Mario Bava - the seminal Italian Gothic Fantasy stylist A former painter, Bava extended his eye for beauty in composition to forge breathtaking symphonies of colour and light in a series of masterful horror classics. His influence extends beyond such acknowledged cinematic disciples as Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, to a new generation of admirers including the likes of Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese. Troy Howarth's stunningly illustrated study of Mario Bava's entire directorial career is the first comprehensive book on the master of Gothic horror film making. In addition to the mountain of illustrations (many in full colour) and the insightful film reviews, the book is rounded out by an incredibly detailed filmography compiled by renowned archivist Julian Grainger. Also featuring six brand new translations of long out-of-print interviews with the late Mario Bava himself, plus contributions from collaborators such as actor John Saxon, scriptwriter Ernesto Gastaldi, Bava's son Lamberto, and a foreword by director Luigi Cozzi. Britain's Channel 4 have broadcast an hour-long documentary on Bava's career.Mario Bava's reputation continues to grow, thanks to the success of Image Entertainment and VCI's Mario Bava Collection series, who are both re-issuing Bava titles on DVD and Video. |
