Can a laughing old lady be terrifying? You better believe it.
Okupas is not a horror show by any means but that doesn't take away the fact that it has one of the most nightmarish, terrifying and anxiety inducing scenes in the history of Argentine television. The known as ''Mascapito Scene'' or ''Escena del Mascapito'':
- The term "mascapito" is a word play in argentine lunfardo that is pretty hard to translate but it basically transform the expression "el más capo" ("the greatest") into "el más capito" ("-ito" being a diminutive suffix, similar to "-let" in English) and the result can be read as "masca-pito" or "dick-chewer". Funny as it sounds, once Ricardo recognizes the expression said by Pablo and his gang, he finally understands what its coming to him. And his face of realization is just pure, pure horror.
- Even the usual cinema verité/naturalistic aesthetic seems interrupted for this instance, there's a creepy old lady in the background that just stares and laughs, which gives the scene a very lynchian feeling; decadent, eerie and borderline surreal where the mundane is suddenly subject of terror.
- Even when you already watched the series several times is STILL hard to watch and even when you know Ricardo is gonna be saved by Pollo, Chiqui and Walter, this scene is always gripping because how easy it is to feel Ricardo's horror and exasperation because the situation is totally beyond his control.
- It remains to this day one of the most intense and well executed thriller scenes in the history of argentine fiction. Heck, even when they save Ricardo and you can finally breathe again, there is a creepy religious music in the background that makes the atmosphere still suffocating and uncomfortable.
- Go for yourself and read any comment on Youtube, the people express themselves about the scene as if they're talking about a hellish horror film.Youtube Comment: And to think some people get scared by watching The Conjuring or Paranormal Activity. This is real fear.
- The Paranoia Gambit Pablo pulls on Ricardo from Episode 7 onward. Pablo, somehow, knows where Ricardo is, he's following him. He doesn't kill him inmediatly, he prefers to "let him walk" for a while to let the paranoia slowly grow on Ricardo.
- Pablo sends a threatening letter to Ricardo's old house where his little sister lives, said letter is disguised as a friendly letter, which makes it more unnerving.
- The Russian roulette scene in Episode 9.
- The second half of the last episode. Period.
- Imagine having a good time with your friends and then being abruptly interrupted by an armed gang of furious thugs who wants to kill you and your friends. To add more realism and crudeness, this act doesn't have any music.
- When the main gang hide themselves upstairs in one of the hideouts, it almost plays like an horror chase scene. Only worse, due to the realistic aesthetics.
- Severino's death. Not only the fact that they killed an innocent dog but also how Chiqui is carrying the bloody corpse with his eyes wide open.
- When they found the pipe Pollo gave to La Turca hanging around Severino's neck.
- Chiqui's death is probably more sad than terrifying but still could qualify.
- Negro Pablo by himself is a nightmare fuel fountain. A highly immoral thug, psychopathic killer capable of murdering someone over a slight provocation, a very dangerous rapist and a sadistic bastard who likes to inflict psychological torture and induce paranoia.
- Even if one of the show's goals is to state a nuanced commentary on marginal realities and the harsh circumstances that make some people do immoral things, is clearly stated that Pablo is just pure evil.
- Pablo's right hand (El Mulo) is also quite terrifying. He's an unhinged and psychotic bastard. Lets say if Pablo is Jimmy Conway, El Mulo is easily Tommy DeVito.
"You forgot this at my house. Take care, cocksucker. Your friend, Pablo"
