Rent Two Boxes: Televised Terror in Franco's Spain (1974)
3.9 of 5 from 45 ratings
1h 43min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Spain in the early 1970s was a country in transition, with increasing economic prosperity and the expectations of a growing middle class in direct conflict with the dying Francoist regime, where state surveillance, media censorship and social control was still the norm. Inspired by mystery-horror anthology series such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone, this unique period in history is depicted with terrifying clarity and dark humour in these two infamous television films: 'La cabina' and 'El televisor'. In Antonio Mercero's 'La cabina', a group of officials install a telephone box outside a block of flats. After a man enters to make a phone call, he finds himself unable to leave, attracting the attention of fascinated locals as he grows increasingly desperate to escape. A sensation upon release, 'La cabina' also developed a huge cult following in the UK after regularly screening on late-night TV. In Narcisco Ibáñez Serrandor's 'El televisor', a man living a dreary suburban life has a simple dream: to possess his own television. When he finally gets his wish, the dream soon becomes a dangerous, all-consuming obsession. Originally a special episode of Serrandor's hugely popular series Tales to Keep You Awake, El televisor's escalating dread and shocking conclusion still retains its power to shock over 50 years later. - Actors:
- Narciso Ibáñez Menta, María Fernanda D'Ocón, Kiti Mánver, José Miguel Aguado, Rafael Navarro, Sergio Doré, Estanis González, Pedro del Río, Julia Trujillo, Ángeles Macua, Roberto Cruz, Eduardo Moreno, Pedro Rodríguez de Quevedo, Antonio Ramis, Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, José Luis López Vázquez, Agustín González, Goyo Lebrero, Tito García, Carmen Martínez Sierra
- Directors:
- Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, Antonio Mercero
- Voiced By:
- Narciso Ibáñez Serrador
- Narrated By:
- Narciso Ibáñez Serrador
- Writers:
- Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, Joaquín Amichatis, Antonio Mercero, José Luis Garci
- Aka:
- La Cabina (The Telephone Box / The Telephone Booth / The Phone Box) // El televisor (Historias para no dormir: El televisor)
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Thrillers
- Countries:
- Spain
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 20/07/2026
- Run Time:
- 103 minutes
- Languages:
- Spanish LPCM Mono
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.33:1 / 4:3
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- New audio commentary on 'La cabina' with writers and film-makers Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton
- New audio commentary on 'El televisor' with critics and horror experts Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons
- New interview with Spanish film expert Antonio Lazaro-Reboll on horror in Francoist Spain
- Archival interview with co-screenwriter of 'La cabina' Jose Luis Garci
- Archival 'La cabina' location featurette with Antonio Mercero Santos
- Archival press conference with Narciso Ibanez Serrandor promoting 'El televisor'
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