FT259

Spain has delivered many of the most successful horror films of the last decade, from Gothic tale The Others (2001) to Blair Witched zombie apocalypse [•REC] (2007). This might seem unusual for a country where horror had long been a genre swimming against the tide. While Spanish horror fans have many reasons to rejoice these days, they are also mourning the loss of their original and iconic king of horror, Paul Naschy, who passed away aged 75 in December 2009.

Throughout his long career, Naschy dedicated all his efforts to dignifying the horror genre in his country of birth. He was always more successful abroad than in Spain, but during the last years of his life his compatriots began to recognise his talents.