Riccardo Freda

Riccardo Freda (Alexandria, Egypt, 24 February 1909 – Rome, Italy, 20 December 1999) was an Italian film director. He worked in a variety of genres, including sword-and-sandal, horror, giallo and spy films.[2][3]

Riccardo Freda
Riccardo Freda on the set of I Vampiri[1]
Born(1909-02-24)24 February 1909
Alexandria, Egypt
Died20 December 1999(1999-12-20) (aged 90)
Rome, Italy
Spouse(s)Gianna Maria Canale

Freda began directing I Vampiri in 1956 but left the production midway to have it completed by Mario Bava.[4] The film became the first Italian sound horror film production.

Biography

Riccardo Freda was born in 1909 in Alexandria, Egypt to Italian parents.[2][5] Freda attended school in Milan where he took art classes at the Centro Sperimantale.[2] After school he took on work as a sculptor and art critic.[2]

Film career

Freda first began making working in the film industry in 1937 and directed his first film Don Cesare di Bazan in 1942.[2] Freda's began directing I Vampiri, but eventually left the production allowing Mario Bava to step in to finish directing the film.[6][7][8] I Vampiri was the first Italian horror film of the sound era, following the lone silent horror film Il mostro di Frankenstein (1920)[9][10] Despite being the first, a wave of Italian horror productions did not follow until Mario Bava's film Black Sunday was released internationally.[9][11][12]

Freda died on 20 December 1999 in Rome.[3]

Filmography
TitleYearCredited asNotesRef(s)
DirectorWriterEditorOther
Lasciate ogni speranza 1937 Yes [13]
L'allegro cantante 1938 Yes [13][14]
Fuochi d'artificio Yes [14]
La voce senza volto 1939 Yes [14]
Piccoli naufraghi Yes Yes Assistant director [14][15]
Il cavaliere di San Marco Yes [15]
In the Country Fell a Star Yes Yes Collaborator to direction [16][17]
Fascino 1940 Yes [16]
Il barone di Corbò Yes [16]
La granduchessa si diverte Yes [17]
Cento lettere d'amore Yes [17]
Lucky Night 1941 Yes [17][18]
Caravaggio, il pittore maledetto Yes Yes Collaboration to the making [18]
L'avventuriera del piano di sopra Yesa Yes [18][19]
Don Cesare di Bazan 1942 Yes Yes Yes Producer [20]
L'abito nero da sposa 1945 Yes [19]
Non canto più Yes Yes [20]
Tutta la città canta Yes Yes Yes Story [20]
07... Tassì Yes Yes [19]
The Black Eagle 1946 Yes Yes Yes Story [21]
Les Misérables 1948 Yes Yes [22]
The Mysterious Rider Yes Yes Yes Story [23]
O caçula do barulho 1949 Yes Yes Yes Story [23][24]
The Iron Swordsman Yes Yes [24]
Guarany 1950 Yes Yes Yes Story [24][25]
The Gay Swordsman Yes Yes Yes Story [25]
L'astuto barone Yes Yes Short film [26]
Magia a prezzi modici 1951 Yes Short film [25][26]
Double Cross Yes Yes [26]
Tenori per forza Yes Yes Short film [26][27]
Revenge of Black Eagle Yes Yes Yes Story [27]
See Naples and Die 1952 Yes [27]
La Leggenda del Piave Yes Yes [28]
Sins of Rome 1953 Yes [28]
Theodora, Slave Empress 1954 Yes Yes Yes Story, general manager [29]
I mosaici di Ravenna Yes Yes [30]
Da qui all'eredità 1955 Yes Yes [30]
Beatrice Cenci 1956 Yes Yes Story [30]
I Vampiri 1957 Yes Yes Yes Actor (Autopsy doctor) [31]
Trapped in Tangiers Yes Yes Yes Story [32]
Sheba and the Gladiator 1959 Yes 2nd unit director–battle scenes [33]
The White Warrior Yes Yes Yes [32]
Caltiki – The Immortal Monster Yes Yes [34]
The Giants of Thessaly 1960 Yes Yes [34][35]
The Mongols 1961 Yes Director–battle scenes [33]
Maciste alla corte del Gran Khan Yes [35]
Caccia all'uomo Yes [36]
Marco Polo 1962 Yes Director–battle scenesc [37]
Alone Against Rome Yes Director–Arena sequences [38]
Seven Seas to Calais Yes Editor–naval battle scened [38][39]
The Witch's Curse Yes [40]
The Horrible Dr. Hichcock Yes [40][41]
The Seventh Sword Yes Yes Yes Story [41]
Gold for the Caesars 1963 Yes 2nd unit directore [39]
The Ghost Yes Yes [41][42]
The Magnificent Adventurer Yes Yes Story [42][43]
Romeo e Giulietta 1964 Yes Yes [43]
Genoveffa di Brabante Yes Yes Yes Story [43][44]
The Two Orphans 1965 Yes Yes [44]
Coplan FX 18 casse tout Yes [44][45]
Trap for the Assassin 1966 Yes Yes [45]
Mexican Slayride 1967 Yes [46]
La morte non conta i dollari Yes [46][47]
Double Face 1969 Yes Yes [47]
Tamar Wife of Er 1970 Yes [48]
L'iguana dalla lingua di fuoco 1971 Yes Yes Yes Yes Story [48][49]
Tragic Ceremony 1972 Yes [49]
Murder Obsession 1981 Yes Yes Yes [50]
Un tour de manège 1989 Yes Actor (Riccardo the film director) [51]
Revenge of the Musketeers 1994 Yes Based on "an idea by Freda and Éric Poindron [51][52]

Notes
  • ^ a Freda has denied having taken part in writing the script for this film, despite being credited.[19]
  • ^ b Freda was originally to direct the film but stated that he walked off the set on the first day of shooting.[33]
  • ^ c Freda name is not in the credits but some sources state he directed several battles scenes in the film, which Freda denies.[33]
  • ^ d Freda name is not in the credits but some sources state he edited the naval battle scenes in the film, which Freda denies.[38][39]
  • ^ e Freda has claimed to have shot the entire film.[38][39]

References
  1. Curti 2017, p. 3.
  2. Erickson, Hal. "Riccardo Freda". AllMovie. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  3. Paul 2005, p. 276.
  4. Jones, Alan (2013). I Vampiri (booklet). Arrow Films. p. 24. FCD756.
  5. Paul 2005, p. 274.
  6. Shipka 2011, p. 23.
  7. Curti 2015, p. 23.
  8. Curti 2015, p. 24.
  9. Gallant, Chris (23 April 2015). "10 Great Italian Gothic Horror Films". British Film Institute. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  10. Curti 2015, p. 11.
  11. Curti 2015, p. 3.
  12. Curti 2015, p. 1.
  13. Curti 2017, p. 289.
  14. Curti 2017, p. 290.
  15. Curti 2017, p. 291.
  16. Curti 2017, p. 292.
  17. Curti 2017, p. 293.
  18. Curti 2017, p. 294.
  19. Curti 2017, p. 295.
  20. Curti 2017, p. 302.
  21. Curti 2017, p. 303.
  22. Curti 2017, p. 304.
  23. Curti 2017, p. 305.
  24. Curti 2017, p. 306.
  25. Curti 2017, p. 307.
  26. Curti 2017, p. 308.
  27. Curti 2017, p. 309.
  28. Curti 2017, p. 310.
  29. Curti 2017, p. 311.
  30. Curti 2017, p. 312.
  31. Curti 2017, p. 313.
  32. Curti 2017, p. 314.
  33. Curti 2017, p. 296.
  34. Curti 2017, p. 315.
  35. Curti 2017, p. 316.
  36. Curti 2017, p. 317.
  37. Curti 2017, p. 297.
  38. Curti 2017, p. 298.
  39. Curti 2017, p. 299.
  40. Curti 2017, p. 318.
  41. Curti 2017, p. 319.
  42. Curti 2017, p. 320.
  43. Curti 2017, p. 321.
  44. Curti 2017, p. 322.
  45. Curti 2017, p. 323.
  46. Curti 2017, p. 324.
  47. Curti 2017, p. 325.
  48. Curti 2017, p. 326.
  49. Curti 2017, p. 327.
  50. Curti 2017, p. 328.
  51. Curti 2017, p. 300.
  52. Curti 2017, p. 301.

Bibliography
  • Curti, Roberto (2015). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957–1969. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-1989-7.
  • Curti, Roberto (2017). Riccardo Freda: The Life and Works of a Born Filmmaker. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476628387.
  • Paul, Louis (2005). Italian Horror Film Directors. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-8749-3.
  • Shipka, Danny (2011). Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France, 1960–1980. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-4888-3.
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