Luigi Bazzoni (25 June 1929 - 1 March 2012)Francesco Barilli, "In Nero", Nocturno Cinema N. 116, Aprile 2012, p. 4. was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He is known internationally to horror film fans for directing three well-regarded gialli: The Possessed (1965), The Fifth Cord (1971) and Footprints on the Moon (1975). He was also the cousin of noted cinematographer of Vittorio Storaro, and was one of his earliest notable collaborators.
Early life Bazzoni was born in Salsomaggiore Terme in June 1929. He was the elder brother to film director and cinematographer Camillo Bazzoni, and a cousin of the Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro.
He began his filmmaking career as an assistant director to Mauro Bolognini on several films between 1960 and 1964.
Career Bazzoni directed several short films, and his debut Di Domenica received a Special Mention at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival. His feature film debut was the 1965 psychological thriller The Possessed, which earned high critical marks. He gained further attention for two offbeat Spaghetti Westerns, Man, Pride and Vengeance (1968) with Franco Nero and Klaus Kinski, and Brothers Blue (1973) with Jack Palance.
Bazzoni subsequently directed two well-regarded gialli, The Fifth Cord (1971) and Footprints on the Moon (1975). The former was praised by critic Marina Antunes as an "entertaining, occasionally awe-inspiring package that stands the test of time as a fine example of the giallo genre." Both films are also noted for the cinematography by Bazzoni’s cousin Vittorio Storaro.
Though both were commercially successful, Bazzoni never directed another feature film, and subsequently focused on documentaries. He contributed to the multi-part series Roma Imago Urbis. His final film credit was as a screenwriter on the 2005 crime drama Raul: Straight to Kill.
Death Bazzoni died on March 1, 2012 at the age of 82, in his hometown of Salsomaggiore Terme.
Filmography
Feature films Year TitleDirectorWriter Notes 1965 The PossessedCo-director with Franco Rossellini 1968 Man, Pride and Vengeance1971The Fifth Cord1973Brothers Blue1975Footprints on the Moon2005Raul: Straight to Kill
Short films Year TitleDirectorWriterNotes1963Di domenicaUn delitto1966SortilegioSirtaki
Television Year TitleDirectorWriter Notes 1994-95 Roma Imago Urbis: Parte I - Il mito6-part documentary series
References
External links
Article about Bazzoni in Nocturno (in Italian)