Claudio Fragasso
Encyclopedia
Claudio Fragasso is an Italian
screenwriter
and film director
of mostly low-budget exploitation film
s.
, including Zombie 3, The Other Hell, Rats Night of Terror, Hell of the Living Dead, RoboWar
, The True Story of the Nun of Monza, Women's Prison Massacre, and Shocking Dark, among others. Fragasso also co-directed a few of Mattei's films with him, including The Seven Magnificent Gladiators, Hell of the Living Dead and Rats Night of Terror. (Fragasso even essayed a few minor acting roles in some of Mattei's films; i.e. he played a soldier in a crematorium in Zombie 3.)
In 1984 Fragasso directed his debut feature, Monster Dog
, starring Alice Cooper
as a rock-star werewolf.
In 1988, Fragasso and Mattei were called in by the producer of Zombie 3 (Franco Gaudenzi) to finish shooting the film when the director Lucio Fulci took ill and was forced to abandon the project halfway through. The two were whisked to the Philippines
where filming had been under way, and finished the shooting in a few days, while Fulci was recuperating in a hospital in Rome
. Fulci was furious that the producer had finished the film without him, and tried unsuccessfully to have his name removed from the credits.
After helping to complete Zombie 3, Fragasso was given funding by producer Gaudenzi to write and direct another low-budget zombie film, Zombie 4: After Death
, in an attempt to recoup some of the money he had lost on Zombie 3. Fragasso's wife, Rossella Drudi, knocked out the script and he directed it on a shoestring budget, on the same sets they had used for Zombie 3.
After this Fragasso directed another horror film entitled Nightkiller, that was never released in the United States
and has since become a rare movie to locate.
With financial backing from famed Italian porn producer Joe D'Amato
, Fragasso wrote and directed two infamous cult films on his own, La Casa 5: Beyond Darkness and Troll 2
- under the pseudonym Drake Floyd - (although Joe D'Amato claimed he co-directed some scenes in "Troll 2"). After this period of low-budget directing, Fragasso went on to direct bigger-budget films, such as the highly successful Palermo Milano Sola Andata (1994). He now works in Italian television.
, (who, as a child, played "Joshua Waits" in Fragasso's cult horror film Troll 2), along with George Hardy (who played Joshua's father "Michael"), flew to Rome to inform Fragasso about the large number of Troll 2
fans in America, and of the many people who show up at the Troll 2 screenings. Claudio (and his wife Rossella Drudi who wrote the film) flew to America, and have attended a few Troll 2 screenings. Claudio also took part in a documentary titled Best Worst Movie which was directed by Michael Stephenson
. In addition, he and his wife toured the original locations of Troll 2 in Utah
, with their fans.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
of mostly low-budget exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
s.
Filmmaking history
Fragasso has co-written (with his wife Rossella Drudi) the scripts for many horror movies that were directed by the infamous Bruno MatteiBruno Mattei
Bruno Mattei was an Italian film director, screenwriter and editor who gained a cult following for a wide variety of exploitation films that covered many genres, ranging from women in prison to zombie films...
, including Zombie 3, The Other Hell, Rats Night of Terror, Hell of the Living Dead, RoboWar
RoboWar
RoboWar is an open source video game in which the player programs onscreen icon-like robots to battle each other with animation and sound effects...
, The True Story of the Nun of Monza, Women's Prison Massacre, and Shocking Dark, among others. Fragasso also co-directed a few of Mattei's films with him, including The Seven Magnificent Gladiators, Hell of the Living Dead and Rats Night of Terror. (Fragasso even essayed a few minor acting roles in some of Mattei's films; i.e. he played a soldier in a crematorium in Zombie 3.)
In 1984 Fragasso directed his debut feature, Monster Dog
Monster Dog
Monster Dog, also known as Leviatán, The Bite and Los Perros de la Muerte, is a 1984 horror film written and directed by Claudio Fragasso...
, starring Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
as a rock-star werewolf.
In 1988, Fragasso and Mattei were called in by the producer of Zombie 3 (Franco Gaudenzi) to finish shooting the film when the director Lucio Fulci took ill and was forced to abandon the project halfway through. The two were whisked to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
where filming had been under way, and finished the shooting in a few days, while Fulci was recuperating in a hospital in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Fulci was furious that the producer had finished the film without him, and tried unsuccessfully to have his name removed from the credits.
After helping to complete Zombie 3, Fragasso was given funding by producer Gaudenzi to write and direct another low-budget zombie film, Zombie 4: After Death
After Death
After Death is an Italian zombie movie made during the height of the zombie craze. Released in the United States under the title Zombie 4: After Death and in the United Kingdom as Zombie Flesh Eaters 3, the movie has no connections to the other official or unofficial Zombi films...
, in an attempt to recoup some of the money he had lost on Zombie 3. Fragasso's wife, Rossella Drudi, knocked out the script and he directed it on a shoestring budget, on the same sets they had used for Zombie 3.
After this Fragasso directed another horror film entitled Nightkiller, that was never released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and has since become a rare movie to locate.
With financial backing from famed Italian porn producer Joe D'Amato
Joe D'Amato
Joe D'Amato, was a prolific Italian filmmaker who directed roughly 200 films, usually at the same time acting as producer and cinematographer, and sometimes providing the script as well...
, Fragasso wrote and directed two infamous cult films on his own, La Casa 5: Beyond Darkness and Troll 2
Troll 2
Troll 2 is a 1990 horror film directed by Claudio Fragasso and starring Michael Stephenson, George Hardy, Margo Prey, Connie Young , Deborah Reed, and Jason Wright...
- under the pseudonym Drake Floyd - (although Joe D'Amato claimed he co-directed some scenes in "Troll 2"). After this period of low-budget directing, Fragasso went on to direct bigger-budget films, such as the highly successful Palermo Milano Sola Andata (1994). He now works in Italian television.
Cult following
In 2007 Michael StephensonMichael Stephenson (actor)
Michael Paul Stephenson is an American actor, screenwriter, and director.-Movie career:He is perhaps best known for his lead role in the 1990 horror film Troll 2 as Joshua Waits...
, (who, as a child, played "Joshua Waits" in Fragasso's cult horror film Troll 2), along with George Hardy (who played Joshua's father "Michael"), flew to Rome to inform Fragasso about the large number of Troll 2
Troll 2
Troll 2 is a 1990 horror film directed by Claudio Fragasso and starring Michael Stephenson, George Hardy, Margo Prey, Connie Young , Deborah Reed, and Jason Wright...
fans in America, and of the many people who show up at the Troll 2 screenings. Claudio (and his wife Rossella Drudi who wrote the film) flew to America, and have attended a few Troll 2 screenings. Claudio also took part in a documentary titled Best Worst Movie which was directed by Michael Stephenson
Michael Stephenson (actor)
Michael Paul Stephenson is an American actor, screenwriter, and director.-Movie career:He is perhaps best known for his lead role in the 1990 horror film Troll 2 as Joshua Waits...
. In addition, he and his wife toured the original locations of Troll 2 in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, with their fans.