Spanish Horror
 

This week, we kicked off a blog series on Facebook about the horror cinema of Spain.

Here's the first post I penned, looking at some older zombie titles:

[REC] Genesis Presents - Spanish Horror Classics: The Living Dead | Facebook

And over the next couple of weeks, we'll be revealing more.

Here's your chance to influence my choices. I have the writing for this project pretty much done but if you name a favourite and it wasn't a title I picked and you can argue the case, I'm happy to throw out one of mine and include yours.

Look no further than Waldemar Daninsky. :clap:

I have a Naschy movie in the offing but I went with a slightly odder choice... Panic Beats.

Only one, are you mad? :lol:

We doing five posts, two films a post over five weeks. Much as I'd love to do more Nachy movies, there's other stuff to consider... Like The Blind Dead films covered today. I love his work though, much underrated

I recently assembled a small "Spanish section" whilst finally putting all my film collection on shelves finally.

There have been some excellent modern Spanish contributions.

There was Jaume Balagueró's excellent adaptation of Ramsey Campbell's The Nameless/Los sin nombre from 1999 (which does a remarkable job of translating the odd, dreamy atmosphere of the novel to the screen); there was El rey de la montaña/King Of The Hill from 2007 (sadly Gonzalo López-Gallego would go on to make the dreadful Apollo 18, but I try not to hold that against him!); The Nun/La monja (2005, d: Luis de la Madrid) which was a silly but atmospheric and enjoyable film, quite beautifully shot; the opinion splitting The Abandoned from Nacho CerdÃ* in 2005, which I thought was just superb...and that's before one even considers the mighty The Orphanage!

Of course the classics from Jorge Grau and Amando de Ossorio and their ilk bear remembering, but they do rather overshadow some slightly lesser known crackers: The Hanging Woman/La orgÃ*a de los muertos from 1973, directed by José Luis Merino; Vengeance Of The Zombies/La rebelión de las muertas, also 1973, by the often under-rated director León Klimovsky; the fun Gothic romp Il castello dalle porte di fuoco/Blood Castle, Merino again, from 1970...and so on...

And they are just the ones I can see to my right on the shelf! So many others to be found!

Despite it starring Ally McBeal, 10 points to the excellent Spanish production Fragile!

Great choice - I already have this in readiness under a different title.

Agreed, Fragile was excellent as was Gojirosan's choice of The Abandoned.

The Nameless / Los Sin Nombre bored me to tears though. I think i may need to give it another go.

Mustn't forget Who Can Kill a Child either. :)

;)

OK, so I've had a thought.

Instead of replacing what I've already prepared, I might do a fan picks one and quote some of you. I'll make sure some kind of Rec goodies find their way to anyone whose quoted as a thank you.

Here's my original post, have a look and suggest other titles if you want to join in:

[REC] Genesis: Bueno Horror!

See the original blog I wrote above. Once seen, never forgotten I think (the film that is, not my blog. Ego not that huge!).

My contribution for a possible fan pick.

One of my favourite Spanish films has always been The Loreley's Grasp.

Its a film about a German legend in the small town of St Goarshausen on the banks of the river Rhine. The Lorelie itself is a huge rock which soars out from the waterline.

Due to the narrowness of the Rhine, the extremely strong current and dangerous rocks below the waterline, over the years many vessels have come to a nasty end here.

Naturally legends began to form as the decades passed, in this case of a siren whose song lured unsuspecting boats onto the rocks and their impending destruction. The Loreley is also the adopted name of said siren.

Amando De Ossorio's brilliantly atmospheric film from 1974 takes this legend and ups the ante in horror terms. The Loreley in question, played by the stunning Helga Line, needs human hearts for a perverse ritual. Fearing for its students a nearby school for young women (ie -beautiful women only too happy to wear transparent negligees and bear their breasts at the drop of a hat) hires a hunter, charmingly played by Tony Kendall to track down the Loreley and put an end to the murders.

The film features graphic moments of flesh ripping horror amidst its otherwise beautiful gothic trappings, De Ossorio bringing an almost romantic feel to the production, lovingly created by his wonderful cinematography.

Although The Blind Dead films remain at the top of De Ossorio's resume, for me The Loreley's Grasp wins the gold medal.

One of my most wanted films. Is there an affordable reissue yet? I have only seen it on the old UK VHS which was the darkest dupe I have ever seen. A good half of the film was pretty much just black screen.

I am fortunate to have the BCI Spanish Horror Collection release.

I managed to pick up 9 releases whilst they were around a fiver each.

Lucky ****. :cry:

I thought Fragile was excellent, but Calista Flockhart (though she tried) was the weak link in the film, sadly. I am a big admirer of Balagueró's Darkness too.

Glad to see mention of the most chilling Spanish film ever made - La Cabina. A manipulative masterpiece of story telling.

A classic!

De Ossorio's Blind Dead epics and Grau's Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue are arguably Espania's finest......:nod:

:lol:

The only one i missed was The Dracula Saga. :mmph:

Absolutely stunning picture quality on all of them.

It's a pity more didn't hit BD before BCI went tits up.

Someone must be able to secure the rights you would think.

I read something about no one bothering because the BCI editions did awful business.

Really hope that's not true.

:(:(:(

It was either that or the rights holders want too much.

Or both.

Agreed. Great releases; all of them :nod:

Be nice if someone released a remastered edition of THE VAMPIRES NIGHT ORGY.

Here's the concluding part to the Spanish Horror blog series:

[REC] Movies UK Presents - Spanish Horror Classics: More Spanish Carnage... | Facebook

And a round up of the previous entries...

REC Genesis: The Spanish Horror Blog Series | Facebook

I really liked all of them except for Ghost Galleon, which i thought wasn't that great.:pop2:

AYE. I love them. Even in Macumba Sexual :laugh:. Clank Clank here we come etc. :hail:
BDs NOW ....

Love the Blind Dead films. But the third one was definitely the weakest. Too dragged out. And there's only so much you can do on a boat.

This would be a perfect box set for an Arrow blu-ray release.

Haha Franco's version was only slightly less scary.....:lol: