Mario Bava

[MmzHrrdb]

I firmly believe, from every dark passage in my heart, that Mario Bava is the single greatest film director of all time. Not only are all his films incredibly stylish, but I would call them "motion paintings" and they also have some of the greatest cinematography I've ever witnessed in a film. His films are genuine works of art, and were also incredibly ahead of their time - his 1963 masterpiece "Black Sabbath" is to date the most ahead of its time film I've ever been blessed to have watched.

I don't understand how a man of such intense brilliance could be so underrated in the film community in comparison to Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick, who I honestly think are only half as talented as Bava; although I do prefer it when a director doesn't become "overrated", by definition, from the result of constant praise (although he really deserves it) and I love directors who aren't overly commercial and mainstream (as soon as something - anything - becomes popular to the point where you would hear more than one person at school/work talking about it in a single day, is about the time where I can't help but lose a respectable amount of interest in that thing, for better or worse).

Please tell me there are more users who share this opinion - even if you don't think he's the greatest director ever, it's about time this genius gets some real recognition on Criticker.

[NathanDarko]

hey h.m just found you bava thread and agree in many points... he never got the attention he deserves. Sei donne per l'assassino is, if you want the first giallo and a pioneer in certain kinds of movie making. Argento adored Hitchcock and even more Bava...so I think he counts to the greatest european regisseur´s of all time !

[edkrak]

I've only seen 4 of his movies, but this was enough for me to buy both boxsets with his films released by Anchor Bay. As soon as it ships from the States I will watch more of his films. Some time ago I was really impressed by the lighting and colours in Argento's film, but now I see that he was just copying Bava. I love some effects he used, remember Blood and Black Lace? There was one scene when girl is trying to escape from killer and there is pulsating blue light. Lights on: we can see killer, lights off, lights on: killer, lights off, lights on: no killer! - I really loved that! You can see it here: http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=snWkm-mn7kc at 6:15
And as much as I agree about Bava being greater than Hitchcock (I enjoy some of his films, but can't say that I love his work), I can't agree about Kubrick. He was probably the only director in history who tried almost every film genre and every time he made a great film.

[NathanDarko]

wow the anchor bay box rulez...but it´s not cheapy my last anchorbay order was the Hellraiser Cube with part I,II and III inluding a Bonus Disc great one... guess I have to take a look again @ the page.

[edkrak]

You can actually buy it pretty cheaply from the right place in the right time. 1st boxset costs only £12.98 at amazon.co.uk. 2nd used to cost 25 bucks at amazon.com but now it's much more expensive.

[NathanDarko]

Definitely worth to buy...and my next order will come next month. bought me an old boy steelbook and the arthouse collection from boogie nights... that´s it for january...but next month that Bava Collection stands on top of my NEEEED list you are a lucky guy

[MmzHrrdb]

I need to see more of his films. It just shows that Bava is such a brilliant director that I only need to see four of his films to make up my mind about such a huge statement. It's basically true as well.

1. "Black Sabbath" (1963) 98

Bar the second segment which I didn't enjoy that much, the other two segments are arguably the finest work Bava has ever produced, and that is seriously saying something. This is pure cinema, and like all Mario's films, a work of uniquely exquisite art. The final segment "The Drop of Water" is one of the most terrifying things ever committed to celluloid.

2. "Hatchet For the Honeymoon" (1969) 96

An absolutely extraordinary piece of cinema. "Hatchet" is Bava's version of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho", and by some stroke of genius it is almost as good. Stephen Forsyth is irresistibly sexy as John Harrington, and the cinematography is among the most memorable off all of Bava's films.

3. "Black Sunday" (1960) 94

Another lush and historically important cinematic painting from Bava, and there's a good case to say it is the single most stylish black and white film. Extremely graphic and violent for its age, although after the excellent and iconic first scene it never manages to live up it to it again and takes a somewhat significant step down. Certainly not Bava's best effort or even close to being, but still, it is an extremely significant entry into horror history and must be praised because of it.

4. "Shock" (1977) 89

Flawed and has some moments of rather bad acting, but like all of Bava's films there is so much artistic merit to be found, and the film boasts several artfully nightmarish scenes.

[MmzHrrdb]

Diabolik and Bay of Blood are the two I rated highest, and both are decently entertaining. Planet of the Vampires was visually interesting, but a tad dull. Actually, all of Bava's other movies that I've seen could be described as visually interesting but a tad dull, aside from Five Dolls for an August Moon which was just plain dull. I really didn't care for Shock at all, though.

There is a sex comedy Bava directed titled Four Times That Night which I've seen but forgot to add to Criticker, but it's not much to talk about if I recall.

[Vertiggo]

Bava is not only good cinematography or photography. He is also a master of extreme discreet sensuality. He did know how to show the women's beauty . I still didn't see nothing bad or boring in his movies...
Rabid dogs is my favourite so far... and I liked very much Diabolik, Kill baby kill, and Black Sabbath... I gave a star for HorrorMaster for his review in "Schock"

[MmzHrrdb]

I gave a star for HorrorMaster for his review in "Schock"

Thanks for that!