Umberto Lenzi filmography

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Lenzi pictured in black-and-white
Lenzi at the 2008 Sitges Film Festival

Umberto Lenzi (August 6, 1931 – October 19, 2017) was an Italian film director whose filmography encompassed a ranges of genres across a prolific career. Born in Massa Marittima, Tuscany, Lenzi studied law before enrolling at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome.[1] As part of his studies, he wrote and directed the short film Ragazzi di Trastevere, based on Pier Paolo Pasolini's novel Ragazzi di vita.[2] During this time, he worked as a film critic for the Centro's journal Bianco e Nero, and was an avid follower of both European and American films, favouring the work of directors John Ford, Raoul Walsh, and Michael Curtiz.[3]

Lenzi's production career began as a location scout for the 1958 film Raw Wind in Eden; his directorial debut would come with 1961's pirate film Queen of the Seas.[a][1] Lenzi worked across a broad variety of film genres, helming Spaghetti Westerns, gialli, spy films, war films, and poliziotteschi across his career.[1][5] He was also an early figure in the cannibal boom as a result of his work on 1972's Man from the Deep River, along with later cannibal follow-ups Eaten Alive! (1980) and Cannibal Ferox (1981); these films would feature on the United Kingdom's "video nasties" list of banned releases.[1] Although dismissive of his horror films and their cult following among fans, Lenzi believed that his work on genre films, and that of his peers in the Italian film industry, effectively bankrolled more artistic output from his compatriots.[1]

Stylistically, Lenzi regularly made use of prominent close-up shots of his actors and employed zoom lens effects,[1] but preferred to be seen primarily as a storyteller who was not heavy-handed with cinematic effects.[6] Towards the end of his film career, Lenzi worked on foreign productions in the United States, including Welcome to Spring Break and Ghosthouse (both 1988), as well as directing a pair of television films for Reteitalia, La casa delle anime erranti and La casa dei sortilegi. He would continue to produce small-market films for a few years before retiring from film-making to become an author of detective fiction.[5] Lenzi died at the age of 86, on October 19, 2017.[1][5]

Writer only

A black-and-white headshot of Pier Paolo Pasolini
Lenzi's studies at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia included the direction of a short film based on the novel Ragazzi di vita by Pier Paolo Pasolini (pictured).[2]
A headshot of Glenn Saxson
1966's Kriminal (star Glenn Saxson pictured), an adaptation of the comic of the same name, is considered the first film adaptation of an Italian fumetti neri comic.[7]
A stack of VHS tapes
Several of Lenzi's films were included on the United Kingdom's "video nasty" list. Actor Me Me Lai, who had starred in Mangiati vivi! and Il paese del sesso selvaggio, later worked as an English police officer responsible for confiscating the same films she featured in.[1]
A black-and-white headshot of Carroll Baker
Several of Lenzi's giallo thrillers starred Carroll Baker (pictured in 1962).[5]
Year Italian title English title Functioned as Notes Ref.
Director Writer Other
1956 Ragazzi di Trastevere Yes Yes No Short film [2][4]
1961 Le avventure di Mary Read
  • Queen of the Seas
 Yes No No [8][9]
1962 Duello nella sila Duel of Fire Yes No No [10][11]
Il trionfo di Robin Hood Triumphs of Robin Hood Yes No No [12][13]
1963 Caterina di Russia Catherine of Russia Yes No No [14][15]
L'invincibile cavaliere mascherato The Invincible Masked Rider Yes No No [16][17]
Zorro contro Maciste Samson and the Slave Queen Yes Yes No [18][19]
Sandokan, la tigre di Mompracem Sandokan the Great Yes Yes No [20][21]
1964 I tre sergenti del Bengala Yes No No [22][23]
Sandok, il Maciste della giungla Yes Yes No [24][25]
L'ultimo gladiatore Yes No No [26][27]
I pirati della Malesia Yes No No [28][29]
1965 A 008, operazione Sterminio Yes No No [30][31]
La montagna di luce Yes No No [32][33]
Superseven chiama Cairo Super Seven Calling Cairo Yes Yes No [34][35]
1966 Kriminal Yes Yes No [36]
Un milione di dollari per sette assassini Yes Yes No [37][38]
Le spie amano i fiori The Spy Who Loved Flowers Yes Yes No [39][40]
1968 Tutto per tutto Yes No No [41][42]
Una pistola per cento bare Pistol for a Hundred Coffins Yes No No [43][44]
1969 Orgasmo Paranoia Yes Yes No [45][46]
La legione dei dannati Battle of the Commandos Yes No No [47][48]
Così dolce... così perversa
  • So Sweet.... So Perverse
 Yes No No [49][50][51]
1970 Paranoia A Quiet Place to Kill Yes No No [52][53]
1971 Un posto ideale per uccidere Oasis of Fear Yes No No [54][55]
1972 Il coltello di ghiaccio Knife of Ice Yes No No [56][57]
Il paese del sesso selvaggio
  • Man from Deep River
 Yes No No [58][59]
Sette orchidee macchiate di rosso Seven Blood-Stained Orchids Yes No No [60][61]
1973 Milano rovente
  • Gang War in Milan
 Yes Yes No [62]
1974 Spasmo Spasmo Yes Yes No [63][64]
Milano odia: la polizia non può sparare
  • Almost Human
 Yes No No [65]
1975 Gatti rossi in un labirinto di vetro Eyeball Yes No No [66][67]
L'uomo della strada fa giustizia
  • Manhunt in the City
 Yes No No [68]
Il giustiziere sfida la città
  • Syndicate Sadists
 Yes No No [69]
1976 Napoli violenta
  • Violent Naples
 Yes No No [70]
Roma a mano armata
  • Rome Armed to the Teeth
 Yes Yes No [71]
Il trucido e lo sbirro Free Hand for a Tough Cop Yes Yes No [72]
1977 Il cinico, l'infame, il violento The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist Yes Yes No [73]
La banda del gobbo Brothers Till We Die Yes Yes No [74]
1978 Il grande attacco Yes Yes No [75][76]
1979 De Dunquerque à la victoire Yes Yes No [77][78]
Scusi lei è normale? Yes No No [79][80]
Da Corleone a Brooklyn From Corleone to Brooklyn Yes Yes No [81]
1980 Mangiati vivi! Eaten Alive! Yes No No [82][83]
Incubo sulla città contaminata Nightmare City Yes No Yes Actor; as "Reporter" [84][85]
1981 Cannibal Ferox Yes Yes No [86]
1982 Pierino la peste alla riscossa Yes No No [87][88]
Incontro nell'ultimo paradiso Yes No No [89][90]
Cicciabomba Yes No No [91][92]
1983 La guerra del ferro: Ironmaster Ironmaster Yes No No [93][94]
1985 Squadra selvaggia Yes No No [95][96]
I cinque del condor Yes No No [97][98]
1987 Un ponte per l'inferno Yes No No [99][100]
Tempi di guerra Yes Yes No [101][102]
1988 La casa 3 Ghosthouse Yes Yes No [103]
Welcome to Spring Break Nightmare Beach Yes Yes No [104][105]
1989 Cop Target Yes No Yes Actor; as "Casino Patron" [106][107]
Paura nel buio Hitcher in the Dark Yes No No [108][109]
Le porte dell'inferno Yes Yes No [110][111]
1990 Cacciatore dello scorpione d'oro Yes No No [112][113][114]
Hornsby e Rodriguez Yes No No [115][116]
1991 Black Demons Yes Story No [117][118]
Detective Malone Yes No No [119]
1993 Gli occhi dentro Yes[b] No No [122][120]
2000[c] La casa delle anime erranti Yes Yes No Television film [124]
La casa dei sortilegi Yes Yes No [124]
Year Italian title English title Director Ref.
1961 Il terrore dei mari
  • Guns of the Black Witch
 Domenico Paolella [125][126]
1962 Le verdi bandiere di Allah Slave Girls of Sheba Giacomo Gentilomo

Guido Zurli

 [127][128]
1968 Il figlio di Aquila Nera The Son of Black Eagle Guido Malatesta [129][130]
1993 Graffiante desiderio Craving Desire Sergio Martino [131]
1988 Striker Enzo G. Castellari [132][133][134]
Rage: Furia primitiva Primal Rage Vittorio Rambaldi [135][136]

Producer only

Year Italian title English title Director Ref.
1976 Con la rabbia agli occhi Death Rage Antonio Margheriti [137][119]

Other credits

Year Italian title English title Director Notes Ref.
1958 Raw Wind in Eden Richard Wilson Location scout [1]
1960 Apocalisse sul fiume giallo
  • The Dam on the Yellow River
 Renzo Merusi Assistant director [138][139]
1961 Costantino il grande: In hoc signo vinces
  • Constantine and the Cross
 Lionello De Felice [140][141]
1958 Amore e chiacchiere Love and Chatter Alessandro Blasetti Actor; as "Soldier on Train"

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

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