The Emergence of 'El Destape': A New Era in Spanish Cinema

The end of Franco's regime marked a significant shift in Spanish society, particularly in terms of sexual repression. This liberation paved the way for a distinctive genre of cinema that was characterized as "absolutely commercial, rigorously macho, and ideologically retrograde." Its primary focus was to showcase the previously taboo female anatomy without much pretext. The 1970s witnessed a global surge in erotic and even pornographic films, and Spain's 'el destape' can be likened to similar movements in other countries, such as the pornochanchada in Brazil, the cine de ficheras in Mexico, and the rise of erotic comedies in Italy and Germany.

In the waning years of the dictatorship, a few films had begun to explore this new avenue, with notable examples including El monumento (José María Forqué, 1970), Lo verde empieza en los Pirineos (Vicente Escrivá, 1973), and Doctor me gustan las mujeres ¿Es grave? (Ramón Fernandez, 1973). However, it was in 1977 that this genre truly exploded, dominating national film production with significant titles such as Deseo carnal (Manuel Iglesias, 1978), L'orgia (Francesc Bellmunt, 1978), and Atraco a sexo armado (Vincenco Savino, 1981).

Among the films that defined this era, La trastienda (Jorge Grau, 1978) holds a special place in Spanish cinema history for featuring the first frontal female nude, which drew over two and a half million viewers to theaters. Several actresses became synonymous with this genre, including Andrea Albani, Bárbara Rey, and María José Cantudo, the latter of whom was notably involved in this film. However, the careers of many of these actresses dwindled as the genre began to fade. Others, such as Ana Belén, Esperanza Rey, and even Carmen Sevilla, joined the trend, while some, like Sara Montiel, chose to retire rather than conform to the demands of nudity.

By the early 1980s, the allure of this cinematic style waned, disappearing almost as swiftly as it had emerged.