The news of the death of Antonio Gasset, a film journalist whom Spain knew as the director and presenter of ‘Film Days’, from 1994 to December 20, 2007, has orphaned a whole generation of moviegoers formed thanks to his space, which you will never enjoy the cinema in the same way. Today, those fans dismiss the critic with a great emptiness.
It is difficult to describe the impact that Antonio Gasset had on television when his program was broadcast at hours unlikely to create fans. On Friday nights, the day of going out for various age groups, the dos de rtve broadcast a film program with critical concern, which alternated the analysis video pieces with short interludes in which the presenter made some witty, absurd, and almost always hilarious or sharp appreciation.
An irreverent and brilliant communicator
Today, surely it would not have the same interest, but in an age of trash TV, mama chicho, and singers presenting programs, that the channel of “intellectual” content did a film program with rhythm, exciting in its montages and delirious in its fragments presenting it was a life saver. The hieratic look and a slow attitude and a very serious voice de Gasset, contrasted with the acidic, surrealistic, and often incendiary reflections with which he passed from one block to another.
Normally, the highlight of his soliloquies appeared just before going to publicity, other times they concentrated on his farewell, where he often questioned viewers or uttered a phrase that no one was used to hearing on television. It gave the impression that he did it with the confidence of someone who is not afraid of being fired from his job, it was the pose that we all wanted in front of our boss or in front of life, but we could never muster the courage (or ingenuity) to be able to do it.
In fact, Gasset explained in interviews that his particular style arose a bit by chance and by the surprising reaction of the public:
“Throughout my life I have had several addictions, and one of the main ones has been to humor. It has saved me from great catastrophes. This, together with a certain slyness and bad grape typical of me, prompted me to make those comments in the program. Until I saw that people liked them, and I thought: well, I’m going to say bullshit whenever I can. But they are always spontaneous. In 12 years that I’ve been doing lead-ins, I’ve never spent more than five minutes thinking about what I’ll say. The proof is that some of them are huge bullshit. “
His greatest hits
Although it might seem like a cheap provocation, the relationship with the public was always affectionate and complicit, making ‘Movie days’ not only meant learning and feeling the same passion for film that his team showed, but also being perceived as an exquisite humor club where irony always had a bit of a message to those who row against culture. Many of his occurrences have passed into the popular imagination, and some of his phrases continue to be reproduced in online compilations and video responses on social networks.
We can’t think of a better way to say goodbye to the great Antonio Gasset than this tribute he dedicated to him @CinemaDays: ‘El ingenio de Gasset’, a compilation of his best (and acid) intros on the program. https://t.co/IouVwM4gk7
– RTVE (@rtve) September 29, 2021
These are some of them:
“Be good, and if for whatever reason you can’t, keep being bad, the difference is minimal.”
“The moment of publicity has come, enjoy the cinema if you can. If not, you also have music, literature or even history, unless you want to be president of the Government.”
“Until the next show. We don’t know what day or what time they will put us on, so stay tuned.”
“We are going to a publicity break, which will be as short as the presenter’s salary.”
“To go to the movies with this billboard you have to have a negative IQ.”
“During the commercial break, I will pray in the hope that none of his children have appeared at the casting of Operación Triunfo.”
“The pause has arrived. Take refuge among your loved ones and look at this device, the television, whatever the price, with suspicion and a certain distrust. Frontal attacks against reason and good taste can arise from it.”
“The movie ‘The Last Samurai’ is being released these days, starring Nicole Kidman’s ex-husband, the only notable fact about this actor named Tom Cruise”
“When they come back from the publicity I will have undressed and I will throw myself into the sea (in Cannes. On the return of the publicity she continued):” It was a pathetic attempt to keep the audience … “.
“And we reached the pause in this program of which we are so proud. Not so for some colleagues on the 7th floor of Torrespaña who smoke breaking the rule that benefits us all so much.”
“Good evening everyone. But before we say goodbye, a piece of advice: don’t take drugs, because taking these substances can produce unwanted effects. A friend of mine took a certain pill the other day and thought he saw George Bush reading a book.”
“The best of the San Sebastián festival, my companion, although unfortunately I am in love with another”.
“The pause has arrived. Take your footballing, sexual and political passions with philosophy and patience. The first, because it is a game; the second, because they tend to be ephemeral; and the third, the political, because the dark object of desire usually be a fool. “
“And now, if you’ll excuse us, let’s talk about Spanish cinema.”
“I know they will endure the moment of publicity at this late at night since when we return we have a special from the Barcelona erotic cinema …”
“Tips to entertain yourself during advertisements:” Call a friend’s wife to ask for sex “or” take advantage of the time to lose it, one of the best ways to take advantage of it, very indicated against stress and job anxiety “.
“Jeunet is the director of that monster, a movie for some (they were wrong), a brick for others (we were right) who was Amélie”.
“Now you can do a lot of things taking advantage of the endless minutes of advertising.”
“I wish you a good week, whatever you have decided to do, even if it is from Nazareno self-flagellating.”
“I am aware that at the time of airing my program can only be seen by a handful of insomniac drug addicts.”
“It’s time for the break. I hope you can contain your partners’ sexual impulses for a few minutes. If it can’t be, it can’t be … in any case we will return after the publicity with the most chaste sector of the audience.”