Synopsis
The movie Panga (1991), also known as Curse III: Blood Sacrifice, is a horror film set in the 1950s in East Africa[1]. The plot revolves around an enraged voodoo practitioner who calls forth an ancient demon from the sea to seek revenge on a woman and her family after his sacrificial ritual is disturbed[1][2].
Elizabeth Armstrong, played by Jenilee Harrison, and her husband Geoff Armstrong, played by Andre Jacobs, run a large sugar plantation[2]. Elizabeth’s sister interrupts the sacrifice of a goat by the local tribespeople, which leads to the entire family becoming the focus of a curse placed by the local witch doctor[2]. The witch doctor calls forth an ancient demon from the sea to seek revenge on his behalf[1][2].
As members of her family begin to disappear, seemingly victims of the ancient creature brought on by the curse and now living in their sugar cane, Elizabeth asks for help from Dr. Pearson[1][2]. Dr. Pearson, played by Christopher Lee, is a doctor who knows everything about the voodoo master, the monster, and the rituals[1][2]. He helps Elizabeth in her fight against the evil[1][2].
The movie Panga (1991) reaches its climax when Elizabeth lures the Witch Doctor into a sugar cane field fire, where he perishes and the demon is destroyed, lifting the curse2. However, the next morning Dr. Pearson discovers a bloody Panga on the beach and wonders if the monster was responsible for the deaths[2].
Cast
- Christopher Lee as Dr. Pearson
- Jenilee Harrison as Elizabeth Armstrong
- Henry Cele as Mletch
- Andre Jacobs as Geoff Armstrong
- Zoe Randall as Anthea Steed
- Olivia Dyer as Chloe Steed
- Jennifer Steyn as Cindy
- Gavin Hood as Robert
- Dumi Shongwe as Witchdoctor
- Lorraine Nyathikazi as Mourning Woman
Trivia
The film was originally released as a standalone film entitled “Panga”. Both this film and Catacombs (1988) were released with the names “Curse III” and “Curse IV” despite not being intended sequels to The Curse (1987)12. The creature effects were created by Chris Walas2. The film was shot under the title of Panga by Sean Barton, on location in South Africa in 19892.
Reviews
A review from Cinema Retro called the film “not a terrible film by any means, but neither is it a lost classic”2. TV Guide gave the film two out of four stars saying “A well-produced, British-made voodoo thriller, Curse III: Blood Sacrifice is short on plot, but director Sean Barton admirably attempts suspense rather than gross-out bloodletting”2. A review from Koimoi states that “Pint-sized Yagya Bhasin delivers a monumental performance, subduing the drama”12
Citations
1 IMDb – Curse III: Blood Sacrifice (1991)
Anonymous on October 29, 2023