Werewolves and Doctors and Zombies: The Transformation of Spain Through the Lens of Horror
Date
2017-05
Authors
Jenkins, Luke
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Abstract
Horror cinema illuminates the anxieties of cultures, identities, and desires. Spain, a country whose social and political climate was tumultuous during the 1960s and 1970s, produced a horror industry that emphasizes these anxieties. This thesis aims to elucidate how horror is useful for talking about post-war anxiety and dictatorial trauma by looking at how Spanish monster films from the 1960s and 1970s reflect the social and political anxieties of Spain at the time. First, a proper background of Spain from the 1940s-- shortly after the end of the Spanish Civil War--up until the 1950s sets up the major events and cultural attitudes that emerge in 1960s and 1970s Spain. Then, a selection of films is sorted into three major thematic categories to be compared with relevant historical events from the period and "high art" films such as Spirit of the Beehive and The Executioner that touch on these themes. The juxtaposition of "high art" and horror films emphasizes the complexities and relevance of both genres during the period.
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Keywords
horror, cinema, Spain, France, 1960s, 1970s, monsters, film, Honors College
Citation
Jenkins, L. (2017). Werewolves and doctors and zombies: The transformation of Spain through the lens of horror (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.