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Introduction

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Abstract

Álex de la Iglesia represents a special phenomenon in Spanish cinema. This chapter deals with his life, presenting some significant observations about the development of his career, and, furthermore, throws light on the ambivalent critique of television that runs through much of his cinema. In cinema studies, de la Iglesia is regarded as not an individual who makes films, but a protean set of alliances shaping and reshaping around a fixed core of collaborators. This collaborative core, which formed in Bilbao prior to any cinematic work, is at the heart of all the feature films, as well as assembling in whole or in part for Mama, Detrás del sirimiri, Mirindas asesinas and Marbella antivicio. In this light, the chapter emphasises that de la Iglesia's films cannot be considered as the work of an individual, but that they take on greater significance when patterns of collaboration are considered within them

Abstract

Álex de la Iglesia represents a special phenomenon in Spanish cinema. This chapter deals with his life, presenting some significant observations about the development of his career, and, furthermore, throws light on the ambivalent critique of television that runs through much of his cinema. In cinema studies, de la Iglesia is regarded as not an individual who makes films, but a protean set of alliances shaping and reshaping around a fixed core of collaborators. This collaborative core, which formed in Bilbao prior to any cinematic work, is at the heart of all the feature films, as well as assembling in whole or in part for Mama, Detrás del sirimiri, Mirindas asesinas and Marbella antivicio. In this light, the chapter emphasises that de la Iglesia's films cannot be considered as the work of an individual, but that they take on greater significance when patterns of collaboration are considered within them

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of illustrations vii
  4. Acknowledgements ix
  5. Introduction 1
  6. 1 Acción mutante (1993) 33
  7. 2 El día de la bestia (1995) 53
  8. 3 Perdita Durango (1997) 77
  9. 4 Muertos de risa (1999) 97
  10. 5 La comunidad (2000) 119
  11. 6 800 balas (2002) 139
  12. 7 Crimen ferpecto (2004) 161
  13. Conclusion 177
  14. Filmography of Álex de la Iglesia 181
  15. Bibliography 189
  16. Index 197
The cinema of Álex de la Iglesia
This chapter is in the book The cinema of Álex de la Iglesia
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781847791665.00005

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of illustrations vii
  4. Acknowledgements ix
  5. Introduction 1
  6. 1 Acción mutante (1993) 33
  7. 2 El día de la bestia (1995) 53
  8. 3 Perdita Durango (1997) 77
  9. 4 Muertos de risa (1999) 97
  10. 5 La comunidad (2000) 119
  11. 6 800 balas (2002) 139
  12. 7 Crimen ferpecto (2004) 161
  13. Conclusion 177
  14. Filmography of Álex de la Iglesia 181
  15. Bibliography 189
  16. Index 197
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