Horror and fantasy cinema loses Valencian filmmaker Juan Piquer

The former director of the Valencia Mostra has died at the age of 74 in Valencia. Author of works such as 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' (1976), 'Supersonic Man' (1979), 'The Night Has a Thousand Screams' (1981), 'Slugs, Viscous Death' (1988) and 'The Crack' (1989), he may not have been the protagonist of the major releases of fantasy and more Hollywood horror films, but in small theaters he enjoyed great recognition.

The Valencian filmmaker Juan Piquer died last weekend in Valencia at the age of 74 after a long illness.

Born in February 1936, Juan Piquer culminated a long career that from 2005 to 2008 led him to direct the Mostra de Valencia Cinema del Mediterrani with a marked line of austerity.

Director and producer, many of his films were released in the United States and obtained large box office receipts, and he even worked with international stars such as Terence Stamp, whom he directed in Mystery on Monster Island (1981).

Perhaps he was not the protagonist of the great premieres of fantasy and more Hollywood horror films, but he always enjoyed great recognition with unconditional viewers who enjoyed films like Journey to the center of the Earth (1976), Supersonic Man (1979), The night has a thousand screams (1981), Slugs, slimy death (1988), which earned him a Goya for best special effects, and The crack (1989).

Last December the Mexican Cine Mórbido festival paid the last tribute to Piquer.