🔍
Lamberto Bava

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 Shift8.3
Find where to watch →

Night Shift

1987 · Series

Il mistero della cattedrale
8.0
Find where to watch →

Il mistero della cattedrale

2017 · Movie

Tailor Made Murder8.0
Find where to watch →

Tailor Made Murder

2012 · Movie

The Art of Crime
8.0
Find where to watch →

The Art of Crime

2004 · Movie

Inspector Coliandro7.9
Find where to watch →

Inspector Coliandro

2006 · Series

Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess7.3
Find where to watch →

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

2021 · Movie

Rabid Dogs7.5
Find where to watch →

Rabid Dogs

1995 · Movie

Desideria e l'anello del drago7.5
Find where to watch →

Desideria e l'anello del drago

1995 · Series

Nightmare Delirium
7.0
Find where to watch →

Nightmare Delirium

2024 · Movie

Dario Argento: Panico6.9
Find where to watch →

Dario Argento: Panico

2024 · Movie

All the Colors of Giallo6.9
Find where to watch →

All the Colors of Giallo

2019 · Movie

The Dragon Ring7.0
Find where to watch →

The Dragon Ring

1994 · Movie

The Cave of the Golden Rose7.0
Find where to watch →

The Cave of the Golden Rose

1991 · Series

Tenebre6.8
Find where to watch →

Tenebre

1982 · Movie

Last Feelings6.8
Find where to watch →

Last Feelings

1978 · Movie

Kill, Baby... Kill!6.9
Find where to watch →

Kill, Baby... Kill!

1966 · Movie

Mario Bava: Operazione paura6.5
Find where to watch →

Mario Bava: Operazione paura

2004 · Movie

Demons6.6
Find where to watch →

Demons

1985 · Movie

Inferno6.6
Find where to watch →

Inferno

1980 · Movie

The Cave of the Golden Rose6.4
Find where to watch →

The Cave of the Golden Rose

1991 · Movie

A Bay of Blood6.6
Find where to watch →

A Bay of Blood

1971 · Movie

Alisea and the Dream Prince6.3
Find where to watch →

Alisea and the Dream Prince

1996 · Series

Dream Time6.0
Find where to watch →

Dream Time

2023 · Movie

The Cave of the Golden Rose 46.3
Find where to watch →

The Cave of the Golden Rose 4

1994 · Movie

The Cave of the Golden Rose 36.3
Find where to watch →

The Cave of the Golden Rose 3

1993 · Movie

The Princess and the Pauper6.2
Find where to watch →

The Princess and the Pauper

1997 · Movie

Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre6.1
Find where to watch →

Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre

2000 · Movie

The Cave of the Golden Rose 26.2
Find where to watch →

The Cave of the Golden Rose 2

1992 · Movie

Hatchet for the Honeymoon6.4
Find where to watch →

Hatchet for the Honeymoon

1970 · Movie

Fantaghiro: Quest for the Quorum6.1
Find where to watch →

Fantaghiro: Quest for the Quorum

2000 · Movie

Paura: Lucio Fulci Remembered - Volume 16.0
Find where to watch →

Paura: Lucio Fulci Remembered - Volume 1

2008 · Movie

Danger: Diabolik6.4
Find where to watch →

Danger: Diabolik

1968 · Movie

Shock6.3
Find where to watch →

Shock

1977 · Movie

End of the Road: Making 'Rabid Dogs' & 'Kidnapped'
6.0
Find where to watch →

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

2007 · Movie

Cannibal Holocaust6.3
Find where to watch →

Cannibal Holocaust

1980 · Movie

Planet of the Vampires6.4
Find where to watch →

Planet of the Vampires

1965 · Movie

Italian Kings Of B6.0
Find where to watch →

Italian Kings Of B

2003 · Movie

The Prince of Terror6.1
Find where to watch →

The Prince of Terror

1989 · Movie

Dogman's Rabies: Underdog5.8
Find where to watch →

Dogman's Rabies: Underdog

2018 · Movie

Demons 26.1
Find where to watch →

Demons 2

1986 · Movie

Lisa and the Devil6.2
Find where to watch →

Lisa and the Devil

1973 · Movie

Pirates: Blood Brothers5.9
Find where to watch →

Pirates: Blood Brothers

1999 · Series

School of Fear5.8
Find where to watch →

School of Fear

1989 · Movie

The Cave of the Golden Rose 55.7
Find where to watch →

The Cave of the Golden Rose 5

1996 · Movie

6 passi nel giallo5.5
Find where to watch →

6 passi nel giallo

2012 · Series

The Venus of Ille5.8
Find where to watch →

The Venus of Ille

1981 · Movie

The Devil's Game5.8
Find where to watch →

The Devil's Game

1981 · Series

Macabre5.7
Find where to watch →

Macabre

1980 · Movie