as a woman dressed in white, with long hair and empty eye sockets. The curse of La Llorona has been passed down through generations, with many claiming to have witnessed her presence or heard her cries.
The Curse of La Llorona: The Real Legend Behind the Horror Film
Generations of Mexican children have grown up afraid of La Llorona—a wailing woman whose misdeeds in life have left her spirit trapped on Earth, where she torments little children. She’s the stuff of legend—a myth and spooky bedtime story whose origins date back hundreds of years. And Friday, she will make her way to the screen once more in Warner Bros.’ The Curse of La Llorona. Although this terrifying figure has not always won over critics, the legend that first cemented her in the popular imagination remains as transfixing as ever. For horror fans and ghost-story lovers alike, La Llorona’s is a tale worth knowing.
The story varies a little depending on who tells it, but the gist is simple. Basically: long ago, a woman named Maria married a rich man, with whom she eventually had two children. Then their marriage hit a rough patch: her husband spent less and less time at home, and whenever he was home, he paid attention only to the children. Eventually, she sees him with another woman. Enraged beyond reason, some versions claim Maria drowned her two children—but she immediately regretted it, crying out, “Ay, mis hijos!” (Translation: “Oh, my children!” or “Oh, my sons!”) Maria is sometimes said to have drowned herself afterward. But when she arrived at heaven’s gates, she was denied entry, banished back to purgatory on Earth until she could find her lost children. She’s now known as La Llorona, which translates to “the weeping woman.”
Now, the legend says, she floats over and near bodies of water in her white, funereal gown, forever weeping as she searches for her lost children. Some versions of the story say she kidnaps or attacks children; others say she attacks cheating husbands. Regardless, when you hear her cries, the directive remains the same: run away.
La Llorona has directly inspired and/or influenced several movies over the years—including the 1933 Mexican film La Llorona, the 1963 Mexican film La Maldición de la Llorona (The Curse of La Llorona), 2006’s KM 31: Kilómetro 31, and 2013’s Mama, from Andy Muschietti and Guillermo del Toro. (Muschietti, who directed 2017’s It remake as well as Mama, is Argentinean; del Toro, who executive-produced, is Mexican.) The latest film to tackle the legend, The Curse of La Llorona, stars Linda Cardellini as a non-Hispanic white woman whose late husband was Latino. Much of the film’s supporting cast, however, is Hispanic—and according to The Hollywood Reporter, “many of the film’s casting, directorial, and creative choices suggest a commitment to grounding this film within a Latin American world.”
So far, The Curse of La Llorona has received mixed reviews; The New York Times’s Manohla Dargis described the film as “more efficient than ambitious,” although she added that director Michael Chaves “delivers the horror classics nicely. Every floorboard and door in Anna’s sprawling house seems to get a solo, with squeaks that become shrieks. By the time La Llorona is a regular visitor, Anna’s house has become a haunted world unto itself, each room—bathroom, attic, basement—a stage, complete with a flamboyant entrance and exit.”
And make no mistake: for a good number of the film’s cast and crew, making the film was an experience that recalled chilling childhood memories. Patricia Velásquez, who plays Patricia Alvarez in the film, told Bustle at a junket that when she was growing up in Mexico, La Llorona felt quite real. “[I]t’s really how our parents make us do what they want to,” she said. A sample threat: “[Make sure] to come in at 5—otherwise, La Llorona is gonna come and get you.” It didn’t help that, as Chaves told the Los Angeles Times, there were some “creepy supernatural occurrences” on set.
“Half the crew actually does believe the house that we shot in was haunted, and there might have been something to that,” Chaves said. Added Velásquez, “I think [La Llorona] was there just making sure we were doing right by her.”
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The film spends about five minutes summarizing the source of its title, courtesy of a Catholic priest (Tony Amendola) describing its religious ramifications. As he explains, La Llorona loosely translates to “Weeping Woman,” and is derived from the story of a 17th century woman who drowned her two children to get revenge on her unfaithful husband. So her ghost has been trying for years to abduct two kids to replace them.
It is said that those who encounter her are at risk of experiencing misfortune, tragedy, or death. Parents often use the story as a cautionary tale to warn their children about the dangers of disobedience or going out alone at night. In recent years, the legend of La Llorona has gained popularity with the release of the horror movie "The Curse of La Llorona" in 2019. The film depicts a social worker who becomes entangled in La Llorona's curse and must protect her own children from the vengeful spirit. While the existence of La Llorona remains a subject of debate, the story continues to captivate and terrify audiences around the world. Whether viewed as a cautionary tale, a ghostly figure, or simply a myth, the curse of La Llorona serves as a chilling reminder of the consequences of one's actions and the power of regret and sorrow..
Reviews for "The Wailing Woman: Exploring the Legend of La Llorona"
1. John - 2/5
As a horror movie enthusiast, I was really disappointed with "The Curse of La Llorona". The storyline was extremely predictable and offered nothing new to the genre. The scares were lackluster and failed to evoke any real fear. The characters were one-dimensional and the acting felt forced. Overall, this movie lacked the atmosphere and originality that make a good horror film.
2. Emma - 2.5/5
"The Curse of La Llorona" seemed promising with its intriguing folklore background, but it failed to live up to my expectations. The plot felt disjointed and rushed, leaving me feeling unsatisfied and confused. The jump scares were overdone and relied heavily on predictable loud noises. The lack of character development made it difficult to feel any empathy or connection with the protagonists. While the movie had some potential, it ultimately fell short in delivering a truly frightening experience.
3. Kevin - 2/5
I found "The Curse of La Llorona" to be a typical, run-of-the-mill horror flick. It followed the same tired formula, with jump scares and predictable plot twists. The characters were forgettable, and the dialogue felt forced. The scares felt cheap and lacked creativity. I was hoping for a unique and eerie experience, but instead, I got a forgettable horror film that brought nothing new to the genre.
4. Sarah - 1.5/5
"The Curse of La Llorona" was a disappointing movie that failed to capture the essence of the legend it was based on. The scares were cheap and relied too heavily on jump scares rather than building tension. The characters were poorly developed, and their actions often felt illogical and unrealistic. The plot lacked depth and failed to explore the interesting folklore it was inspired by. Overall, this movie was a missed opportunity to create a truly chilling and memorable horror film.