Spanish Zombie Films: The Cases of Amando de Ossorio and Jorge Grau

Authors

  • Alex del Olmo Ramón

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1344/co20161885-99

Keywords:

Spanish zombie films, Amando de Ossorio, Jorge Grau, fantastique

Abstract

Situated by many scholars in the lowest position of cinema monsters, the zombie has over recent years been erected into one of the main benchmarks of the current fantasy genre. From its roots located in the lush jungles of Haiti until its arrival in the West, the figure of the zombie as embodied by the living dead has a unique place in 20th-century popular culture, especially at the beginning of the 21st century. This article discusses the unique phenomenon of Spanish fantastique cinema during Franco’s dictatorship. Its historical overview explains the causes that have lead to the emergence of the Spanish fantastique film genre, taking as example the film production of two of its most emblematic Spanish film directors working in the zombie subgenre: Amando de Ossorio and Jorge Grau. This article investigates the complex relationship between fantastique films and history, based on the study of the zombie films of these two directors throughout a troubled period, with its accompanying interpretation of the evolution of the subgenre and its impact on society.

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