Bruno Mattei
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Bruno Mattei (30 July 1931 – 21 May 2007) was an Italian film director and editor who gained a cult following for his bizarre and sleazy exploitation films. He used many pseudonyms, predominantly Vincent Dawn (choosing that surname as a nod to George Romero's Dawn of the Dead). Mattei got his start in Italian exploitation cinema by directing several sexy Nazi death camp films in 1977, followed by some porn and nuns-ploitation films. In 1980, he directed two of his most infamous horror shockers, "THE OTHER HELL" and "VIRUS: HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD", followed a few years later by the delirious "RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR" and the ultra-gory "ZOMBIE 3" (which he co-directed with Lucio Fulci in the Philippines), and several torrid Emanuelle sex movies starring Laura Gemser. In all, he made over 50 films, many of them very low budget. However they have attracted a huge cult following. Sadly, Mattei was hospitalized in early May 2007 due to complications from a brain tumor, and lapsed into a coma shortly after. He died on May 21, 2007 at age 75.
Selected Filmography as Director
- Zombies: The Beginning (2007) sequel to "Virus: Hell of the Living Dead"
- Island of the Living Dead (2006)
- The Jail: A Woman's Hell (2006) aka Lost Soul
- Belle Da Morire 2 (2005) aka Killing Striptease 2
- Mondo Cannibale/ Cannibal World (2003) aka Cannibal Holocaust 2
- Nella Terra dei Cannibali/ In the Land of The Cannibals (2003) aka Cannibal Ferox 3: Land of Death
- Snuff Killer-La Morta in diretta (2003) aka Snuff Trap
- Belle Da Morire (2001) aka Killing Striptease
- Ljuba (1996) aka Body and Soul
- Cruel Jaws (1995) aka The Beast, aka Jaws 5
- Eyes without a Face (1994) aka Madness
- Dangerous Attraction (1994)
- Desire (1990)
- Shocking Dark (1989) aka Terminator 2
- Zombi 4: After Death (1988) Mattei only co-produced this film
- Zombi 3 (1988) co-directed with Lucio Fulci
- Strike Commando II (1988) aka Diabolical Trap, starring Richard Harris
- Robowar (1988) starring Reb Brown
- Cop Game (1988, Crime drama)
- Born To Fight (1987, War movie)
- Strike Commando (1987) starring Reb Brown & Christopher Connelley
- Double Target (1987) starring Bo Svenson & Donald Pleasence
- Scalps (1986, Spaghetti western)
- White Apache (1986, Spaghetti western)
- Rats: Night Of Terror (1983) written by Claudio Fragasso
- The Seven Magnificent Gladiators (1983) Mattei co-directed this with Claudio Fragasso), starred Lou Ferrigno
- Emanuelle Escapes from Hell (1983) aka Women's Prison Massacre
- Violence in a Women's Prison (1982) aka Caged Women
- Caligula and Messalina (1982) aka Caligula's Perversions
- Nero and Poppea: An Orgy of Power (1982)
- Porno Holocaust (1981) Mattei co-directed this with Joe D'Amato (but was uncredited)
- Virus: Hell of the Living Dead (1980) aka Night of the Zombies, aka Zombie Creeping Flesh
- The True Story of the Nun of Monza (1980)
- The Other Hell (1980) aka The Presence, aka Guardian of Hell
- Sexy Night Report (1977) aka Mondo Erotico
- Emanuelle and the Porno Nights (1977)
- Emanuelle's Erotic Nights (1977)
- SS Extermination Love Camp (1977)
- SS Girls (1977) aka Private House for the SS
