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Amando de Ossorio is a Director, Scriptwriter, Visual Effects and Special Effects Espagnol born on 6 april 1918 at A Coruña (Espagne)
Amando de Ossorio (April 6, 1918 – January 13, 2001) was one of the foremost Spanish horror film directors during the European horror film surge in the 1970s, known especially for his "Blind Dead" series.
De Ossorio complained in interviews that right from the start of his "horror film" career, his producers were always tampering with his projects. His first horror film, Malenka, the Vampire's Niece (1969), was written to be a psychological thriller about a young woman who inherits a castle in Europe and is summarily driven crazy by her uncle who tries to convince her that he and she are both vampires. At the end of the film, the uncle's scheme is revealed and explained by her boyfriend to be a hoax. However, after De Ossorio finished the film, the producers decided to make the uncle a real vampire and added a low-budget disintegration scene to the film's finale that completely contradicted the plot.
In 1971, he came up with the concept of "The Blind Dead", a cult of blind, undead Templar Knights who rode skeletal ghost-horses and were attracted to their victims by the sound of their heartbeat. The first film, Tombs of the Blind Dead, was so successful, he immediately embarked on a career as a Euro-horror film director. Three more "Blind Dead" films followed in quick succession.
His 1975 Demon Witch Child (one of the many Exorcist clones) is today regarded as an underrated must-see horror classic by most of his fans. In the late 70's, de Ossorio's name strangely wound up on a couple of x-rated adult films. Unfortunately his last horror film, The Sea Serpent (which had been De Ossorio's dream project for many years) was a disappointment to him due to the low budget special effects, and led him to retire from filmmaking in 1984 at age 66.
He was interviewed for a 2001 documentary about his life entitled Amando de Ossorio: The Last Templar just a short time before he died. During the interview, De Ossorio complained about the pitifully tiny budgets he was always forced to work within, and he lamented that in almost every case, the finished project never came close to what he had envisioned when he first conceived each film. He cited his worst disappointment being the abysmal special effects that appeared at the climax of his Ghost Galleon (1974), wherein the producers actually used a folded piece of cardboard to represent the magnificent Spanish galleon that burns and sinks at the end of the film.
In his final years, he augmented his income by producing scary oil paintings of his Templar Knights and selling them to his fans. He died in 2001 from natural causes at the age of 82. His four "Blind Dead" films are now available in a deluxe DVD box set, and most of his other horror films are also available now on DVD.
Source : Wikidata
Amando de Ossorio
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Nationality Espagne
Birth 6 april 1918 at A Coruña (Espagne)
Death 13 january 2001 (at 82 years) at Madrid (Espagne)
Birth 6 april 1918 at A Coruña (Espagne)
Death 13 january 2001 (at 82 years) at Madrid (Espagne)
De Ossorio complained in interviews that right from the start of his "horror film" career, his producers were always tampering with his projects. His first horror film, Malenka, the Vampire's Niece (1969), was written to be a psychological thriller about a young woman who inherits a castle in Europe and is summarily driven crazy by her uncle who tries to convince her that he and she are both vampires. At the end of the film, the uncle's scheme is revealed and explained by her boyfriend to be a hoax. However, after De Ossorio finished the film, the producers decided to make the uncle a real vampire and added a low-budget disintegration scene to the film's finale that completely contradicted the plot.
In 1971, he came up with the concept of "The Blind Dead", a cult of blind, undead Templar Knights who rode skeletal ghost-horses and were attracted to their victims by the sound of their heartbeat. The first film, Tombs of the Blind Dead, was so successful, he immediately embarked on a career as a Euro-horror film director. Three more "Blind Dead" films followed in quick succession.
His 1975 Demon Witch Child (one of the many Exorcist clones) is today regarded as an underrated must-see horror classic by most of his fans. In the late 70's, de Ossorio's name strangely wound up on a couple of x-rated adult films. Unfortunately his last horror film, The Sea Serpent (which had been De Ossorio's dream project for many years) was a disappointment to him due to the low budget special effects, and led him to retire from filmmaking in 1984 at age 66.
He was interviewed for a 2001 documentary about his life entitled Amando de Ossorio: The Last Templar just a short time before he died. During the interview, De Ossorio complained about the pitifully tiny budgets he was always forced to work within, and he lamented that in almost every case, the finished project never came close to what he had envisioned when he first conceived each film. He cited his worst disappointment being the abysmal special effects that appeared at the climax of his Ghost Galleon (1974), wherein the producers actually used a folded piece of cardboard to represent the magnificent Spanish galleon that burns and sinks at the end of the film.
In his final years, he augmented his income by producing scary oil paintings of his Templar Knights and selling them to his fans. He died in 2001 from natural causes at the age of 82. His four "Blind Dead" films are now available in a deluxe DVD box set, and most of his other horror films are also available now on DVD.
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Filmography of Amando de Ossorio (9 films)
Director
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The Sea Serpent (1985)
Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Science fiction, Horror
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Giant monster films, Arme nucléaire
Actors Timothy Bottoms, Taryn Power, Jared Martin, Ray Milland, Gerard Tichy, Jack Taylor
Rating37%
Une explosion nucléaire au milieu de l'Atlantique fait revenir à la vie un monstre marin préhistorique qui se met à attaquer des nageurs, des bateaux et des phares le long de la côte espagnole. Deux hommes, un Espagnol et un Américain, font alors équipe pour tenter de stopper le monstre avec l'aide d'un océanographe.
Night of the Seagulls (1975)
, 1h29Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, Disaster films
Actors María Kosti, Sandra Mozarowsky, Julia Saly, Luis Ciges
Rating57%
The film starts in medieval times, when a young couple is attacked by templar knights. The man is instantly killed, the woman is carried away to the templar's castle where she is sacrificed.
The Night of the Sorcerers (1974)
, 1h34Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Genres Fantasy, Horror
Actors María Kosti, Simón Andreu, Bárbara Rey, Jack Taylor
Rating51%
In a 1910 prologue, an unnamed missionary (played by Barbara King) was kidnapped by native Bokor (sorcerers) to be sacrificed under a full moon. The Bokor tied her between two posts, whipped her, then carried her to a stone altar where they decapitated her. The ceremony was interrupted, however, by soldiers who shot all the participants. Unnoticed in the melee, a Shedim (demon) took possession of the woman.
The Ghost Galleon (1974)
, 1h46Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Seafaring films, Transport films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, Disaster films
Actors Maria Perschy, Jack Taylor, Bárbara Rey, Manuel de Blas
Rating45%
A pair of swimsuit models are out in a boat to stage a publicity stunt by appearing to be stranded. They discover a mysterious galleon shrouded in mist and board it. When contact is lost, the wealthy and unscrupulous businessman who sent them out decides to mount his own rescue mission and abducts one of the models' friends. The abducted girl makes an unsuccessful escape attempt. The businessman and his secretary recruit an eccentric scholar to assist them in their search for the missing models and their boat.
Attack of the Blind Dead (1973)
, 1h31Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, Disaster films
Actors Tony Kendall, Fernando Sancho, Esperanza Roy, Frank Braña, José Canalejas
Rating57%
The film opens with a flashback to 13th century Bouzano, Portugal. A peasant mob has captured the Templar knights and is preparing to burn them for witchcraft and murder. One of the captured knights swears revenge on the village. The villagers (in a break from the first film) burn the knights eyes out with torches before burning them to death.
Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972)
, 1h37Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, LGBT-related films, Disaster films, LGBT-related film
Actors Carmen Yazalde
Rating61%
The Knights Templar (a fictionalized version of a real-life order that was dissolved in the 14th century following charges of witchcraft and heresy) come back from the dead as revenants. The reanimated corpses are blind, because their eyes were pecked out by birds while their hanged bodies rotted on the gallows.
Fangs of the Living Dead (1969)
, 1h28Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Genres Horror
Themes Vampires in film
Actors Anita Ekberg, Diana Lorys, Carlos Casaravilla, Paul Müller, Adriana Ambesi
Rating44%
The beautiful and virginal Sylvia (Anita Ekberg) is delighted to discover that she's inherited not only the noble title of Countess, but she has also inherited a castle located in the country. She excitedly calls her fiance Piero (Gianni Medici) to tell him that she's going to travel to view the castle. Once there she stops at a local inn for a drink, where she announces her destination and relation to the castle's inhabitants- which horrifies the townspeople. Unswayed by the townspeople's reactions, Sylvia arrives at the castle and meets her uncle, the Count Walbrooke (Julian Ugarte), and beds down for the night. She is later awakened by the maidservant Blinka (Adriana Ambesi), who warns her that Walbrooke is a century-old vampire that means her harm. Blinka's attempts to draw Sylvia out of bed and out of the castle are interrupted by Walbrooke, who takes her into another room and whips her. Sylvia pleads with him to stop, only for Walbrooke to reveal that Blinka herself is also a vampire.
Scriptwriter
The Sea Serpent (1985)
Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Science fiction, Horror
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Giant monster films, Arme nucléaire
Actors Timothy Bottoms, Taryn Power, Jared Martin, Ray Milland, Gerard Tichy, Jack Taylor
Rating37%
Une explosion nucléaire au milieu de l'Atlantique fait revenir à la vie un monstre marin préhistorique qui se met à attaquer des nageurs, des bateaux et des phares le long de la côte espagnole. Deux hommes, un Espagnol et un Américain, font alors équipe pour tenter de stopper le monstre avec l'aide d'un océanographe.
The Cantabrians (1980)
, 1h47Directed by Paul Naschy
Origin Espagne
Genres Historical, Peplum
Actors Paul Naschy, Alfredo Mayo, Julia Saly, Antonio Iranzo Escorihuela, Ricardo Palacios, Frank Braña
Rating58%
A voice-over describes how the Cantabrian tribes led by Corocotta have repeatedly defeated the Roman attempts to annex their territory in Spain. In Rome, Augustus is furious. His general Agrippa proposes a new plan - to defeat the Canabrians by adopting their own guerrilla tactics. Meanwhile in Spain, Corocotta attacks what he thinks is a Roman gold-transport, only to find rocks. He frees the slaves, who join his forces. Selenia, a seer, warns Corocotta of danger, but also tells Corocotta that his wife has given birth to a son. While Corocotta sees his wife and new child, Agrippa meets with Sonanso, a Cantabrian traitor who agrees to help him.
Night of the Seagulls (1975)
, 1h29Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, Disaster films
Actors María Kosti, Sandra Mozarowsky, Julia Saly, Luis Ciges
Roles Writer
Rating57%
The film starts in medieval times, when a young couple is attacked by templar knights. The man is instantly killed, the woman is carried away to the templar's castle where she is sacrificed.
The Night of the Sorcerers (1974)
, 1h34Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Genres Fantasy, Horror
Actors María Kosti, Simón Andreu, Bárbara Rey, Jack Taylor
Roles Writer
Rating51%
In a 1910 prologue, an unnamed missionary (played by Barbara King) was kidnapped by native Bokor (sorcerers) to be sacrificed under a full moon. The Bokor tied her between two posts, whipped her, then carried her to a stone altar where they decapitated her. The ceremony was interrupted, however, by soldiers who shot all the participants. Unnoticed in the melee, a Shedim (demon) took possession of the woman.
The Ghost Galleon (1974)
, 1h46Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Seafaring films, Transport films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, Disaster films
Actors Maria Perschy, Jack Taylor, Bárbara Rey, Manuel de Blas
Rating45%
A pair of swimsuit models are out in a boat to stage a publicity stunt by appearing to be stranded. They discover a mysterious galleon shrouded in mist and board it. When contact is lost, the wealthy and unscrupulous businessman who sent them out decides to mount his own rescue mission and abducts one of the models' friends. The abducted girl makes an unsuccessful escape attempt. The businessman and his secretary recruit an eccentric scholar to assist them in their search for the missing models and their boat.
Attack of the Blind Dead (1973)
, 1h31Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, Disaster films
Actors Tony Kendall, Fernando Sancho, Esperanza Roy, Frank Braña, José Canalejas
Roles Story
Rating57%
The film opens with a flashback to 13th century Bouzano, Portugal. A peasant mob has captured the Templar knights and is preparing to burn them for witchcraft and murder. One of the captured knights swears revenge on the village. The villagers (in a break from the first film) burn the knights eyes out with torches before burning them to death.
Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972)
, 1h37Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Origin Espagne
Genres Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, LGBT-related films, Disaster films, LGBT-related film
Actors Carmen Yazalde
Roles Writer
Rating61%
The Knights Templar (a fictionalized version of a real-life order that was dissolved in the 14th century following charges of witchcraft and heresy) come back from the dead as revenants. The reanimated corpses are blind, because their eyes were pecked out by birds while their hanged bodies rotted on the gallows.
Fangs of the Living Dead (1969)
, 1h28Directed by Amando de Ossorio
Genres Horror
Themes Vampires in film
Actors Anita Ekberg, Diana Lorys, Carlos Casaravilla, Paul Müller, Adriana Ambesi
Roles Writer
Rating44%
The beautiful and virginal Sylvia (Anita Ekberg) is delighted to discover that she's inherited not only the noble title of Countess, but she has also inherited a castle located in the country. She excitedly calls her fiance Piero (Gianni Medici) to tell him that she's going to travel to view the castle. Once there she stops at a local inn for a drink, where she announces her destination and relation to the castle's inhabitants- which horrifies the townspeople. Unswayed by the townspeople's reactions, Sylvia arrives at the castle and meets her uncle, the Count Walbrooke (Julian Ugarte), and beds down for the night. She is later awakened by the maidservant Blinka (Adriana Ambesi), who warns her that Walbrooke is a century-old vampire that means her harm. Blinka's attempts to draw Sylvia out of bed and out of the castle are interrupted by Walbrooke, who takes her into another room and whips her. Sylvia pleads with him to stop, only for Walbrooke to reveal that Blinka herself is also a vampire.