Eye On the Blind Dead : Amando De Ossorio

Amando de Ossorio

Born 6 April 1926 in Coruna, Spain (Some differences of opinion exist as to Ossorios actual year of birth. Various sources, including the IMDB, list his date of birth as 6 April 1918)

Died 13 January 2001 in Madrid, Spain

Overview

Although he worked on more than 20 films during his long career, covering genres from horror to comedy to western, Spanish Film-maker Amando de Ossorio will most likely be remembered for his Blind Dead quadrology of movies. These 4 films - Tombs of the Blind Dead, Return of the Blind Dead, The Ghost Galleon, and Night of the Seagulls - were to have been joined by a fifth El Necronomicon De Las Templarios (The Necronomicon Of The Templars), but sadly this project never came to fruition and most likely did not progress beyond provisional scripting.

The Blind Dead films, like much of De Ossorios work in the horror genre, have a deliciously Euro-Gothic feel to them. Pseudo historical fact is woven with elements of European folklore such as vampirism, with plenty of nudity, sadism, and sex thrown in for good measure. They have a feel all of their own and it is easy to see how many other directors have been inspired and influenced by his unique style. Again, it is also easy to see that the Blind Dead films owed a debt to Romeros earlier Night of the Living Dead. Ossario himself acknowledged this debt, whilst highlighting the numerous differences between the films. The Blind Dead are certainly no mere plagiarization of Romeros classic, having many distinctive elements all of their own.

Outside of his famed Blind Dead series many of de Ossarios other films did not enjoy either popular acclaim or success outside of his Spanish homeland, though a new generation of horror fans are now discovering many of these often unjustly neglected gems. Films like The Possession, When the Screaming Stops, and Night of the Sorcerers among others are well worth checking out and are finding new fans amongst todays fans who are eager to view anything they can find from horrors dark and bloody historical vaults.

In the 75 years he had upon this earth, de Ossario certainly contributed more than his share to the Euro horror genre. Although none of his films will go down as a true classic or genre defining moment in any sense of the word, he did what he did best. Produce enjoyable films that will scare and shock, and that were not mere derivative cash ins on other movies within the horror scene. His fairly unique style, and the eminently watchable films that he left us deserve to be enjoyed and appreciated by horror fans everywhere.

Links

IMDB, Wikipedia, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Filmography

1956 The Black Flag (short), aka La Bandera Negra

1958 Night of Spells (short), aka Noche de Embrujo

1963 Tomb of the Pistolero, aka La Tumba del Pistolero

1964 School of Nurses, aka Escuela de Enfermeras

1965 Canadian Wilderness, aka Rebeldes en Canada, Grave of the Gunfighter, I Tre del Colorado

1967 Pasto de Fieras (short)

1968 Malenka, aka Fangs of the Living Dead, Niece of the Vampire, la Nipote del Vampiro

1971 Tombs of the Blind Dead, aka Night of the Blind Dead, La Noche del Terror Ciego, A Noite do Terror Cego

1973 The Lorelys Grasp, aka Las Garras de Lorelei, When the Screaming Stops

1973 Night of the Sorcerers, aka La Noche de los Brujos

1973 Return of the Blind Dead, aka El Ataque de les Muertos sin Ojos, Return of the Evil Dead, Attack of the Eyeless Dead, La Cavalcata dei Morti Senza Occhi

1974 The Ghost Galleon, aka Horror of the Zombies, Ghost Ships of the Blind Dead, La Noche de Buque Maldito, Ship of Zombies

1974 The Possessed, aka La Endemoniada, Demon Witch Child

1975 Patience Has a Limit, We Don't, aka la Pazienza ha un limite... noi no!

1975 Night of the Seagulls, aka La Noche de las Gaviotas, Blood Feast of the Blind Dead, Terror Beach, Night of the Death Cult, Blind Dead 4, Don't Go Out at Night

1976 Las Alimanas

1979 Forbidden Passion, aka Pasion Prohibida

1985 The Sea Serpent, aka Serpiente de Mar, Hydra the Sea Serpent, Hydra, Hydra Monster of the Deep