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 past designed to replace more complex and nuanced accounts. In this representation religious and historical iconography combined with kitsch aesthetics to project a picturesque, clichéd image of Spain. The ultimate goal of this vast production of kitsch was to create a submissive subject who, by identifying with Francoist ae ... More

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 past designed to replace more complex and nuanced accounts. In this representation religious and historical iconography combined with kitsch aesthetics to project a picturesque, clichéd image of Spain. The ultimate goal of this vast production of kitsch was to create a submissive subject who, by identifying with Francoist aesthetics, would identify with state ideology. This book examines the role of kitsch aesthetics in advancing Francoist totalitarian ideology and in its subsequent undoing. It explores the intersection between aesthetics and politics through the lens of kitsch and its relation to violence in the context of Spanish and European history. More specifically, it engages the making and unmaking of Francoist kitsch aesthetics through the analysis of Spanish cinema by examining eight influential films ranging from 1938 to 2010; five Francoist films and three oppositional films by critically acclaimed directors Luis Buñuel, Alex de la Iglesia and Guillermo del Toro who, by re-imagining Francoist aesthetics’ visual an narrative clichés, dismantled the fascist project.