Massimo Pupillo

Massimo Pupillo
Born
Domenico Massimo Pupillo

1922 (1922)
Rodi Garganico, Apulia, Italy
OccupationFilm director

Domenico Massimo Pupillo[1] (born 1922) is an Italian film director.

Career

Puplillo was born in Rodi Garganico, Apulia in 1922.[1][a] He started his career in film through his acquaintance Fernandel as Marcel Pagnol's assistant.[1] He claims to have made over 250 short films before the release of his film Gli amichi dell'Isola, a feature film set in Sardinia with unprofessional actors.[1] After directing Terror-Creatures from the Grave, he went on two direct two more horror films in a row: Bloody Pit of Horror and La vendetta di Lady Morgan.[1]

After making these horror films, Pupillo stated that he originally made them to get out of making documentary films and enter the commercial film market.[3] After making La vendetta di Lady Morgan he declared he was finished with making horror films with his following directorial work becoming scarce.[3] His follow-ups included the Western Django Kills Softly released in 1967 and the mondo film Love: The Great Unknown.[3] Pupillo also wrote a few mondo films prior to directing including Primitive Love and Sweden: Heaven and Hell which were both directed by Luigi Scattini and Taboos of the World by Romolo Marcellini.[3]

Pupillo later described himself as "disgusted" by the type of cinema he was making and primarily worked in television during the 1970s.[3] His last feature film was Sa Jana which was shot in Sardinia.[3] According to Merrill Aldighieri and Lucas Balbo's documentary Mondo Pupillo - Une conversation avec Massimo Pupillo, it is likely that Pupillo died on December 29, 1999, but no evidence has been found to confirm this.[3]

Partial filmography

Title Year Credited as Notes Ref(s)
Director Other
Terror-Creatures from the Grave 1965 Yes Yes Producer [4]
Bloody Pit of Horror 1965 Yes [5]
La vendetta di Lady Morgan 1965 Yes [2]
Django Kills Softly 1967 Yes [6]

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^ Many reference books and websites including the Internet Movie Database carry incorrect information about Pupillo's place of birth and birth year and full name.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Curti 2015, p. 152.
  2. ^ a b Curti 2015, p. 153.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Curti 2015, p. 155.
  4. ^ Curti 2015, p. 149.
  5. ^ Curti 2015, p. 138.
  6. ^ Grant 2011, p. 445.

Sources

  • Curti, Roberto (2015). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957-1969. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476619897.
  • Grant, Kevin (2011). Any Gun Can Play. Fab Press. ISBN 9781903254615.


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