Three years ago, we heard that genre regular Álex de la Iglesia – whose credits include creating the HBO horror series 30 Coins – had signed a deal with Amazon Prime Video and Sony Pictures International Productions to produce a series of feature-length horror films under the banner of The Fear Collection. It was said that de la Iglesia would be directing part of the collection and the entries not directed by him would still be “made under his creative influence”. The collection has turned out to consist of de la Iglesia’s own Veneciafrenia, Jaume Balaguero’s Venus, and Paco Plaza’s La Abuela – and all three films are now available on VOD, including on Amazon’s Prime Video!
De la Iglesia, who made his feature directorial debut with Accion Mutante in 1993, directed Veneciafrenia (watch it HERE) from a screenplay he wrote with Jorge Guerricaechevarría. This one explores the profound connection between beauty and death in nature. Humanity, inspired by its surroundings, often imitates what it observes. However, as tourists flock to Venice like moths to a flame, the city’s beauty is dimmed, causing frustration among the locals. To combat this invasion, some Venetians have banded together, unleashing their survival instincts. Amidst this turmoil, a group of unsuspecting Spanish tourists arrives in Venice, seeking nothing but fun. Little do they know, they will be forced to fight for their very lives.
[REC] and [REC] 2 co-director Jaume Balagueró wrote the Venus (watch it HERE) screenplay with Fernando Navarro, crafting a story that draws inspiration from the H.P. Lovecraft story Dreams in the Witch House. The film centers on Lucía, a go-go dancer on the run with a stash of pills, pursued by mobsters. She seeks refuge in an apartment building with her sister Rocío and niece Alba, only to discover that malevolent supernatural forces are at play within the very walls of the building.
Paco Plaza directed the first two [REC] movies with Balagueró, then went solo for [REC] 3: Genesis. His film La Abuela (watch it HERE) was scripted by Carlos Vermut and begins when Susana is compelled to leave her life as a model in Paris and return to her hometown of Madrid upon learning that her grandmother, Pilar, has suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. Pilar had raised Susana as her own after her parents’ tragic demise. Initially, Susana’s return home is meant to be a brief visit to find a long-term caregiver for Pilar. However, what should have been a few simple days takes a horrifying turn as Susana begins to notice peculiar changes in her grandmother’s behavior.
Does The Fear Collection sound interesting to you? Will you be watching Veneciafrenia, Venus, and/or La Abuela on VOD? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
