Damiano Damiani (23 July 1922 – 7 March 2013) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and comic book creator. He made his film directing debut with the 1960 feature film Lipstick, and became known for his politically-charged crime films, like The Day of the Owl (1968) and Confessions of a Police Captain (1971), as well as the Zapata Western A Bullet for the General (1966).
Poet and director Pier Paolo Pasolini referred to him as "a bitter moralist hungry for old purity", while film critic Paolo Mereghetti said that his style made him "the most American of Italian directors".
Early life and education Damiani was born in Pasiano di Pordenone, Friuli (now a part of Friuli-Venezia Giulia) in 1922, and studied at the Accademia di Brera in Milan.
Comics career Before his career as a filmmaker, Damiani was first a comic cartoonist in association with the so-called "Group of Venice", with Fernando Carcupino, Hugo Pratt and Dino Battaglia.
Focused on the comic Asso di Picche (1945–49) the comic featured a masked vigilante who fights crime all over the globe and is in charge of the crime stopping organization, "Band of Panthers".
A smaller publication to which he also contributed through illustration was Mike Lazy (1946), producing two volumes in Albo Dinamite by Edizioni Il Carro in Milan. Then individually producing his own gangster comic, Pat la Rocca (1946). Two books were published in the collection Collana Gialli Film, also by Edizioni Il Carro. A third comic was scheduled and advertised for release, but never materialised.
Continuing his work in the comic industry, Damiani wrote scripts for the photo comic strip Arizona Kid (1949) published in Mondadori magazines such as Avventuroso Film and Bolero Film. Moving on to work on the launch of a similar magazine, Sogno, alongside editor Luciano Pedrocchi, he also later worked as a writer for an adventure comic I Tre Boyscouts (Edizioni Castello, 1948; which was illustrated by Rino Ferrari, Giovanni Benvenuti and Andrea Bresciani). Later in his career, Damiani did some illustration work for the crime noir comic, Hogart il Giustiziere, which was reprinted and published under the title Bogart il Giusitiziere (1968–69).
Film career In 1947, he directed the short documentary La banda d'Affori, and was an art director and production designer in the film industry for a time. After a few years as a screenwriter, he directed his first feature film in 1960, Lipstick.
His 1962 film, Arturo's Island, won the Golden Shell at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.Lino Micciché, Storia del cinema italiano. Edizioni di Bianco & Nero, 2001. The 1960s were Damiani's "golden decade"; he was praised by critics and his films were box office successes.
In 1966, he directed A Bullet for the General, one of the first political spaghetti Westerns. In 1968, with The Day of the Owl, he started a series of films in which social criticism, often related to the connections between politics and crime, was mixed with spectacular plots. His 1971 film Confessions of a Police Captain won the Golden Prize at the 7th Moscow International Film Festival.
In 1973 Damiani débuted as an actor, playing Giovanni Amendola in Florestano Vancini's The Assassination of Matteotti. He was known to cult horror film fans for directing Amityville II: The Possession in 1982 for Dino De Laurentiis.
In 1984, he directed the first season of one of the most famous Italian television series, La piovra, a description of the contemporary Italian Mafia and its involvement in politics. His last feature film was Assassini dei giorni di festa, directed in 2002.
Death Damiani died on 7 March 2013, at his home in Rome, from respiratory failure; he was 90 years old.
Filmography
Feature films YearTitleFunctioned asNotesDirectorWriter1960LipstickBlood Feud1962Arturo's Island1963The ReunionThe Empty Canvas1966The Witch in LoveA Bullet for the General1968The Day of the OwlA Complicated Girl1970The Most Beautiful Wife1971Confessions of a Police CaptainThe Case Is Closed, Forget It1972The Assassin of Rome1974The Devil Is a WomanHow to Kill a Judge1975A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe1977I Am AfraidGoodbye and Amen1978A Man on His Knees1980The Warning1982Amityville II: The Possession1985Pizza Connection1986The Inquiry1989Massacre Play1990The Dark Sun1992Angel with a Gun2000Alex l'ariete
Writer only YearTitleDirectorNotes1947Notte di nebbiaGianni Vernuccio1953Piovuto dal cieloLeonardo De Mitri1957The Mysteries of ParisFernando CerchioThe Goddess of LoveFernando CerchioVictor Tourjansky1958Herod the GreatVictor Tourjansky1959Head of a TyrantFernando CerchioPrisoner of the VolgaVictor TourjanskyThe AccomplicesGianni Vernuccio1960The CossacksVictor TourjanskyGiorgio RivaltaCleopatra's DaughterFernando Cerchio
Acting roles 7 Bullets for Gringo (1967) - Journalist with Gen. Elías (uncredited) The Case Is Closed, Forget It (1971) - Vanzi's lawyer (uncredited) The Assassination of Matteotti (1973) - Giovanni Amendola How to Kill a Judge (1975) - Giacomo Solaris' Attorney (uncredited)
Television YearTitleFunctioned asNotesDirectorWriter1982Parole e sangue3 episodes1984La piovra6 episodes1990Lenin...The TrainTV movie1993Uomo di rispetto1994Una bambina di troppo1999Ama il tuo nemico2001Ama il tuo nemico 22002Assassini dei giorni di festa
Awards and nominations +InstitutionYearCategoryWorkResultBerlin International Film Festival1963Golden BearThe ReunionFIPRESCI Prize1968Golden BearThe Day of the Owl1985Pizza ConnectionSilver BearDavid di Donatello1968Golden PlateThe Day of the Owl1987Alitalia AwardThe InquiryNastro d'Argento1969Best ScreenplayThe Day of the Owl1972Best DirectorConfessions of a Police Captain1987Best ScreenplayThe InquiryMoscow International Film Festival1971Golden PrizeConfessions of a Police CaptainSan Sebastián International Film Festival1962Golden ShellArturo's IslandTaormina Film Fest1977Golden CharybdisI Am Afraid1980The WarningSpecial MentionCinema for UNICEF
References
External links