Lamberto Bava
Lamberto Bava was born in Rome, Italy, and was the first of a third generation of Italian filmmakers. His grandfather, Eugenio Bava (1886-1966), was a cameraman and optics effects artist during the early days of Italian silent cinema. His father, Mario Bava (1914-1980), was a legendary cinematographer, special effects designer and director. Lamberto entered the cinema as his father's personal assistant, starting with "Planet of the Vampires" (1965). Bit by bit he gained experience from his father, who made him the assistant director for most of the rest of his films. He even co-wrote the screenplay for "Shock" (1977), Mario's last theatrical film where, in poor health during the shoot, Mario often feigned illness so Lamberto could direct a few scenes, uncredited, to gain further experience. Both Lamberto and Mario directed the made-for-TV drama "I giochi del diavolo: La Venere d'Ille" (1979). Both worked on the Dario Argento horror flick "Inferno" (1980), for which Mario designed some of the color set pieces, including the underwater ballroom, and created all the visual special effects, while Lamberto worked as Argento's assistant director. Late in 1979 Lamberto made his solo directorial debut with "Macabre" (1980), a tense drama-horror flick loosely based on a 1977 incident in New Orleans about a woman who keeps her lover's severed head in her freezer. According to Lamberto, the project started by chance when producer Pupi Avati approached him to direct as well as write the screenplay, which took just six weeks to write and direct. "Macabre" was released in Italy in February 1980 to mixed reviews, but won him recognition by his father Mario. Just two months later Mario Bava died, and an era in Italian film making came to a close. "Macabre" was not a box-office hit and, as a result, Lamberto went back to assistant directing. He worked with Dario Argento again in 1982 with "Tenebrae" (1982). In 1983 Lamberto was offered the opportunity to direct another film, titled "A Blade in the Dark" (1983), which was a violent mystery thriller shot in only three weeks on a tight budget and filmed almost entirely in a producer friend's house. Next he directed the action-flick "Blastfighter" (1984), which was filmed in the state of Georgia, and immediately afterwards directed the "Jaws" (1975)-like thriller "Devil Fish" (1984), which was shot in Florida. On both films Lamberto was purely a director for hire and had nothing to do with the script or production end. He used the pseudonym of 'John Old Jr.' for this latter film, which was a tribute to his father Mario, who often used the pseudonym 'John M. Old'. He enjoyed his best commercial success to date with "Demons" (1985), produced by Dario Argento, co-written by Dardano Sacchetti and filmed in West Berlin. This film's international success allowed him to co-write, produce and direct a sequel, "Demons 2" (1986). Lamberto returned to giallo thrillers with "Delirium" (1987). In the late 1980s the Italian cinema turned moribund. Lamberto, like most of his colleagues, turned to making films for Italian television. He also directed a remake of his father's "Black Sunday" (1960), which was titled "La maschera del demonio" (1990). Nowadays Lamberto Bava continues to divide his time between TV work and a few movies, acknowledging his inspiration from his late father, Mario.
Of Fire And Darkness
(himself)
Graveyard Disturbance
(Shop Keeper)
Paura: Lucio Fulci Remembered - Volume 1
(Self)
The Three Faces of Terror
(Himself)
Hanging Shadows
Il mistero della cattedrale
(self)
Dario Argento: Panico
(Self)
Dream Time
(Sé stesso)
I Tarantiniani
(Self)
Blood on Méliès' Moon
(Lamberto Bava)
The Exorcism of Lisa
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
(Self)
Mario Bava: Operazione paura
(Self)
The Ogre
(Man in bar (uncredited))
Demons 2
(Sally's Father)
Demons
(1st Man Exiting Subway (uncredited))
Bava Puzzle
(Himself)
All the Colors of Giallo
(Self - Director / son of Mario Bava)
Shock
(Mover / Airplane Passenger)
You'll Die at Midnight
(Police Photographer (uncredited))
Tenebre
(Elevator Repairman #1 (uncredited))
Italian Kings Of B
(Self)
Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess
(Self)
Erinnerungen an Lucio Fulci
(Himself)
Titanus 1904
(Self)
Masters of Mayhem
(Self)
Inspector Coliandro
(Questore)
Shock
(Screenplay)
Rabid Dogs
(Producer)
Dinner with a Vampire
(Director)
Graveyard Disturbance
(Director)
Graveyard Disturbance
(Writer)
Demons 2
(Director)
Demons 2
(Writer)
Delirium: Photo of Gioia
(Director)
Waves of Lust
(Screenstory)
Devil Fish
(Director)
Demons
(Director)
Demons
(Screenplay)
Body Puzzle
(Director)
Body Puzzle
(Screenplay)
A Blade in the Dark
(Director)
A Blade in the Dark
(Producer)
A Blade in the Dark
(Editor)
The Torturer
(Director)
The Mask of Satan
(Director)
The Mask of Satan
(Story)
Macabre
(Director)
Macabre
(Writer)
Ghost Son
(Director)
Ghost Son
(Story)
Ghost Son
(Screenplay)
Pirates: Blood Brothers
(Director)
Pirates: Blood Brothers
(Producer)
The Princess and the Pauper
(Director)
The Dragon Ring
(Director)
Blastfighter
(Director)
The Prince of Terror
(Director)
The Ogre
(Director)
The Ogre
(Writer)
The Cave of the Golden Rose
(Director)
Last Feelings
(First Assistant Director)
The Dragon Ring
(Producer)
The Cave of the Golden Rose 2
(Director)
The Cave of the Golden Rose 3
(Director)
The Cave of the Golden Rose 4
(Director)
The Cave of the Golden Rose 5
(Director)
Eyewitness
(Director)
Kammerspiel
(Director)
School of Fear
(Director)
Planet of the Vampires
(Second Assistant Director)
Untitled Geretta Geretta Horror
(Producer)
The Man Who Didn't Want to Die
(Director)
Until Death
(Director)
Dinner with a Vampire
(Screenplay)
Tailor Made Murder
(Director)
Devil Fish
(Additional Writing)
The Prince of Terror
(Producer)
Roy Colt and Winchester Jack
(First Assistant Director)
The Mask of Satan
(Producer)
Dogman's Rabies: Underdog
(Thanks)
Until Death
(Screenplay)
Visions of Murder
(Director)
Cannibal Holocaust
(Assistant Director)
The Princess and the Pauper
(Producer)
Inferno
(Assistant Director)
Rabid Dogs
(Assistant Director)
The Man Who Didn't Want to Die
(Producer)
Danger: Diabolik
(Assistant Director)
The Torturer
(Screenplay)
Twins
(Director)
A Bay of Blood
(Assistant Director)
Kill, Baby... Kill!
(Assistant Director)
The House of Exorcism
(Assistant Director)
Lisa and the Devil
(Assistant Director)
You'll Die at Midnight
(Director)
You'll Die at Midnight
(Screenplay)
You'll Die at Midnight
(Producer)
You'll Die at Midnight
(Editor)
Tenebre
(First Assistant Director)
Hatchet for the Honeymoon
(Assistant Director)
Hatchet for the Honeymoon
(Second Unit Director)
Pirates: Blood Brothers
(Director)
6 passi nel giallo
(Director)
Fantaghirò
(Director)
Alisea and the Dream Prince
(Director)
The Devil's Game
(Screenplay)
The Devil's Game
(Director)
La principessa e il povero
(Director)
Desideria e l'anello del drago
(Director)
Sabbath
(Script)
Sabbath
(Director)
L'Impero
(Director)
Fantaghirò
(Creator)
Desideria e l'anello del drago
(Creator)
L'Impero
(Creator)