In fascist Spain, Francoism – like German and Italian fascism – produced its own particular brand of kitsch. Deploying religious and historical iconography drawn from Spain’s centuries-long struggle against Islam, Francoist ideologues created a kitsch interpretation of Spain’s historical past designed to replace more complex and nuanced accounts, where religious and historical iconography combined with kitsch aesthetics to project a picturesque, clichéd image of Spain. The ultimate goal of this vast production of Francoist kitsch was to produce a submissive subject who, by identifying with Francoist aesthetics, would identify with state ideology.
This book engages with the making and unmaking of Francoist kitsch aesthetics through the analysis of Spanish cinema. It examines five highly influential Francoist films produced from 1938 until 1964 and three later films by critically acclaimed directors Luis Buñuel, Guillermo del Toro, and Alex de la Iglesia that attempt to undermine Francoist aesthetics by re-imagining its visual and narrative clichés.