El castigador castigado is a messy, fascinating sound-added experiment

Is it worth a watch?

Honestly? Only if you really like seeing how movies used to be frankensteined together. If you want a smooth story, you'll probably hate this within ten minutes.

But if you like dusty, weird artifacts from the 30s where the sound doesn't quite match the faces? It's a gold mine. 🍿

So, here is the deal with El castigador castigado. It is actually just a movie from 1922 called Don Juan Tenorio that they decided to "update" for the sound era in 1936.

It feels exactly like that sounds. Like someone found a dusty old tape and tried to dub over it while the actors were already halfway through a different sentence.

The first thing you notice is the acting style. Since it was filmed in the early 20s, everyone is moving their arms like they are trying to flag down a plane.

Then you hear these voices coming out of their mouths that are way too calm for how much they are flailing around. It’s hilariously disconnected.

There is this one scene where Don Juan is standing on a balcony. He’s supposed to be this great lover, but the way he stares at the camera makes him look like he’s actually worried he forgot to turn the stove off at home.

I found myself focusing on the hats. Everyone in this movie has a hat that looks like it weighs about fifteen pounds. 🎩

The story is the usual Don Juan stuff—he’s a jerk, he bets he can ruin everyone's life, and then things go south. It’s the "punished punisher" thing the title talks about.

But the pacing is just... off. Because it was originally a silent film, there are these long pauses where people just look at each other.

In a silent movie, that’s where the music swells. Here, you just hear the hiss of the old audio track and maybe a very faint sound of a sword clinking.

Speaking of swords, the duels are kind of funny. They move so fast because of the old frame rates, so it looks like a Charlie Chaplin skit but with more stabbing.

It reminded me a bit of the theatricality in The Darling of Paris, but way more rugged and less polished. This feels like it was made in a basement by people who really hoped nobody would notice the actors were fourteen years older in real life by the time this version came out.

The Fortunio Bonanova Connection

One cool thing is seeing Fortunio Bonanova. Most people know him from Citizen Kane as the opera teacher, but here he is, much younger and doing this high-drama Spanish theater vibe.

He has this intense energy that almost burns through the grainy film. You can tell he was going to be a star even if the movie around him was literally falling apart.

I noticed a small detail in the tavern scene. There’s a guy in the background who just keeps drinking from an empty cup for like three minutes.

He doesn't even try to hide it. He just tilts the cup back, nothing comes out, and he does it again. I couldn't stop watching him instead of the main characters.

The sound quality is pretty rough. It’s got that 1930s crackle that makes everything sound like it’s being told to you through a tin can. 📻

Sometimes the music just cuts out. Not for dramatic effect, but like the guy running the soundboard just stepped out for a cigarette.

If you’ve seen The Betrothed, you know how these old European epics can get a bit long-winded. This one tries to be epic but the budget just isn't there for the sound version.

It’s a weird experience watching a ghost of a silent film trying to pretend it’s a talkie. It’s like seeing an old person try to use a smartphone for the first time—a bit awkward, but you can’t help but watch.

I think the best way to watch this is with a big cup of coffee and no expectations of a masterpiece. It’s a curiosity.

The ending is supposed to be this big moral lesson, but I was mostly just thinking about how much makeup they had to put on the lead actor. He looks like he’s covered in flour.

It’s not as polished as something like Tom Sawyer from around that time. It’s much more rough around the edges.

Actually, the edges are basically frayed. But that’s what makes it feel real, you know? It’s a movie that wasn't supposed to exist in this format, yet here it is.

I’ll probably forget most of the plot by next week, but I’ll definitely remember that one ghost effect. It’s just a guy with a sheet and some clever lighting, but it’s creepier than most CGI today because it’s so physical.

Anyway, if you like Spanish cinema or just want to see a movie that feels like it’s haunted by its own past, give it a look. Just don't expect it to make total sense all the time. 🕯️