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.
Photos
Films (79)
The Dark Fantastic
2025 · Self
Titanus 1904
2024 · Self
Dario Argento: Panico
2024 · Self
Nightmare Delirium
2024 · self
Dream Time
2023 · Sé stesso
Inferno Rosso : Joe D'Amato
2021 · Self
Erinnerungen an Lucio Fulci
2019 · Self
All the Colors of Giallo
2019 · Self - Director / son of Mario Bava
Bava Puzzle
2018 · Himself
Dogman's Rabies: Underdog
2018 · Thanks
Il mistero della cattedrale
2017 · self
In der Folterkammer des Barons
2017 · Self
Blood on Méliès' Moon
2016 · Lamberto Bava
Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of Demons 2
2014
Con la Bava alla bocca
2013 · self
I Tarantiniani
2013 · Self
The Captives
2012 · Director
Coupable d'infidélité
2012 · Director
Of Fire And Darkness
2012 · himself
Visions of Murder
2012 · Director
Paura: Lucio Fulci Remembered - Volume 1
2008 · Self
Hanging Shadows
2007 · Self
End of the Road: Making 'Rabid Dogs' & 'Kidnapped'
2007 · self
Ghost Son
2007 · Screenplay, Story, Director
The Torturer
2005 · Director, Screenplay
The Exorcism of Lisa
2004
The Three Faces of Terror
2004 · Himself
The Art of Crime
2004 · Himself
Mario Bava: Operazione paura
2004 · Self
Il castello dell'orrore
2004 · self
Scerbanenco Noir
2004 · Self
Italian Kings Of B
2003 · Self
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
2000 · Self
Fantaghiro: Quest for the Quorum
2000 · Writer
La princesse et le pauvre
1997 · Director, Producer
Le Retour de Fantagaro
1996 · Director
Les chiens enragés
1995 · Producer, Assistant Director
L'Empereur du mal
1994 · Director
Desideria et le Prince rebelle
1994 · Director, Producer
La Reine des ténèbres
1993 · Director
La sorcière noire
1992 · Director
Body Puzzle
1992 · Director, Screenplay
La Princesse rebelle
1991 · Director
Le Masque de Satan
1990 · Story, Director, Producer
Eyewitness
1990 · Director, Producer
School of Fear
1989 · Director, Producer
The Man Who Didn't Want to Die
1989 · Director, Producer
The Prince of Terror
1989 · Director, Producer
Dinner with a Vampire
1988 · Director, Screenplay
Until Death
1988 · Director, Screenplay
The Ogre
1988 · Man in bar (uncredited), Director, Writer
Graveyard Disturbance
1988 · Shop Keeper, Writer, Director
Delirium: Photo of Gioia
1987 · Director
Demons 2
1986 · Director, Writer
You'll Die at Midnight
1986 · Police Photographer (uncredited), Producer, Screenplay, Director, Editor
Demons
1985 · 1st Man Exiting Subway (uncredited), Screenplay, Director
Monster Shark
1984 · Director, Additional Writing
Blastfighter
1984 · Director
A Blade in the Dark
1983 · Editor, Director, Producer
Tenebre
1982 · Elevator Repairman #1 (uncredited), First Assistant Director
The Venus of Ille
1981 · Director, Writer
Macabre
1980 · Writer, Director
Cannibal Holocaust
1980 · Assistant Director
Inferno
1980 · Assistant Director
Last Feelings
1978 · First Assistant Director
Shock
1977 · Mover (uncredited), Director, Screenplay
Waves of Lust
1975 · Screenstory
The House of Exorcism
1975 · Assistant Director
Lisa and the Devil
1974 · Assistant Director
The Kiss
1974 · First Assistant Director
A Bay of Blood
1971 · Assistant Director
Roy Colt and Winchester Jack
1970 · First Assistant Director
Hatchet for the Honeymoon
1970 · Assistant Director, Second Unit Director
Danger: Diabolik
1968 · Assistant Director
Kill, Baby... Kill!
1966 · Assistant Director
Planet of the Vampires
1965 · Second Assistant Director
Masters of Mayhem
· Self
Untitled Geretta Geretta Horror
· Producer
Twins
· Director
Séries (12)
6 passi nel giallo
2012 · Director
Inspector Coliandro
2006 · Questore
L'Impero
2001 · Director, Creator
Pirates: Blood Brothers
1999 · Director
L'elefante bianco
1998 · Producer
La principessa e il povero
1997 · Director
La Légende d'Aliséa
1996 · Director
Desideria et le Prince rebelle
1995 · Director, Creator
La Caverne de la rose d'or
1991 · Director, Creator
Sabbath
1989 · Script, Director
Night Shift
1987 · Director
The Devil's Game
1981 · Screenplay, Director