FILM DIRECTOR
Mario Bava
1914 - 1980

Mario Bava
Mario Bava (Italian: [ˈmaːrjo ˈbaːva]; 31 July 1914 – 27 April 1980) was an Italian filmmaker who worked variously as a director, cinematographer, special effects artist and screenwriter. His low-budget genre films, known for their distinctive visual flair and stylish technical ingenuity, feature recurring themes and imagery concerning the conflict between illusion and reality, as well as the destructive capacity of human nature. Widely regarded as a pioneer of Italian genre cinema and one of the most influential auteurs of the horror film genre, he is popularly referred to as the "Master of Italian Horror" and the "Master of the Macabre". After providing special effects work and other assistance on such productions as I Vampiri (1957), Hercules (1958) and Caltiki – The Immortal Monster (1959), Bava made his official feature directorial debut with the gothic horror film Black Sunday, released in 1960. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Mario Bava is the 275th most popular film director (down from 228th in 2019), the 1,593rd most popular biography from Italy (down from 1,409th in 2019) and the 26th most popular Italian Film Director.
Mario Bava is most famous for his work on gothic horror films such as Black Sunday, Black Sabbath, and The Mask of Satan.
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Among FILM DIRECTORS
Among film directors, Mario Bava ranks 275 out of 2,041. Before him are Gojko Mitić, Souleymane Cissé, Béla Tarr, Terence Young, Nanni Moretti, and Robert Siodmak. After him are Bigas Luna, Philippe de Broca, Karel Zeman, Ousmane Sembène, Andrew Davis, and Damiano Damiani.
Most Popular Film Directors in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsGojko Mitić
1940 - Present
HPI: 65.52
Rank: 269
Souleymane Cissé
1940 - 2025
HPI: 65.51
Rank: 270
Béla Tarr
1955 - Present
HPI: 65.51
Rank: 271
Terence Young
1915 - 1994
HPI: 65.48
Rank: 272
Nanni Moretti
1953 - Present
HPI: 65.43
Rank: 273
Robert Siodmak
1900 - 1973
HPI: 65.41
Rank: 274
Mario Bava
1914 - 1980
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 275
Bigas Luna
1946 - 2013
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 276
Philippe de Broca
1933 - 2004
HPI: 65.38
Rank: 277
Karel Zeman
1910 - 1989
HPI: 65.37
Rank: 278
Ousmane Sembène
1923 - 2007
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 279
Andrew Davis
1946 - Present
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 280
Damiano Damiani
1922 - 2013
HPI: 65.35
Rank: 281
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1914, Mario Bava ranks 76. Before him are Jackie Coogan, Alastair Windsor, 2nd Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, Pierre Balmain, Jan Karski, Lilli Palmer, and Yakov Zeldovich. After him are Martin Gardner, Kurt Franz, Gyula Cseszneky, Shapour Bakhtiar, Larbi Benbarek, and Asger Jorn. Among people deceased in 1980, Mario Bava ranks 72. Before him are Kazimierz Kuratowski, Walter Dornberger, Tôn Đức Thắng, Fabian von Schlabrendorff, Jim Fouché, and Hugh Griffith. After him are Pascual Jordan, Winifred Wagner, Joy Adamson, Raoul Walsh, V. V. Giri, and Elvira de Hidalgo.
Others Born in 1914
Go to all RankingsJackie Coogan
ACTOR
1914 - 1984
HPI: 65.70
Rank: 70
Alastair Windsor, 2nd Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
NOBLEMAN
1914 - 1943
HPI: 65.70
Rank: 71
Pierre Balmain
DESIGNER
1914 - 1982
HPI: 65.69
Rank: 72
Jan Karski
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1914 - 2000
HPI: 65.62
Rank: 73
Lilli Palmer
ACTOR
1914 - 1986
HPI: 65.62
Rank: 74
Yakov Zeldovich
PHYSICIST
1914 - 1987
HPI: 65.57
Rank: 75
Mario Bava
FILM DIRECTOR
1914 - 1980
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 76
Martin Gardner
WRITER
1914 - 2010
HPI: 65.32
Rank: 77
Kurt Franz
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1914 - 1998
HPI: 65.29
Rank: 78
Gyula Cseszneky
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1914 - 1970
HPI: 65.25
Rank: 79
Shapour Bakhtiar
POLITICIAN
1914 - 1991
HPI: 65.16
Rank: 80
Larbi Benbarek
SOCCER PLAYER
1914 - 1992
HPI: 65.15
Rank: 81
Asger Jorn
PAINTER
1914 - 1973
HPI: 65.00
Rank: 82
Others Deceased in 1980
Go to all RankingsKazimierz Kuratowski
MATHEMATICIAN
1896 - 1980
HPI: 65.74
Rank: 66
Walter Dornberger
ENGINEER
1895 - 1980
HPI: 65.70
Rank: 67
Tôn Đức Thắng
POLITICIAN
1888 - 1980
HPI: 65.57
Rank: 68
Fabian von Schlabrendorff
LAWYER
1907 - 1980
HPI: 65.57
Rank: 69
Jim Fouché
POLITICIAN
1898 - 1980
HPI: 65.53
Rank: 70
Hugh Griffith
ACTOR
1912 - 1980
HPI: 65.48
Rank: 71
Mario Bava
FILM DIRECTOR
1914 - 1980
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 72
Pascual Jordan
PHYSICIST
1902 - 1980
HPI: 65.31
Rank: 73
Winifred Wagner
WRITER
1897 - 1980
HPI: 65.30
Rank: 74
Joy Adamson
BIOLOGIST
1910 - 1980
HPI: 64.98
Rank: 75
Raoul Walsh
FILM DIRECTOR
1887 - 1980
HPI: 64.85
Rank: 76
V. V. Giri
POLITICIAN
1894 - 1980
HPI: 64.63
Rank: 77
Elvira de Hidalgo
SINGER
1891 - 1980
HPI: 64.34
Rank: 78
In Italy
Among people born in Italy, Mario Bava ranks 1,593 out of 5,161. Before him are Ornella Vanoni (1934), Nanni Moretti (1953), Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este (1782), Felice Gimondi (1942), Ettore Bastico (1876), and Lamberto Dini (1931). After him are Charles II, Duke of Savoy (1488), Maria Domenica Mazzarello (1837), Pietro Andrea Mattioli (1501), Ratchis (800), Elio de Angelis (1958), and Lea Massari (1933).
Others born in Italy
Go to all RankingsOrnella Vanoni
SINGER
1934 - Present
HPI: 65.44
Rank: 1,587
Nanni Moretti
FILM DIRECTOR
1953 - Present
HPI: 65.43
Rank: 1,588
Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este
POLITICIAN
1782 - 1863
HPI: 65.43
Rank: 1,589
Felice Gimondi
CYCLIST
1942 - 2019
HPI: 65.43
Rank: 1,590
Ettore Bastico
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1876 - 1972
HPI: 65.42
Rank: 1,591
Lamberto Dini
POLITICIAN
1931 - Present
HPI: 65.41
Rank: 1,592
Mario Bava
FILM DIRECTOR
1914 - 1980
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 1,593
Charles II, Duke of Savoy
POLITICIAN
1488 - 1496
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 1,594
Maria Domenica Mazzarello
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1837 - 1881
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 1,595
Pietro Andrea Mattioli
PHYSICIAN
1501 - 1578
HPI: 65.39
Rank: 1,596
Ratchis
POLITICIAN
800 - 800
HPI: 65.39
Rank: 1,597
Elio de Angelis
RACING DRIVER
1958 - 1986
HPI: 65.38
Rank: 1,598
Lea Massari
ACTOR
1933 - 2025
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 1,599
Among FILM DIRECTORS In Italy
Among film directors born in Italy, Mario Bava ranks 26. Before him are Marco Ferreri (1928), Ruggero Deodato (1939), Joe D'Amato (1936), Paolo Sorrentino (1970), Lucio Fulci (1927), and Nanni Moretti (1953). After him are Damiano Damiani (1922), Marco Bellocchio (1939), Gillo Pontecorvo (1919), Mario Monicelli (1915), Luigi Comencini (1916), and Ermanno Olmi (1931).
Marco Ferreri
1928 - 1997
HPI: 66.42
Rank: 20
Ruggero Deodato
1939 - 2022
HPI: 66.10
Rank: 21
Joe D'Amato
1936 - 1999
HPI: 66.07
Rank: 22
Paolo Sorrentino
1970 - Present
HPI: 65.94
Rank: 23
Lucio Fulci
1927 - 1996
HPI: 65.88
Rank: 24
Nanni Moretti
1953 - Present
HPI: 65.43
Rank: 25
Mario Bava
1914 - 1980
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 26
Damiano Damiani
1922 - 2013
HPI: 65.35
Rank: 27
Marco Bellocchio
1939 - Present
HPI: 64.87
Rank: 28
Gillo Pontecorvo
1919 - 2006
HPI: 64.77
Rank: 29
Mario Monicelli
1915 - 2010
HPI: 64.64
Rank: 30
Luigi Comencini
1916 - 2007
HPI: 64.21
Rank: 31
Ermanno Olmi
1931 - 2018
HPI: 63.93
Rank: 32