José Mojica Marins is a Brazilian filmmaker, actor, and television presenter who has been active as a director since 1958. He is best known for his cult horror films, especially the iconic Coffin Joe character that he created and starred in.
Mojica Marins was born in 1936 in São Paulo, Brazil. He began his film career in 1958, writing and directing his first feature film, A Noite do Espantalho (The Night of the Scarecrow). This low-budget, horror-comedy film featured Mojica Marins as the lead character, Coffin Joe, and marked the beginning of the Coffin Joe character's popularity.
In 1964, Mojica Marins wrote, directed, and starred in the horror-comedy At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul. This film was the first in a trilogy of films about Coffin Joe, and the character would become an iconic figure in Brazilian culture. The trilogy continued with This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse in 1967 and Awakening of the Beast in 1970.
Mojica Marins has also directed a number of other horror films, such as The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe (1973), The Strange World of Coffin Joe (2008), and Embodiment of Evil (2008). In addition to his horror films, he has also directed comedies, westerns, and other genres.
In the 1990s, Mojica Marins shifted his focus to television, hosting a talk show called The World According to Mojica Marins. He also served as an actor in a number of television series, most notably the soap opera Mulheres Apaixonadas.
Mojica Marins has been honored for his contributions to Brazilian cinema. He was the first filmmaker to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Brazilian Film Academy, and he has received the prestigious Medal of Merit from the National Library of Brazil.
Mojica Marins' signature style of horror, his iconic Coffin Joe character, and his long career as a filmmaker have earned him a place as one of the most influential directors of Brazilian cinema. He is an iconic figure in Brazilian culture, and his films continue to inspire generations of filmmakers.
Birthday
March 13, 1936
