Mario Bava Biography
Mario Bava (1914 - 1980), director, screenwriter and cinematographer, was born in Sanremo in 1914. During the Second World War Bava worked for the Istituto Luce, manipulating propaganda films regarding the fake victories of the Italian army, including a non-existent attack on the island of Malta. He entered the world of cinema from a young age and immediately collaborated with great directors, thanks to his natural talent for building special effects and lighting systems, learned from his father Eugenio Bava, director of photography, set designer and sculptor at the dawn of Italian cinema. He began working as a titleist for the Italian versions of American films and then began his career as a director of photography alongside Rossellini, Mario Soldati, Mario Monicelli and Dino Risi. Peculiarities of his work in this field were lighting and image manipulation and the creation of special effects. In 1960 he was now recognized as a technician and operator of great fame, and made his directorial debut with the feature film "The Mask of the Demon", defined as the first Italian gothic horror film, starring Barbara Steele, launched by this film as the star of the genre. The film grossed little upon its release (around 139 million lire), but soon became a classic. Bava also takes care of the photography and special effects. From that moment he explored different genres, shooting what he liked, but always taking into account the public's taste but it was always horror that achieved the greatest success. In 1963 he directed a film in episodes, "The Three Faces of Fear". In the following years, success will be marked by films such as "Six women for the murderer", which definitively codifies the Italian thriller; in 1971 “Chain Reaction” which gave birth to the “slasher” genre. In the last years of his life he shot what is considered by some to be his masterpiece: "Angry Dogs" (1974) which, however, never reached theaters and was only distributed in 1995 with the title "Red Traffic Light". Bava is appreciated for the innovations he has brought to cinema (the 'photorealistic' use of colour; the use, deemed disproportionate by some critics, of zoom) and for the themes covered by many of the most esteemed directors of today, who they often quote him back in their works, including: David Lynch ("Twin Peaks", 1990-1991); Tim Burton ("Sleepy Hollow", 1999) and Quentin Tarantino who declared that the genius of Mario Bava is in every frame.
