Mario Bava - The Genremaker

[@DainDenham]

Mario Bava is so influential. Thank you for giving him the recognition he needs. He's the master of Italian horror

[@historyofhorror0001]

Thanks aplenty!

[@nickl9317]

The atmosphere! Bava was so good at composition and lighting shots in an enthralling way. He iconized Barbara Steele with one shot, with her two dogs and the sepulcher behind her. He would make even a staircase look like a dreamlike, mysterious way down a rabbit hole that went to a place of fascination mixed with fear. His gothic stuff has an atmosphere of beauty and death, with beautiful cursed women in dead gardens who seem somehow like they’re terminally ill and almost dead inside. A really « flowers of evil » kind of vibe. Such incredible shots.

[@enriccoc7794]

Bava might be my favorite director, thanks for this!

[@GraveyardPoet]

Agreed. Kill Baby Kill is Mario Bava's best, eeriest film and most haunting, scariest story. My second favorite of Mario Bava's films is Blood and Black Lace--my favorite giallo (the greatest giallo) containing the most colorful cinematography in horror history (alongside Kwaidan).

[@historyofhorror0001]

Belated reply, but thanks aplenty! Bava's work with color is painterly, and "Blood and Black Lace" is the best example of his incredible eye for visuals.

[@GraveyardPoet]

@@historyofhorror0001 His best visuals are definitely Blood and Black Lace. My Arrow copy is beautifully restored.

[@robertogonzalezsierra219]

I'd add the pretty colourful and marvellous Black Sabbath, my favourite one from Bava. But I agree with you considering Blood and black lace as the only one giallo masterpiece.

[@GraveyardPoet]

@@robertogonzalezsierra219 Ubaldo Terzano's cinematography is sumptuous in Black Sabbath too.

[@officegossip]

I just recently started with Blood and Black Lace after watching the 4K version. Even after watching some more lurid and crass giallos from other directors, I find that one to be my favorite so far.

[@cabalofdemons]

Bava is one of my favorite directors. He basically created the slasher film, contributed to the resurgence in post-war horror and pushed gore to the forefront alongside HG Lewis.

[@jonhinson5701]

Black Sunday is one of my favorite horror movies. It is atmospheric beyond belief and we also have so few movies about powerful witches.

[@kevinmyles6369]

Instant like and sub! This video is an absolute joy! I love Bava's work a lot! A true genius of progressive cinema and I now adore Italian horror so much after more than 20 years of watching those flicks with awe and disgust 😃😍🙌🙌

[@historyofhorror0001]

Thanks aplenty! Much appreciated.

[@salvadorslim3234]

Great job. I appreciate this. Tarantino has Bava as his second most influential film 🎥 maker

[@historyofhorror0001]

Understandable! Thanks aplenty.

[@moviesforever6147]

Thanks a lot for this awesome mini documentary about one of my favorite directors ever!

[@historyofhorror0001]

My pleasure. Thanks aplenty.

[@nikolaiquack8548]

This video was beautifully informative on not only Bava, but also on the history of Italian cinema (of which I knew little). I will say that I'm apparently one of the very few people who don't love "Kill, Baby...kill!". Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it and as per usual with Bava it's beautifully lit and shot with some iconic imagery, BUT I found it to drag quite a bit and to offer up very little at all in terms of intrigue. I actually watched Baron Blood for the first time last night and much preferred that film. The protagonists in it are more active, smart and relatable, while the antagonist has more personality. It also has a more satisfying conclusion imo.

[@historyofhorror0001]

Thanks aplenty. Much appreciated! I’m going to revisit Baron Blood soon. It’s been years since I watched that one.

[@nikolaiquack8548]

@@historyofhorror0001 Feel free to share your thoughts, when you have done so. Out of the 4 of Bava's movies I've watched so far (Black Sabbath, Kill, Baby...kill, A Bay of Blood and Blood Baron) it was the most atmospheric to me. Especially in terms of the cinematography.

[@YannickTMessiah]

​@@nikolaiquack8548 Bava films generally doesn't have the best storytelling and are prone to drag a bit. It's all about the atmosphere and the gorgeous shots though, he exceeds so much in that department that his films end up being amazing.

[@YannickTMessiah]

I think Baron Blood, Black Sabbath, The Girl That Knew Too Much and Blood and Black Lace are among his easier films.

[@SquabbleBoxHQ]

Fantastic piece, thank you. Rapidly becoming a big fan of your channel. Would love to possibly collaborate one day. Keep it up.

[@sandraweilbrenner67]

I just subbed. I own the Bava Box 2 , I need number 1. Part 2 has - Lisa and the Devil , Bay of Blood , House of Exorcism, Kidnapped , Roy Colt and Winchester Jack , 5 dolls for an August moon , Four times that night.and Baron Blood.

[@matthewbeumer3168]

Luv Bava a cinematic genius! Matt the Siouxsie fan.

[@alexanderclaylavin]

I say hold off from Kill, Baby, Kill! until you've done a good survey. Then go for KBK. It's a masterpiece.

[@Olivervalle]

I love Mario's work. The atmosphere, the colours and some of the stories are really good (Kill Baby, Bay). I just wish I could read the Tim Lucas's book, it's sold out every where. I cannot even find a pdf (which is difficult judging by the size of the book). Anyways, really good work here in the channel, I already subscribe. =)

[@historyofhorror0001]

I wish I had to book as well. Had the chance to read parts of it some years back, but I wish I had my own copy so I could read the entire damn thing. Anyway, small comfort, but Tim Lucas has some excellent commentary tracks on Bava Blu Ray releases from Kino Classics. Thanks aplenty!

[@Dosunceste]

As others have said, Rabid Dogs must be also cited about Bava's greatest achievements even if it went unreleased back when it was filmed. It's a pulp movie ante litteram.

[@scottbuscavage7361]

Nicely done! MB was a true legendary artist 💀🔪💀🔪💀

[@historyofhorror0001]

Thanks aplenty!

[@highwayexit]

I haven't seen any of these yet. There were a lot of death scenes here, hope you saved some for when I watch these movies!

[@historyofhorror0001]

Don't worry. If there's one thing in abundance in Bava movies, it is death scenes.

[@br5284]

Dude i love this channel

[@brunfranc]

Yup

[@historyofhorror0001]

Thanks aplenty! Always nice to hear.

[@historyofhorror0001]

Thanks for the tip - I've added "The Swimmer" to my watchlist! As for Hollywood, I've tried, and I'm still trying :)

[@gorespentwell4489]

thanks

[@jasonnicholls8066]

great video!

[@historyofhorror0001]

Thanks aplenty!

[@JrGrissom]

Love all your content, thank you for creating such great stuff!

[@historyofhorror0001]

My pleasure! Thanks aplenty.

[@markalexander3659]

3:54 - wow...SO MUCH EVIL in one picture

[@sarahaprincesa]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@OMENASOSEAYFL]

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME DAY FILMS OF DARIO ARGENTO AND MARIO BAVA

[@historyofhorror0001]

May I suggest either a double feature of "Black Sunday" + "Suspiria" or "Blood and Black Lace" + "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage."

[@OMENASOSEAYFL]

@@historyofhorror0001 thanks but i am a fan of argento and bava

[@tobi2731]

11:55 - "It combined the Hitchcock touch with the style of the German 'creamy' sub-genre" - took me multiple google searches to realize that instead of Edgar Wallace films being way juicer than I thought, you just horribly botched the pronounciation of "Krimi". Big fan of Mario Bava though and good job on the comprehensive run-down of pre-70s Italian cinema and Mario Bava's career. I think two films you skipped in relation to Bava's stature as a genre-pioneer though are Danger Diabolik (which is still one of the most colourful and madcap comic-book adaptations out there) and Rabid Dogs which had Bava trying to remain relevant as younger filmmakers and the exploitation film pushed onto the market, once again turning to an old Hitchcock trope (the one location thriller) and modernizing it. He didn't invent it but like almost half of his films it was at the creative spearhead of genre-filmmaking.

[@finslaw]

Great stuff. I'm curious, did fast zombies exist before Hercules in the Haunted World? Did non-parody comic book films exist before Danger: Diabolik? Was there ever a found footage horror segment before Caltiki? Add to that Mary Harmon playing Hatchet for the Honeymoon to the set of American Psycho, and Black Sabbath naming a band as well as being the first non-camp horror omnibus and you have much more influence than even mentioned here.

[@YannickTMessiah]

Bava is something else, truly a genremaker!

[@carloscinemacorner3182]

But all the colors of the dark is out of print……….

[@helenberber3985]

why the book about mario bava has the name of a movie by sergio martino?

[@historyofhorror0001]

Been wondering that myself, but hey, it's a good title.

[@helenberber3985]

@@historyofhorror0001 sure, in any case absurd is always fascinating

[@hans-brix]

whats the song at the beginning? shazam didn’t pick it up

[@historyofhorror0001]

It's the opening score for Lisa and the Devil - the original Italian cut.

[@hans-brix]

@@historyofhorror0001 thank you !

[@JuLeft]

Where is the intro music from?

[@historyofhorror0001]

It's from the opening credits of Lisa and the Devil - the original Italian cut.

[@JuLeft]

@@historyofhorror0001 Thank you so much!

[@phantomfire8228]

14:00

[@Cainnech666]

Er du norsk?

[@historyofhorror0001]

Ja, jeg er norsk.

[@UntitledShowwithBobandPat]

German creamy sub-genre?

[@nope5657]

Bava > Argento any day.