ON TUESDAY EVENING FILM DIRECTOR LARRAZ JOSE RAMON LARRAZ DIED IN MALALGAThe film director, screenwriter, novelist and comic artist developed his career mainly in England. .
After working as an illustrator in various jobs in Barcelona, most notably the series " El Coyote " by Joseph Mallo, he emigrated first to France and Belgium, and then to England, combining the work in comics with work as a fashion photographer. In these countries he made contact with filmmakers like Josef Von Sternberg and legendary Hammer producers. It was in England where he directed his first film, "Whirlpool" in 1969, which like many other of his later career, was a horror film, signed with the pseudonym J.R Larraz.
"Whirpool" was followed by other titles filmed in England such as "Scream and Die" and the hit "Daughters of Dracula". He represented the country at the Cannes Film Festival with "Symptons" in 1974, earning rave reviews. These movies highlight his successful and elaborate aesthetic atmosphere.
In Spain, he mainly worked for the producer José Frade in both comedies and horror films such as "Rest in Pieces" and "The Edge of the Axe." One of the great successes he achieved for the producer was "Magic Powder" the title of the highest grossing Spanish film.
Married to Vanessa Hidalgo, who starred in one of his most celebrated film, "Los ritos sexuales del diablo”, they lived for two months in Malaga, which has compounded by his poor health.
Although his latest, the TV series "Wind Village", dating from 2002, still active Larraz was writing and publishing, both a novel and his memoirs, the latter with the subtitle "From comics to movies, with women movie"
In recent months he had been working with Victor Matellano on a new script about the universe of "Daughters of Dracula" for Artistic Films, "Vampyres", the project will be presented at the production in "Coming Soon" at the next Sitges Fantastic Film Festival and next week at the horror film festival in San Sebastian.
Larraz co-wrote the story for one Euro-western “Watch Out Gringo! Sabata Will Return” in 1972 starring George Martin.
LARRAZ, José Ramón (José Ramón Larraz Gil)
Born: 1929, Barcelona, Cataluna, Spain
Died: 9/3/2013, Málaga, Málaga, Spain
José Ramón Larraz’s western – writer:
Watch Out Gringo! Sabata Will Return - 1972