Collective essay that approaches the cinema of one of the cursed directors of Spanish cinema.

Eloy de la Iglesia. The Hidden Pleasure of Spanish Cinema brings us closer to the vibrant and complex career of one of the most important directors of the Transition, responsible for popular titles such as El techo de cristal, La semana del asesino, El diputado, El pico, and La estanquera de Vallecas. Viewed with disdain by the critics of the time, who did not forgive his commercial ambition, and reclaimed by new generations, the figure of Eloy de la Iglesia is essential to understanding one of the most turbulent stages of our recent history.

This collective essay, coordinated by Carlos Barea, delves into the various aspects that converge in the films of the Basque filmmaker, where the willingness to provoke and the rawest eroticism coexist with the intention to realistically show the political ups and downs and social transformations. His extensive filmography featured the stars of the moment (Carmen Sevilla, Amparo Muñoz, Simón Andreu, Vicente Parra, or José Sacristán, among others) and new talents with no experience in front of the camera (such as José Luis Manzano, his favorite actor).

Homosexual and communist, Eloy de la Iglesia decisively contributed to portraying the lights and, above all, the shadows of a country awakening to democracy but turning its back on part of the population. Among the marginalized were the so-called quinquis, who gave their name to the successful cinematic subgenre, and members of the LGTB collective, to whom he gave a voice that had been silenced until then.

Book details:

Authors: Diana Aller | Alejandro Melero | Juan Sánchez | Eduardo Bravo | La Caneli | Nicolás Grijalba de la Calle | David Velduque | Vicente Monroy | Francina Ribes Pericàs | Violeta Kovacsics | Carlos Barea