In transition: The first road movies of Spanish cinema (1975-1978)

The road movie is a genre closely linked to American culture that emerged in the late 1960s and it is quickly diffused around the world. Its appearance in Spanish cinema did not grow until the mid-1970s, coinciding with the first years of the transition to democracy and the ideologization of popular genres, due to industrial and infrastructure delays but mainly due to the lack of an image of the road as a space for individual search and reaffirmation. This article analyzes the four foundational films of Spanish cinema on the road.