Riccardo Freda

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Riccardo Freda
Riccardo Freda 1958.png
Riccardo Freda on the set of I Vampiri[1]
Born(1909-02-24)24 February 1909
Alexandria, Egypt
Died20 December 1999(1999-12-20) (aged 90)
Rome, Italy
Spouse(s)Gianna Maria Canale

Riccardo Freda (Alexandria, Egypt, 24 February 1909 – Rome, Italy, 20 December 1999) was an Italian film director. He worked in a variety of genres, including sword-and-sandal, horror, giallo and spy films.[2][3]

Freda began directing I Vampiri in 1956 but left the production midway to have it completed by Mario Bava.[4] The film became the first Italian sound horror film production.

Biography[]

Riccardo Freda was born in 1909 in Alexandria, Egypt to Italian parents.[2][5] Freda attended school in Milan where he took art classes at the Centro Sperimantale.[2] After school he took on work as a sculptor and art critic.[2]

Film career[]

Freda first began working in the film industry in 1937 and directed his first film Don Cesare di Bazan in 1942.[2] Freda began directing I Vampiri, but eventually left the production allowing Mario Bava to step in to finish directing the film.[6][7][8] I Vampiri was the first Italian horror film of the sound era, following the lone silent horror film Il mostro di Frankenstein (1920)[9][10] Despite being the first, a wave of Italian horror productions did not follow until Mario Bava's film Black Sunday was released internationally.[9][11][12]

Freda died on 20 December 1999 in Rome.[3]

Filmography[]

Title Year Credited as Notes Ref(s)
Director Writer Editor Other
Lasciate ogni speranza 1937 Yes [13]
1938 Yes [13][14]
Fuochi d'artificio Yes [14]
La voce senza volto 1939 Yes [14]
Yes Yes Assistant director [14][15]
Il cavaliere di San Marco Yes [15]
In the Country Fell a Star Yes Yes Collaborator to direction [16][17]
1940 Yes [16]
Yes [16]
Yes [17]
Yes [17]
Lucky Night 1941 Yes [17][18]
Caravaggio, il pittore maledetto Yes Yes Collaboration to the making [18]
L'avventuriera del piano di sopra Yesa Yes [18][19]
Don Cesare di Bazan 1942 Yes Yes Yes Producer [20]
L'abito nero da sposa 1945 Yes [19]
Non canto più Yes Yes [20]
Tutta la città canta Yes Yes Yes Story [20]
Yes Yes [19]
The Black Eagle 1946 Yes Yes Yes Story [21]
Les Misérables 1948 Yes Yes [22]
The Mysterious Rider Yes Yes Yes Story [23]
1949 Yes Yes Yes Story [23][24]
The Iron Swordsman Yes Yes [24]
Guarany 1950 Yes Yes Yes Story [24][25]
The Gay Swordsman Yes Yes Yes Story [25]
Yes Yes Short film [26]
1951 Yes Short film [25][26]
Double Cross Yes Yes [26]
Yes Yes Short film [26][27]
Revenge of Black Eagle Yes Yes Yes Story [27]
See Naples and Die 1952 Yes [27]
Yes Yes [28]
Sins of Rome 1953 Yes [28]
Theodora, Slave Empress 1954 Yes Yes Yes Story, general manager [29]
Yes Yes [30]
1955 Yes Yes [30]
Beatrice Cenci 1956 Yes Yes Story [30]
I Vampiri 1957 Yes Yes Yes Actor (Autopsy doctor) [31]
Trapped in Tangiers Yes Yes Yes Story [32]
Sheba and the Gladiator 1959 Yes 2nd unit director–battle scenes [33]
The White Warrior Yes Yes Yes [32]
Caltiki – The Immortal Monster Yes Yes [34]
The Giants of Thessaly 1960 Yes Yes [34][35]
The Mongols 1961 Yes Director–battle scenes [33]
Maciste alla corte del Gran Khan Yes [35]
Caccia all'uomo Yes [36]
Marco Polo 1962 Yes Director–battle scenesc [37]
Alone Against Rome Yes Director–Arena sequences [38]
Seven Seas to Calais Yes Editor–naval battle scened [38][39]
The Witch's Curse Yes [40]
The Horrible Dr. Hichcock Yes [40][41]
The Seventh Sword Yes Yes Yes Story [41]
Gold for the Caesars 1963 Yes 2nd unit directore [39]
The Ghost Yes Yes [41][42]
The Magnificent Adventurer Yes Yes Story [42][43]
Romeo e Giulietta 1964 Yes Yes [43]
Yes Yes Yes Story [43][44]
The Two Orphans 1965 Yes Yes [44]
Coplan FX 18 casse tout Yes [44][45]
Trap for the Assassin 1966 Yes Yes [45]
Mexican Slayride 1967 Yes [46]
La morte non conta i dollari Yes [46][47]
Double Face 1969 Yes Yes [47]
1970 Yes [48]
L'iguana dalla lingua di fuoco 1971 Yes Yes Yes Yes Story [48][49]
Tragic Ceremony 1972 Yes [49]
Murder Obsession 1981 Yes Yes Yes [50]
Un tour de manège 1989 Yes Actor (Riccardo the film director) [51]
Revenge of the Musketeers 1994 Yes Based on "an idea by Freda and [51][52]

Notes[]

  • ^ a Freda has denied having taken part in writing the script for this film, despite being credited.[19]
  • ^ b Freda was originally to direct the film but stated that he walked off the set on the first day of shooting.[33]
  • ^ c Freda name is not in the credits but some sources state he directed several battles scenes in the film, which Freda denies.[33]
  • ^ d Freda name is not in the credits but some sources state he edited the naval battle scenes in the film, which Freda denies.[38][39]
  • ^ e Freda has claimed to have shot the entire film.[38][39]

References[]

  1. ^ Curti 2017, p. 3.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Erickson, Hal. "Riccardo Freda". AllMovie. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Paul 2005, p. 276.
  4. ^ Jones, Alan (2013). I Vampiri (booklet). Arrow Films. p. 24. FCD756.
  5. ^ Paul 2005, p. 274.
  6. ^ Shipka 2011, p. 23.
  7. ^ Curti 2015, p. 23.
  8. ^ Curti 2015, p. 24.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Gallant, Chris (23 April 2015). "10 Great Italian Gothic Horror Films". British Film Institute. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  10. ^ Curti 2015, p. 11.
  11. ^ Curti 2015, p. 3.
  12. ^ Curti 2015, p. 1.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 289.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Curti 2017, p. 290.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 291.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 292.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Curti 2017, p. 293.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 294.
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Curti 2017, p. 295.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 302.
  21. ^ Curti 2017, p. 303.
  22. ^ Curti 2017, p. 304.
  23. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 305.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 306.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 307.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Curti 2017, p. 308.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 309.
  28. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 310.
  29. ^ Curti 2017, p. 311.
  30. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 312.
  31. ^ Curti 2017, p. 313.
  32. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 314.
  33. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Curti 2017, p. 296.
  34. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 315.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 316.
  36. ^ Curti 2017, p. 317.
  37. ^ Curti 2017, p. 297.
  38. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Curti 2017, p. 298.
  39. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Curti 2017, p. 299.
  40. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 318.
  41. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 319.
  42. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 320.
  43. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 321.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b c Curti 2017, p. 322.
  45. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 323.
  46. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 324.
  47. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 325.
  48. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 326.
  49. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 327.
  50. ^ Curti 2017, p. 328.
  51. ^ Jump up to: a b Curti 2017, p. 300.
  52. ^ Curti 2017, p. 301.

Bibliography[]

  • Curti, Roberto (2015). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957–1969. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-1989-7.
  • Curti, Roberto (2017). Riccardo Freda: The Life and Works of a Born Filmmaker. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476628387.
  • Paul, Louis (2005). Italian Horror Film Directors. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-8749-3.
  • Shipka, Danny (2011). Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France, 1960–1980. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-4888-3.

External links[]

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