Mario Bava was born on July 31, 1914, in Sanremo, a coastal town in northern Italy. His father, Eugenio Bava, was a cinematographer in the early days of the Italian film industry. Mario was trained as a painter and later followed his father into film photography, where his artistic background led him to emphasize the importance of visual composition in filmmaking.
Mario began his career as a cinematographer, developing a reputation as a special effects genius. He worked with several prominent directors, including Paolo Heusch, Riccardo Freda, Jacques Tourneur, and Raoul Walsh. In 1956, he stepped in to direct Lust of the Vampire (also known as The Devil's Commandment) after the original director, Freda, left the project. This film inspired a wave of gothic Italian horror films.
Mario's breakthrough as a director came with Black Sunday (1960),a widely influential film that launched the horror career of Barbara Steele. He went on to direct a series of stylish and influential films, including Hercules in the Haunted World (1961),The Whip and the Body (1963),and Planet of the Vampires (1965).
Mario's films often explored the giallo genre, a blend of horror and mystery that he helped to define. He also worked in other genres, including viking films, peplum, spaghetti westerns, action, and softcore. However, it is his horror films and giallo mystery films that he is best remembered for.
Mario's son, Lamberto Bava, served as his assistant on many of his films and later became a director in his own right. Mario retired from filmmaking in 1975, but was persuaded to return to the industry by his son for a few final projects. He died on April 27, 1980, at the age of 65, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential and innovative filmmakers of his generation.
