Manga Latina: Killer on the Loose

Manga Latina: Killer on the Loose
Manga Latina: Killer on the Loose poster
Directed by	Henrique Vera Villanueva
Produced by	Antony Blakey Jose Luis Gil Matthew Joynes Louie Porco Henrique Vera Villanueva
Written by	Daniel Brandt Hernandez Kathryn Klassen Henrique Vera Villanueva
Starring	Kerry Shale Luis Soto Laurence Bouvard
Music by	Roberto C. López Maxime Lepage
Cinematography	Eric Heroux
Editing by	Christian Roy
Distributed by	H2V Distribution
Release date(s)	April 28, 2005
Running time	75 minutes
Country	Canada United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	C$ 6,500,000

Manga Latina: Killer on the Loose is a 2005 independent dark comedy animation film by Manga Latina Productions, distributed by H2V Distribution, and directed by Henrique Vera Villanueva. It premiered at midnight on April 28, on the Providence Latino Film Festival, and tells the story of Víctor La Cruz and his friends from El Barrio, in a satirical quest to stop a bloody serial killer.

Plot

In Manga Latina, Víctor La Cruz, a bold latino young man and El Chucho, an outspoken repairsman, live with their friends in the peaceful El Barrio, located in Manga Latina - "the 52rd state in the US". However, a series of disturbing, gory homicides begin to terrorize Víctor's community, and the news of a "killer on the loose" are quickly spread. The media warns about the killer's habit of dismembering victims to the point of leaving them unrecognizable, and that the killer is a master of disguise with more than 300 victims.

The authorities, on the other hand, don't really seem to care much about the wellbeing of El Barrio's inhabitants. But the rebellious Víctor, far from dismayed by this lack of government interest, decides he will investigate the matter personally, as according to him, these are not just dead people anymore - they're dead Latinos. After consulting El Padrino, a santería-practising wise man, Víctor teams up with his delusional and odd friends in order to stop the killer, "Manga Latina" style.

Víctor's group, besides of Chucho, consists of Bello (beautiful), thin and paranoid, who is sure that the killer is after him for no particular reason; Ricky, a pothead and green-haired man, who is worried that the killer will get him because of his lightheadness; and the Sisters C.C., Claudia and Camila, who just join in to protect El Barrio. Nevertheless, all they seem to be able to do is hang around Rafa's cafeteria, where coffee is always free no matter what, waiting for the latest news on the killer's attacks, and driving around Chucho's car with a megaphone telling people to stay home.

Eventually, the media starts to give out vague hints to recognize the killer, so vague that the killer could be anybody. Regardless, Víctor starts to suspect an unnamed piñata maker, or a British musician, both of whom make life impossible for the other inhabitants from El Barrio (one with his deformed piñatas, and the other with his loud annoying music).

Cast

• Víctor La Cruz - Kerry Shale
• El Chucho - Luis Soto
• Bello / Ricky - Julian Littman
• Claudia / Camila - Laurel Lefkow
• Rafa - Carlos Riera
• Anchorman - Vincent Marcelo
• Pepita Channing - Laurence Bouvard
• Felipa - Lorelei King
• Manconeti - Paul Hicky
• The President - Bob Sherman

Staff

• Director - Henrique Vera Villanueva
• Executive Producer - Louie Porco
• Producer - Antony Blakey
• Screenplay - Daniel Brandt Hernandez, Kathryn Klassen, Henrique Vera Villanueva
• Character Designer - Yat-Chi Lau
• Cinematography - Eric Heroux
• Art Direction - Marlene Edoyan, Yat-Chi Lau
• Original Music - Roberto C. López, Maxime Lepage,
• Editor - Christian Roy

External links

• Manga Latina official site
• H2V site
• Providence Latin American Film Festival Entry
• Manga Latina: Killer on the Loose at the Internet Movie Database