Lamberto Bava

Known for DirectingBorn 1944-04-03 (age 82)Roma, Lazio, Italia

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.Read more

Movies & web series

Night Shift

Il mistero della cattedrale

Tailor Made Murder

The Art of Crime

Inspector Coliandro

Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess

Rabid Dogs

Desideria e l'anello del drago

Nightmare Delirium

Dario Argento: Panico

All the Colors of Giallo

The Dragon Ring

The Cave of the Golden Rose

Tenebre

Last Feelings

Kill, Baby... Kill!

Mario Bava: Operazione paura

Demons

Inferno

The Cave of the Golden Rose

A Bay of Blood

Alisea and the Dream Prince

Dream Time

The Cave of the Golden Rose 4

The Cave of the Golden Rose 3

The Princess and the Pauper

Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre

The Cave of the Golden Rose 2

Hatchet for the Honeymoon

Fantaghiro: Quest for the Quorum

Paura: Lucio Fulci Remembered - Volume 1

Danger: Diabolik

Shock

End of the Road: Making 'Rabid Dogs' & 'Kidnapped'

Cannibal Holocaust

Planet of the Vampires

Italian Kings Of B

The Prince of Terror

Dogman's Rabies: Underdog

Demons 2

Lisa and the Devil

Pirates: Blood Brothers

School of Fear

The Cave of the Golden Rose 5

6 passi nel giallo

The Venus of Ille

The Devil's Game

Macabre