The Sergio Blasco Gore Collection (2024) Film Review – Extreme Spanish Cinema

Posted on by Jim Cox

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The Sergio Blasco Gore Collection is an anthology of four extreme splatter films all created by the Spanish director – Including Burrp (1996), Mas Carnaza (1997), Plano Detalle (2008), and Litio (2014). This compendium is an exclusive release to Italian extreme distributors Goredrome Pictures and TetroVideo, including the first-ever release of Plano Detalle (2008).

Burrp (1996)

Burrp is a 1996 short, shot-on-video zombie horror, written and directed by Sergio Blasco. A dangerous, apocalyptic epidemic turns reality shows into arenas of violence.

A daring voyage into the ugly side of cinema, Burrp certainly isn’t afraid to get down and dirty with its visceral content. Redefining the definition of no-budget filmmaking, Burrp consists of very little in the way of flowing narrative or competent acting—with most roles clearly being played by the director’s friends and family. However, while the overall quality may be lacking, the film is a testament to the raw creativity that was brought forth by the SOV movement of the 80s and 90s. Providing an astute canvas for the director to build his repertoire of B-movie splatter violence. Additionally, with an undertone of slapstick comedy, an excellent display of practical effects, and references to Sergio’s inspirations such as evil dead, the film is a palpable love letter to both low-budget filmmaking and over-the-top violence.

Mas Carnaza (1997)

Mas Carnaza

Mas Carnaza is a 1997 short, shot-on-video splatter horror film, Written and directed by Sergio Blasco. Manolo, a dangerous psychopath, kills his therapist and makes his escape from prison. After traveling back to his old neighborhood, he is intent on unleashing his vengeance on his former girlfriend, Lucia, along with anyone unlucky enough to be in his way.

Presenting a vastly improved production value compared to Burrp (1996), Mas Carnaza utilizes a far superior level of cinematography and narrative to his work only one year prior. Check out our full review of Mas Carnaza here.

Plano Detalle (2009)

Plano Detalle, also known as Snuff Business, is a 2009 short splatter horror, written and directed by Sergio Blasco. Alfredo Minguez a young unscrupulous businessman who, plagued by serious financial problems, decides to accept a macabre job offer from an old friend of his father. His company will become the cover for a business that produces a graphic snuff film.

Surprisingly narrative-heavy compared to the other films in the collection, Plano Detalle provides a competent narrative recited in an achronological manner. Although this story is serious in tone, the film has an (unintentional) comedic undertone due to how its depiction of violence is portrayed. The serious tension constructed in the build-up to the creation of the snuff film is somewhat nullified with its actualisation. However, despite the fatuous execution, this scene certainly displays the incredible practical effects come to be expected from a Sergio Blasco film—exhibiting some incredible prosthetics and blood work.

Litio (2014)

Litio (Lithium) is a 2014 short splatter horror, Written and directed by Sergio Blasco and Rodrigo Canet with additional writing from Mapi Romero. Surrounded by cruelty and abuse at conception, Nina, a young girl, finally decides enough is enough and runs away from the torment in her family home to try and begin anew. However, after several years, she finds herself living on the streets, addicted to drugs, and still surrounded by the violence she had strived to escape from.

One of the more tame films from Sergio, Litio takes a more experimental approach to its narrative compared to Sergio’s other films. Featuring zero dialogue outside of our protagonist’s narration, the film’s visuals perform a considerable amount of visual storytelling for its short run time of 10 minutes. As the name would suggest, Lithium metal has its part to play in the story, being used to create some striking visuals—though as lithium is highly caustic, it’s most likely a more inert metal with a low melting point such as Gallium. Despite this, Litio still maintains the extreme overtones that Sergio is known for, creating a brief yet haunting experience overall.

The Sergio Blasco Gore Collection is available to purchase exclusively from GoreDrome’s Website here.

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