José Ramón Larraz

José Ramón Larraz Gil^[1] (1929 – 3 September 2013) was a Spanish director of exploitation and horror films such as the erotic and bloody Vampyres (1974), The House that Vanished (1973), Symptoms (1974), Black Candles (1982) and Rest in Pieces (1987) among others.^[2][3]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Larraz and the second or maternal family name is Gil.

José Ramón Larraz
Born	José Ramón Larraz Gil 1929 Barcelona, Spain
Died	3 September 2013 (aged 84) Málaga, Spain
Occupation(s)	Screenwriter, Film director and producer
Years active	1970–2002

Biography

Early life

Born in Barcelona, Larraz earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree and moved to Paris in 1952, where he started his career as a comics writer for magazines like Pilote and Spirou.^[4] His most known creation was the action-comic series "Paul Foran", which he wrote under the name "Gil" and also made some artistic contributions to.^[5]

Career

Larraz moved to England, where he began making films, then in 1976 apparently ^{[clarification needed]} relocated his operations back to Spain. He made many different types of films, but is best known for his horror films. Symptoms was an official British entry at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival.^[6] His last few horror films were Spanish-American co-productions.^[7] He apparently^{[clarification needed]} retired from filmmaking in 1992 at age 63.^[8]

Death

Larraz died, aged 84, in Málaga on 3 September 2013.^[9]

Filmography

Year	Title	Notes	Ref.
1970	Whirlpool	Directorial debut as J R Larrath	[10]
1971	Deviation	Credited as J R Larrath
1973	La muerte incierta	Credited as José R Larraz
1973	The House That Vanished	Alternative titles: Scream and Die; Don't Go in the Bedroom. Credited as Joseph Larraz	[11]
1974	Emma, puertas oscuras	Alternative title: Emma, Dark Doors. Credited as José R Larraz
1974	Symptoms	Alternative title: Blood Virgin. Credited as Joseph Larraz	[12]
1974	Vampyres	Alternative titles: Daughters of Dracula; Blood Hunger; Daughters of Darkness. Credited as Joseph Larraz	[13]
1977	El fin de la inocencia
1977	Luto riguroso
1977	El mirón
1978	The Coming of Sin	Alternative title: The Violation of the Bitch	[7]
1978	La ocasión
1979	El periscopio
1979	Polvos mágicos	Alternative title: Lady Lucifera
1979	The Golden Lady
1980	Estigma	Alternative title: Stigma
1981	Madame Olga's Pupils	Credited as Joseph L Bronstein
1981	La momia nacional	Alternative title: The National Mummy
1982	Black Candles	Alternative titles: Sex Rites of the Devil; Los ritos sexuales del diablo. Credited as Joseph Braunstein	[7]
1983	Juana la loca ... de vez en cuando
1985	Goya	TV mini-series in 6 episodes
1987	Rest in Pieces	Credited as Joseph Braunstein
1988	Edge of the Axe	Credited as Joseph Braunstein	[7]
1990	Deadly Manor	Alternative title: Savage Lust. Credited as Joseph Larraz
1992	Sevilla Connection
2002	Viento del pueblo	TV mini-series in 2 episodes

Further reading

• The book Immoral Tales: European Sex & Horror Movies 1956-1984 (1994) by Cathal Tohill and Pete Tombs dedicates a chapter to him.
• The paperback novelisation of Vampyres (FAB Press, 2001) by Tim Greaves.
• Vampyres: A Tribute to the Ultimate in Erotic Horror Cinema (1996) by Tim Greaves is devoted entirely to the making of the film, filled with interview material, reviews and a treasure trove of photos.

References

1. DigitalCavalry (3 September 2013). "Fallece el realizador José Ramón Larraz. - TumbaAbierta.com. El portal del entretenimiento en el género fantástico".
2. "José R. Larraz". BFI. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016.
3. "Vampyres (1974) - José Larraz - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
4. Cooper 2016, pp. 162–163.
5. "José Larraz - Lambiek Comiclopedia".
6. "10 great overlooked British horror films of the 1970s". British Film Institute. 14 April 2016.
7. Cooper 2016, p. 167.
8. "Sensuality Oozing Through the Walls_ The Domestic Dramas of José Ramón Larraz". Diabolique Magazine.
9. "R.I.P. José Ramón Larraz 1929-2013". Starburst. 3 September 2013.
10. Kelly, Kevin (19 September 1970). "Film 'Whirlpool' offers assorted vulgarities". The Boston Globe. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Craig 2019, pp. 201–202.
12. Smith 2006, p. 205.
13. Smith 2006, p. 227.

Sources

• Cooper, Ian (2016). Frightmares: A History of British Horror Cinema. New York City, New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-993-07174-4.
• Craig, Rob (2019). American International Pictures: A Comprehensive Filmography. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-476-66631-0.
• Smith, Gary A. (2006). Uneasy Dreams: The Golden Age of British Horror Films, 1956–1976. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-476-60530-2.

External links

• José Ramón Larraz at IMDb
• Lambiek - info on Larraz career as a comics writer
• Obituary (Spanish)