Mario Bava
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Mario Bava (July 31 1914-April 27 1980) was an Italian director and cinematographer remembered as one of the greatest names from the golden age of Italian horror films. [1] [Apr 2007]
Biography
Mario Bava was born in Sanremo, Liguria.
In 1960 he directed one of the first Italian gothic horror films of the 1960s: La maschera del demonio (Black Sunday) which made a star out of Barbara Steele. His use of light and dark in black and white films is widely acclaimed along with his use of colors in films like I tre volti della paura (Black Sabbath) (1963) and La Frusta e il corpo (The Whip and the Body) (1963).
His work has proved very influential: Bava directed what is called the first Italian giallo film, La ragazza che sapeva troppo (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) (1963), and his 1965 sci-fi horror Terrore nello spazio (Planet of the Vampires) was a key influence on Alien (1979). Diabolik (1968) was one of the world's first comic book adaptations, while 1971's Reazione a catena (also known as Twitch of the Death Nerve & Bay of Blood) is considered to be one of the earliest slasher films.
Mario Bava has a son, Lamberto Bava, who also achieved a movie-directing career.
Filmography as director
- I Vampiri (1957 uncredited co-direction)
- Caltiki - The Immortal Monster (1959, uncredited co-direction)
- La maschera del demonio, (Black Sunday, Mask of the Demon, Mask of Satan, 1960)
- Esther and the King (1960, co-direction)
- Le meraviglie di Aladino (The Wonders of Aladdin, 1960 - Only some scenes)
- Hercules in the Haunted World, 1961
- Gli invasori (Erik The Conqueror, 1961)
- La ragazza che sapeva troppo (The Girl Who Knew Too Much, 1963)
- Black Sabbath, 1963
- The Whip and the Body, 1963
- Blood and Black Lace, 1964
- The Road to Fort Alamo, 1964
- Planet of the Vampires, 1965
- Savage Gringo, 1966 - Uncredited
- Kill, Baby... Kill!, 1966
- Knives of the Avenger, 1966
- Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs, 1966
- Danger: Diabolik, 1968)
- Roy Colt & Winchester Jack, 1970
- Five Dolls for an August Moon, 1970
- Hatchet for the Honeymoon, 1970
- Bay of Blood / Twitch of the Death Nerve, 1971
- Baron Blood, 1972
- Four Times That Night, 1972
- Lisa and the Devil, 1973
- House of Exorcism, 1974 - Edited version of Lisa and the Devil
- Rabid Dogs, 1974
- Shock (Beyond the Door II, 1977)
