Michele Soavi
Encyclopedia
Michele Soavi, sometimes known as Michael Soavi (born 3 July 1957) is an Italian
filmmaker.
. As a teenager, Soavi enrolled in creative arts classes and developed into a talented actor. He took acting lessons at Milan's Fersen Studios, but his greatest talent was working behind the camera. Soavi's directorial career began when he was offered an assistant director job by Marco Modugno after appearing as an extra in Modugno's 1979 film Bambule. Soavi continued to act in films such as Alien 2 on Earth and Lucio Fulci's City of the Living Dead
, and served as an assistant director
to Aristide Massacessi (Joe D'Amato
), and occasionally appeared in bit parts in some of D'Amato's films. Soavi later came into his own when he started his collaboration with famed Italian horror director
Dario Argento
, who used him as second assistant director on the film Tenebrae
. Soavi continued to work with Argento for several years; with his first credit as director being the documentary Dario Argento's World of Horror, followed by a pop promo for Bill Wyman
. He directed his first feature film with 1987's Stagefright (aka "Aquarius"). He worked as assistant director to Terry Gilliam
on The Adventures of Baron Munchausen in 1988, and followed this with his second feature film as director, 1989's La Chiesa (The Church
). His third feature, The Sect (aka "The Devil's Daughter"), followed in 1990.
Soavi has been credited as almost single-handedly continuing the traditions of Italian horror in the 1990s, directing the acclaimed zombie love story Dellamorte Dellamore
(aka Cemetery Man). The film was based on Tiziano Sclavi
's comic book Dylan Dog
, and starred Rupert Everett
in the lead role. Soavi retreated from the film industry in the mid 1990s to care for his ailing son, but, in recent years, he has begun working once more in Italian
television
.
In 2008, it was announced that Soavi was working on a new feature film, The Catacombs Club.
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...
filmmaker.
Career
Michele Soavi was born in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. As a teenager, Soavi enrolled in creative arts classes and developed into a talented actor. He took acting lessons at Milan's Fersen Studios, but his greatest talent was working behind the camera. Soavi's directorial career began when he was offered an assistant director job by Marco Modugno after appearing as an extra in Modugno's 1979 film Bambule. Soavi continued to act in films such as Alien 2 on Earth and Lucio Fulci's City of the Living Dead
City of the Living Dead
City of the Living Dead is an Italian horror film from director Lucio Fulci. It has numerous alternate titles, such as Gates of Hell. It is the first installment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy which also includes The Beyond and The House by the Cemetery. Fulci makes an uncredited cameo...
, and served as an assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
to Aristide Massacessi (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...
), and occasionally appeared in bit parts in some of D'Amato's films. Soavi later came into his own when he started his collaboration with famed Italian horror 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:...
Dario Argento
Dario Argento
Dario Argento is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo, and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies....
, who used him as second assistant director on the film Tenebrae
Tenebrae (film)
Tenebrae is a 1982 Italian horror thriller film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, and Daria Nicolodi...
. Soavi continued to work with Argento for several years; with his first credit as director being the documentary Dario Argento's World of Horror, followed by a pop promo for Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
. He directed his first feature film with 1987's Stagefright (aka "Aquarius"). He worked as assistant director to Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
on The Adventures of Baron Munchausen in 1988, and followed this with his second feature film as director, 1989's La Chiesa (The Church
The Church (film)
The Church is a 1989 Italian horror film written and produced by Dario Argento and directed by Michele Soavi. The film stars Hugh Quarshie, Tomas Arana, Barbara Cupisti, Asia Argento, Feodor Chaliapin, Jr., and Giovanni Lombardo Radice...
). His third feature, The Sect (aka "The Devil's Daughter"), followed in 1990.
Soavi has been credited as almost single-handedly continuing the traditions of Italian horror in the 1990s, directing the acclaimed zombie love story Dellamorte Dellamore
Cemetery Man
Cemetery Man is a 1994 comedy horror film directed by Michele Soavi. A co-production of Italy, France, and Germany, the screenplay by Gianni Romoli was based on the 1991 novel by Tiziano Sclavi...
(aka Cemetery Man). The film was based on Tiziano Sclavi
Tiziano Sclavi
Tiziano Sclavi is an Italian comic book author, journalist and writer of several novels. Sclavi is most famous as creator of the comic book Dylan Dog in 1986, for Italian publishing house Sergio Bonelli Editore...
's comic book Dylan Dog
Dylan Dog
Dylan Dog is an Italian horror comics series featuring an eponymous character created by Tiziano Sclavi for the publishing house Sergio Bonelli Editore...
, and starred Rupert Everett
Rupert Everett
Rupert James Hector Everett is an English actor. He first came to public attention in 1981, when he was cast in Julian Mitchell's play and subsequent film Another Country as an openly gay student at an English public school, set in the 1930s...
in the lead role. Soavi retreated from the film industry in the mid 1990s to care for his ailing son, but, in recent years, he has begun working once more in Italian
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...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
In 2008, it was announced that Soavi was working on a new feature film, The Catacombs Club.
As Director
- Dario Argento's World of HorrorDario Argento's World of HorrorIl Mondo dell'orrore di Dario Argento is an Italian documentary film, released in 1985, which chronicles the career of Italian horror and suspense movie director, Dario Argento...
(1985) - Stage Fright (1987)
- The ChurchThe Church (film)The Church is a 1989 Italian horror film written and produced by Dario Argento and directed by Michele Soavi. The film stars Hugh Quarshie, Tomas Arana, Barbara Cupisti, Asia Argento, Feodor Chaliapin, Jr., and Giovanni Lombardo Radice...
(1989) - The Sect (also known as The Devil's Daughter) (1991)
- Cemetery ManCemetery ManCemetery Man is a 1994 comedy horror film directed by Michele Soavi. A co-production of Italy, France, and Germany, the screenplay by Gianni Romoli was based on the 1991 novel by Tiziano Sclavi...
(1994) - The Goodbye Kiss (2006)
- Blood of the Losers (2008)
As Assistant Director / Second Unit Director
- 2020 Texas Gladiators (1982)
- TenebraeTenebrae (film)Tenebrae is a 1982 Italian horror thriller film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, and Daria Nicolodi...
(1982) - A Blade in the DarkA Blade in the DarkA Blade in the Dark but also known by the title House of the Dark Stairway, is a 1983 horror film.-Plot:Bruno, a composer, becomes involved in a series of murders who lives in a villa. In a horror film Bruno is scoring: a young child, taunted by cruel bullies, descends into a dark cellar after a...
(1983) - Endgame (1983)
- BlastfighterBlastfighterBlastfighter is a 1984 Italian action film by Lamberto Bava starring Michael Sopkiw and George Eastman.-Plot:Jake "Tiger" Sharp is a former policeman who seeks revenge after his wife is murdered. After killing the murderer, Sharp is sentenced to seven years in prison...
(1984) - Phenomena (1984 - also actor)
- DemonsDemoniDèmoni is a 1985 Italian horror film directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Argento. The screenplay was written by Bava, Argento, Franco Ferrini, and Dardano Sacchetti, from a story by Sacchetti...
(1985) - OperaOpera (film)Opera is a 1987 Italian giallo film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Cristina Marsillach, Urbano Barberini, and Ian Charleson. Cinematography is done by Ronnie Taylor while Brian Eno and Claudio Simonetti composed the film's score. The film was released in the United States...
(1987) - The Adventures of Baron MunchausenThe Adventures of Baron MunchausenThe Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a 1988 British adventure comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring John Neville, Sarah Polley, Eric Idle, Jonathan Pryce, Oliver Reed, Uma Thurman, and Robin Williams.-Plot:...
(1988) - The Brothers GrimmThe Brothers Grimm (film)The Brothers Grimm is a 2005 fantasy Adventure film directed by Terry Gilliam. The film stars Matt Damon and Heath Ledger in an exaggerated and fictitious portrait of the Brothers Grimm as traveling con-artists in French-occupied Germany during the late 18th century...
(2005)
As Actor Only
Soavi makes cameos in all the films he directed and assistant directed prior to 2000. He has also acted, usually uncredited, in numerous films from other Italian horror directors.- The Biggest Battle (1978)
- Little Lips (1978)
- Alien 2Alien 2Alien 2: On Earth , also known as Alien Terror and Strangers, is a 1980 Italian sequel to the 1979 American film Alien, written and directed by Ciro Ippolito before the mark Alien was registered...
(1980) - City of the Living DeadCity of the Living DeadCity of the Living Dead is an Italian horror film from director Lucio Fulci. It has numerous alternate titles, such as Gates of Hell. It is the first installment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy which also includes The Beyond and The House by the Cemetery. Fulci makes an uncredited cameo...
(also known as The Gates Of Hell) (1980) - Day of the Cobra (1980)
- Zombie 6: Monster Hunter (also known as Absurd) (1981)
- Caligula II: The Untold Story (1982)
- The New York RipperThe New York RipperThe New York Ripper, original title Lo squartatore di New York, is a 1982 Italian horror film directed and co-written by Lucio Fulci.The film score was written by Francesco De Masi...
(1982) - Atlantis Inferno (1983)
- DèmoniDemoniDèmoni is a 1985 Italian horror film directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Argento. The screenplay was written by Bava, Argento, Franco Ferrini, and Dardano Sacchetti, from a story by Sacchetti...
(1985) - Demons 6 (1989)