Hugo Stiglitz: A Tribute

Long ago, in the time horror films still scared me to death, I was very fascinated by European horror films. Not because they where particularly scary, but because of the irresistible charming content. The way the directors managed to exploit the tiny budget to the very limits, and make films by going outside the book, intrigued me because it was a new way of filmmaking compared to what was traditional at the time. Films shot without sound that had to be dubbed over afterwards was something I wasn’t used to. I didn’t like it at first, but I got used to it and discovered the charm behind it all. When leading actors were dubbed by other voices, it threw a whole new definition of what could be called ‘good acting’. Whether or not Mexican actor, Hugo Stilgitz dubbed himself, I don’t dare to speculate in. But even if he did it or not, I don’t believe it would have changed his unique way of acting.
I remember at a young age I watched my very first Stiglitz-film; Nightmare City. I wasn’t very familiar with European horror films at the time, so all of this was very new to me. The film itself was amazingly entertaining and almost groundbreaking considering what I'd been used to.


Contaminated people running around and killing everyone?

Well, I suppose there is more to it than that. But I didn’t find the entertainment in this aspect of the film alone. Oh, certainly not! There was a certain stud of a leading man in this film. He introduced me to a whole new concept of acting. Stiglitz was stiff, relentless (the way he went around slapping his wife) and a perfect example of a great macho figure. His character interpretation of Dean Miller, the leading character, was for me one of the most giving performances I'd even seen. Hugo’s technique was unique in the way he always stood up against the infected citizens without changing as much as a movement in his face. Even in the most feared sequences, Stiglitz always kept himself calm and relaxed without even raising his voice. With his stylish moustache and downright fantastic beard along with his curly hair, Stiglitz sawed his way through the infected ones without showing a single sign of fear. I could not believe my own eyes! It was incredibly realistic. Suddenly, Stiglitz became a role model for what good acting was all about: to be brave, stiff and not give away any facial expressions at all!
I felt this urge to explore more of Hugo Stiglitz's films and to discover his huge broadness as an actor. From playing Robinson Crusoe (twice!), to the homosexualised Esteban in Tintorera (1977) and then moved on to act in in based-upon-true-stories catastrophe films like Survive!, The Bermuda Triangle, Cyclone and Guyana: Crime of the Century. Never before have i seen such an actor in work. Hugo Stiglitz is a modern actor, an artist of the cinema, and truly belongs in the history books as one of the greatest of the greatest.