Sunday, November 25, 2012

Paul Naschy's Memoirs of a Wolfman (1997)



I've been enjoying several Paul Naschy movies the latest week or so, from stuff I haven't seen before to revisiting good old classics. During this time I've also been reading the US paperback of Memoirs of a Wolfman, the autobiography that was published in 1997. The version I have was release a couple of years later and includes a bonus chapter and a signed card by Naschy himself. Very nice and it makes me even more sad that I never hade the pleasure to meet him in real life.

The memoirs chronicles his life from childhood and we get a detailed look at his family and relatives - and friends of the relatives, which might seem to be a bit exaggerated - but you will also notice that more or less everyone of these persons is connected to what he did later. They introduced him to things in life, they said something, they experienced things together with him - everyone means something for Naschy and without very few exceptions he gives them their full credits.  Another fine thing he does - up to his 20-30's - is to write down the comics he read at the time and the movies he watched, which also gives a strong hint of what inspired him during his filmmaking career.

It's well known that Naschy had a big ego, close a to narcissistic persona. He's a very proud actor and filmmaker and never shies away from letting us know when he's done something good and brilliant and masterful - but he also, very emotional, digs deep down in his failures and depressions, how he was so weak that he couldn't take care of himself, how he did stuff for money just to be able to pay the rent. The last chapters is actually quite painful to read, and the part where he tells us about his heart attack is so sad! The bonus chapter is the worst, where his self-confidence is rock-bottom and he basically say "goodbye" at the end, to never return. Thankfully he obviously got back on the saddle again and had quite good career even after that, including his best performance ever, in Christian Molina's 2004 film Rojo Sangre. He also starred in an official Spanish Dogme-film, Once Upon Another Time - a film I need to see as soon as possible.

The bitterness overcomes the happiness, the enthusiasm, in the end, which is a damn pity. But we know better and Naschy knew better also. Memoirs of a Wolfman is packed with anecdotes - some of them extremely bizarre - and a good insight in the work of low-budget filmmaking in Spain and Europe during 60's, 70's and 80's. The strangest chapter is when he tells us how he got involved in a cult of real devil worshippers!

His enthusiasm for making horror movies, the macabre and living on the edge of society, which he seem like at the same time as he's missing the recognition from the elite, is the fuel of this book. Naschy seems to more than a good, decent guy - a person who always cared for people who cared for him. An interesting mix between a macho-man and lover of women to a supporter of gay rights, and a guilty-filled catholic and left-wing horror fan. Everything at once and probably the reason why he made such interesting and stand-out movies.

Sometimes difficult to read because of the hardships in his later life, but also a very rewarding story surviving and fighting for what you love. 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Very nice and it makes me even more sad that I never hade the pleasure to meet him in real life."

I get the same feeling everytime I hear, filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, etc die.

Borgnine is a guy I always wanted to meet......now, that will never happen.



"It's well known that Naschy had a big ego, close a to narcissistic persona. He's a very proud actor and filmmaker and never shies away from letting us know when he's done something good and brilliant and masterful - but he also, very emotional, digs deep down in his failures and depressions, how he was so weak that he couldn't take care of himself, how he did stuff for money just to be able to pay the rent."

It is unusual when famous people talk about their failures.

For example Miles Davis autobiography barely, touches, scrapes the surface of his problems with heroin, but we get pretty good background into why he became an addict.


"He also starred in an official Spanish Dogme-film, Once Upon Another Time - a film I need to see as soon as possible."

I had no idea Spain did a dogma film, interesting.


"Memoirs of a Wolfman is packed with anecdotes - some of them extremely bizarre - and a good insight in the work of low-budget filmmaking in Spain and Europe during 60's, 70's and 80's."

Now that sounds great, every good memoir should have a great deal of anecdotes.


"Sometimes difficult to read because of the hardships in his later life, but also a very rewarding story surviving and fighting for what you love."

The life as an actor simply put.

Great review ninja, and thanks.

I think you should do more book reviews on this site.


Megatron

Ninja Dixon said...

Thank you!

Yeah, maybe I should do more book reviews here... I'm not happy at all with my movies reviews nowadays.

Anonymous said...

Ninja: Why are you not happy?

I´m very pleased with most of them, I don´t always agree with you but such is life.

But I think the level of quality, that fact you try to review films no one else has heard of or is rarely mentioned, is something you can be proud of.

I could be just me, but I get the feeling that AICN, hell, even the neonazis at Flashback(I get the feeling they read your blog daily)reads this blog and uses some of the films mentioned here in their columns.

This is why you need to keep blogging, so many people are dependent on you even though you might not notice it first.

And they may never give you any cred.

Remember that ninja.


Megatron

Alex B. said...

I don't know what your criteria for judging your own reviews are, but I read almost every review you post. Because you review some very different stuff and because you love that madness, that crazy world cinema universe. Keep going. I love your stuff, it helped me live through some boring days. Nice to come back from work to a new Ninja Dixon review.

Ninja Dixon said...

I appreciate your support gentlemen!
It's hard to describe, but I feel that every line I'm writing already have been written thousands of times. I find it harder and harder to find something new, that famous "it" in the movies I'm writing about. I call it emptiness. I'm writing about movies when my only goal - for years - is to make movies other people want to review. But I haven't succeeded and that feels very hard...

Alex B. said...

I've got an idea of what you mean. It's tough. Very tough. But you're not through yet. You can do what you want.