DIABOLIKA |
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Since their heyday, comics (or fumetti as they are called in Italy) had a vital part in Italy’s culture and morality, and they even helped break boundaries. That was the case with the so-called “fumetti neri,” such as DIABOLIK, KRIMINAL, SATANIK, and many others that caused a sensation in the early-to-mid-1960s. Similarly, in the late 1960s the adults-only comics paved the way for a more explicit depiction of eroticism, while the 1980s saw the commercial exploitation of underground comics as well as popular genre ones, such as DYLAN DOG.
DIABOLIKA lists the Italian films and TV series based on (or inspired by) comics, graphic novels and photonovels, as well as those movies that, even though not directly adapted from them, sport a distinct comics feel in style, characters and plot. It includes the 1960s adaptations of the lurid “fumetti neri” such as DANGER: DIABOLIK, the two KRIMINAL movies, AVENGER X and SATANIK; the comic-inspired superheroes SUPERARGO, FLASHMAN, THE THREE FANTASTIC SUPERMEN; films based on erotic and adults-only comics including MS. STILETTO; adaptations of popular comic characters such as VALENTINA, TEX and DYLAN DOG and many, many more. It also includes an essay on Turkish films inspired by Italian comics, by Turkish film scholar Kaya Özkaracalar.
The book is lavishly illustrated in color with many rare set stills, lobby cards, poster art and comic book panels.
So Deadly, So Perverse Vol 1
Troy Howarth, the author of THE HAUNTED WORLD OF MARIO BAVA and the co-author of the up-coming THE TOME OF TERROR series, examines the genre from its inception through its inevitable decline. Covering everything from popular fan favorites by the likes of Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento to lesser-known gems by Cesare Canevari, Massimo Dallamano and Paolo Cavara as well as the worst of the worst by the least inspired of hacks, SO DEADLY, SO PERVERSE provides an in-depth examination of a genre that has too often been marginalized in other studies of the horror film and the thriller. In addition to reviews of every giallo made between 1963 and 2013, this two-part study of the giallo—with volume two (covering 1974 onwards) coming later in the year—is also lavishly illustrated with rare and colorful stills and poster art.
So Deadly, So Preverse Vol 2
SO DEADLY SO PERVERSE—The Italian thriller, known as the giallo to its hardcore devotees, is a breed of mystery thriller like none other. Taking inspiration from the Edgar Wallace krimis and early, seminal works by auteurs like Alfred Hitchcock and Fritz Lang, these colorful and labyrinthine shockers pushed the envelope of good taste in the 1960s and exploded into glorious excess throughout the 1970s and ’80s. Author Troy Howarth explores the genesis of the genre and traces it to its eventual decline in this two-volume study. Each title is afforded its own in-depth review, replete with contextual information and biographical data on key players in front of and behind the camera. Volume two, covers 1974 to 2013.
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So Deadly So Perverse 3
by Troy Howarth
8.5 x 11, full color
The “giallo”—a specifically Italian brand of lurid thriller—emerged in the 1960s and became a commercial force to be reckoned with throughout the 1970s. While not all of these films achieved the success and notoriety as the most popular efforts by the likes of Mario Bava, Dario Argento or Lucio Fulci, they nevertheless proved to be immensely popular—with latter-day entries emerging well into the 21st century. They also proved to be influential on films from across the globe; for instance, they helped to set the stage for the slasher movie boom of the late ’70s and early ’80s, and they would go on to inspire contemporary filmmakers looking to pay homage to their baroque excesses. “So Deadly, So Perverse: Volume 3” shines a light on some of these films, some of which are well-known for capturing the off-kilter vibe of these beloved cult classics, and some of which display an influence in more surprising ways. Covering titles produced everywhere from America and Great Britain to Turkey and Japan, this final volume in the “So Deadly, So Perverse” trilogy offers a final summation of the genre and its lasting cult popularity and appeal. In addition to in-depth coverage of an eclectic range of titles, there are also a number of deliciously sensational and exploitative images, many in full color.
SPLINTERED VISIONS
Lucio Fulci conjures images of gore and depravity.Derided by critics as a hack and an imitator and lionized by others as the “Godfatherof Gore,” Fulci remains a polarizing and controversial figure. However, many fans are unaware of the scope and breadth of his filmography. From his early days writing material for popular comics like Totò and Franco and Ciccio to directing films in such genres as the musical and the Spaghetti Western, Lucio Fulci was a filmmaker of great diversity. When he attained international notoriety with the release of his gory epic ZOMBIE, Fulci already had years of experience in the film industry; that film’s success established him as one of Italy’s premier masters of the macabre and he would continue to shock and delight fans until shrinking budgets and failing health began to compromise some of his later work. When he died in 1996, he was on the cusp of a major comeback, but in the years following his death the cult surrounding his legacy has continued to grow. Unfortunately, most studies of Fulci and his work have elected to focus only on a small part of his career. SPLINTERED VISIONS changes all of that by providing an in-depth exploration of Fulci’s filmography, beginning with his work as a screenwriter and extending through all of his films as a director. The popular horror films and thrillers are given ample coverage, but the lesser-known works are finally put into their proper context. Author Howarth provides a detailed portrait of a complex man using newly conducted interviews with actors such as Richard Johnson and Franco Nero, which allows the reader a sense of who the director was and how he worked. The end result is the most comprehensive overview of Fulci, the man and Fulci, the filmmaker that has been published in English—making SPLINTERED VISIONS a cause for celebration among serious Fulci fans. The book is also lavishly illustrated with a number of rare stills, posters and advertising materials.
ITALIAN HORROR
by Jim Harper
6X9 paperback,
Film writer Jim Harper provides an a-z guide on the increasingly popular Italain horror film. This book is intended to cover Italian horror films released between the years 1979 and 1994.
Why chose those years? Well, primarily for convenience. They mark the release dates of Lucio Fulci's Zombie, the film that instigated the last great wave of Italian horror, and Michele Soavi's Dellamorte dellamore, the last great Italian horror film. After the release of Soavi's film, relatively few new Italian horror movies were made; the trend had run its course, and such films were no longer seen as commercially viable.
The aim of this work is to guide the unfamiliar viewer to the best films of the period while hopefully steering him or her away from the dross.
Includes such titles as Zombie, Hitcher in the Dark, Aenigma, Amazonia, The Black Cat, Cannibal Holocaust, The Church by filmmakers that include: Lamberto Bava, Luigi Cozzi, Fabrizio De Angelis, Ruggero Deodato, Giuseppe Ferrante and Lucio Fulci