HIS BOOK would be nothing more than a daydream, were it not for the many friends I have made around the world
in the many years this project has been my introduction and passport.
I would like to thank, first and foremost, Mario’s family—his son and assistant Lamberto Bava, his late sister Elena Bava (Mother Supe- rior of the Ancelle del Sacro Cuore, who passed away in early 2007), and his grandchildren Georgia Bava and Fabrizio “Roy” Bava—for
MARIO BAVA self portrait, 1970s.
their memories, cooperation, trust, and ex- traordinary patience with this project and its widely scattered author. I am deeply honored that the late Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava’s mentor and father of the Italian gothic horror movement, and Martin Scorsese, the outstanding Italian-American director of our time, both understood the need for this book and agreed to endorse my research with prefatory statements. The assistance of Kent Jones in obtaining the In- troduction from Mr. Scorsese is also much appreciated.
