Film Screenings / Programs / Series
THE GOLDEN AGE OF SPANISH HORROR CINEMA
October 30 – November 10
October 30 - November 10, 2013
ALL ON FILM!!!
For a decade (1967-1976), Spain terrorized the world, cinematically-speaking. In the waning years of the Franco dictatorship hundreds of horror films were released, all of them characterized by their eroticism, violence, and unrestrained cinematography. Almost unintentionally, these movies provided an x-ray of a sociologically fractured country. Produced with miniscule budgets and under trying circumstances, the Spanish horror movies of that time were seen for years as a curious anomaly. Four decades later, the films directed by (the recently deceased) Jess Franco or starring Paul Naschy have developed a deserved cult following on both sides of the Atlantic.
Showcasing eleven classics of Spanish horror cinema, this series has been curated by Francisco Javier Pulido Samper, the author of the 2012 book, “The Golden Decade of Terror Cinema in Spain”, for which he interviewed Franco, Naschy, and numerous other key participants in this grisly, disreputable, but unforgettable genre. Beginning the night before Halloween, this extensive survey will bring these films’ hosts of vampires, werewolves, zombies, and psychos back to life, for two terror-filled weeks!
Presented with invaluable support from Spain Culture New York-Consulate General of Spain, and co-presented with the Philip K. Dick Film Festival (www.thephilipkdickfilmfestival.com); special thanks to Francisco Javier Pulido Samper, and to Iñigo Ramirez de Haro & Agueda Sanfiz (Spain Culture New York-Consulate General of Spain); Sebastian del Castillo & Tommy Swenson (American Genre Film Archive); Chris Chouinard (Park Circus); Harry Guerro; and William Lustig.
Special Halloween-night wine reception at 8:45, courtesy of Freixenet!
León Klimovsky
THE WEREWOLF VERSUS THE VAMPIRE WOMAN / LA NOCHE DE WALPURGIS
1970, 82 min, 35mm. With Paul Naschy.
Waldemar Daninsky, the wild werewolf created by the unforgettable Paul Naschy, is the most famous icon of Spanish horror cinema. Naschy played him 14 times, but this is the most popular take: the movie broke box office records in Spain and gave the genre worldwide exposure. Naschy used this violent and untamed character to project on screen the religious and sexual frustrations of millions of Spaniards during the Franco dictatorship. Its masterful use of slow motion and its spooky atmosphere make this film an unforgettable classic.
Wed, Oct 30 at 7:15 and Sun, Nov 3 at 9:15
Narciso Ibáñez Serrador
THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED / LA RESIDENCIA
1969, 99 min, 35mm. With Lilli Palmer.
Well known for his popular HISTORIAS PARA NO DORMIR (STORIES TO KEEP YOU AWAKE) suspense series, broadcast on Spanish television in the 1960s to great critical and commercial success, Serrador debuted cinematically with THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED, a film in which subtle psychology takes precedence over shock effects and gore. This superb gothic chiller is almost a filmic essay on isolation, repressed sexuality, and taboos (at least, according to the Francoist censors’ standards) such as lesbianism, and is now widely considered to be one of the most important Spanish films of all time.
Wed, Oct 30 at 9:15, Mon, Nov 4 at 7:00, and Sat, Nov 9 at 5:00
Jorge Grau
LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE aka DON’T OPEN THE WINDOW / NO PROFANAR EL SUEÑO DE LOS MUERTOS
1974, 95 min, 16mm. With Arthur Kennedy.
Of all the films inspired by the success of George Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, this is undoubtedly one of the best. Filmed entirely in English with an international cast, it continues to amaze thanks to its incredible special effects, its deeply unsettling tone, and its sheer volume of terrifying sequences. But it is not just a zombie movie: Grau also smuggled in witty reflections on ecology and politics, which went unnoticed by the Francoist censors. For these and other reasons, it’s an essential work of Spanish horror cinema.
Thurs, Oct 31 at 7:15 and Fri, Nov 8 at 9:15
Javier Aguirre
COUNT DRACULA’S GREAT LOVE / EL GRAN AMOR DEL CONDE DRACULA
1972, 96 min, 35mm. With Paul Naschy. Presented with the permission of Films Around the World, Inc., NYC.
Paul Naschy played virtually every horror movie icon, earning him the nicknames “The Man of a Thousand Faces” and “The Spanish Lon Chaney”. This time, he put himself in the shoes of the king of vampires. Directed by Javier Aguirre and scripted by Naschy, it gives us a Dracula exposed to human weaknesses and willing to sacrifice himself for his beloved fiancée. This original approach would serve as a precedent, if not an inspiration, for Francis Ford Coppola’s version of the myth, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (1992).
Thurs, Oct 31 at 9:15 and Fri, Nov 8 at 7:15
Jess Franco
VENUS IN FURS
1969, 86 min, 35mm. With Dennis Price & Klaus Kinski.
Harassed by the Spanish censorship of the time, Jess Franco went into voluntary exile in the late 60s, journeying to several European countries to freely develop his ideas and unleash his obsessions: an interest in the aesthetics of comic books, a love for jazz music, and a murky and sensual eroticism. VENUS IN FURS, abstract and allegorical, is a compendium of Franco’s filmic style and one of his finest works. Although its title suggests that it’s based on the famous novel by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, it was actually inspired, according to Franco, by a conversation the filmmaker had with the legendary jazz musician Chet Baker.
Fri, Nov 1 at 7:15, Tues, Nov 5 at 7:15, and Sat, Nov 9 at 9:30
Jess Franco
THE DEMONS / LES DÉMONS
1972, 103 min, 35mm
The tragic death of his first muse Soledad Miranda deeply affected Jess Franco, who overcame the loss by making films even more feverishly. In 1972 alone he directed seven movies, of which THE DEMONS is one of the most interesting. The film, clearly inspired by Ken Russell’s THE DEVILS (1971), is a sort of sequel to THE BLOODY JUDGE (1970). It deals with the same topics – the Inquisition, dungeons, and torture – but increases the levels of sadism, sex, and violence, and adds a fantastic layer that the earlier film lacked. THE DEMONS, despite its status as a nunsploitation movie, has the hallmarks of Jess Franco at his most wild: emphatic zooms, excessive length, and an incongruous soundtrack.
Fri, Nov 1 at 9:15 and Sat, Nov 9 at 7:15
Amando de Ossorio
LORELEY’S GRASP aka WHEN THE SCREAMING STOPS
1976, 85 min, 35mm
While the BLIND DEAD series won him international fame, the filmography of Galician director Amando de Ossorio contains a handful of other little gems that deserve to be rediscovered. This is certainly true of LORELEY’S GRASP, a pop pastiche that shamelessly mixes ancient legends such as that of Lorelei, the siren of the Rhine whose songs lured sailors to death, and the German myth of the Nibelungen. Spanish horror films always stood at the intersection between sex and death, Eros and Thanatos, as seen in this film: LORELEY’S GRASP is a pulp story full of both eroticism and gore.
Sat, Nov 2 at 5:15 and Mon, Nov 4 at 9:15
Amando de Ossorio
NIGHT OF THE SEAGULLS
1975, 89 min, 35mm
The undead of Amando de Ossorio’s BLIND DEAD series have become over the years a cult object for horror movie lovers on both sides of the Atlantic. The dual nature of these bloodthirsty spectres, guardians of faith and sword-masters, constitutes a metaphor for the repressive forces of the church and the military in Spain in the mid-70s. THE NIGHT OF THE SEAGULLS is the film that concludes one of the most popular sagas of Spanish horror history, and is also one of the most interesting Spanish films of the period.
Sat, Nov 2 at 7:15, Tues, Nov 5 at 9:15, and Sun, Nov 10 at 7:00
Jose Ramon Larraz
VAMPYRES aka DAUGHTERS OF DRACULA
1974, 87 min, 35mm. With Michael Byrne. Presented with the permission of Films Around the World, Inc., NYC.
Larraz is a unique figure in Spanish cinema. He’s also among the least known of horror pioneers, perhaps because he spent most of his career outside the country. He started working in the graphics industry in the 1950s but, after an encounter with Josef von Sternberg, who encouraged him to change course, he tried his luck in the horror genre, influenced both by Italian giallos and Hammer horror. His most famous film, VAMPYRES has attained a well-deserved cult status, thanks to its nightmarish atmosphere, its hypnotic pace, and a distressing combination of sex and blood that caused a great deal of controversy upon its release.
Sat, Nov 2 at 9:15, Thurs, Nov 7 at 7:15, and Sun, Nov 10 at 5:00
Paul Naschy
THE CRAVING aka NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF
1981, 92 min, 35mm
While the Spanish horror boom had come to an end by 1976, Paul Naschy kept on shooting genre movies, almost on his own, during the early 80s. NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF is one of the Waldemar Daninsky films that the Madrilenian artist was most proud of, perhaps because it was the first in the series that he was able to direct himself. He also produced the movie, played the main role and, as usual, wrote the script. The results are remarkable: a magnificent gothic tale full of vampires, werewolves, and ancient curses, bathed in a hauntingly unreal atmosphere and featuring cinematography inspired by the artworks of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. It was, by the way, the last movie featuring the Spanish werewolf released in the U.S.
Sun, Nov 3 at 5:15 and Sun, Nov 10 at 9:00
Eugenio Martín
HORROR EXPRESS / PÁNICO EN EL TRANSIBERIANO
1973, 90 min, 35mm. With Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee.
The Spanish horror movies of the 70s never tried to hide their influences – predominantly the Universal horror classics and the gothic flavor of Hammer Films’ productions – but they added to the formula a distinctively gruesome and morbid touch. HORROR EXPRESS, one of the most ambitious efforts of the period, is the perfect example. The film is a mixture of pure horror, sci-fi, and thriller that enjoyed a larger than usual budget, resulting in the casting of horror legends Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in the main roles.
Sun, Nov 3 at 7:15 and Thurs, Nov 7 at 9:15
