Mavericks of Italian Cinema

The history of Italian cinema includes, in addition to the renowned auteurs, a number of peculiar and lesser-known filmmakers. While their artistry was often plagued with production setbacks, their works—influenced by poetry, playwriting, advertising, literature, comics and a nonconformist, sometimes antagonistic attitude—were original and thought provoking.
Drawing from official papers and original scripts, this book includes previously unpublished information on the works and lives of post–World War II filmmakers Pier Carpi, Alberto Cavallone, Riccardo Ghione, Giulio Questi, Brunello Rondi, Paolo Spinola, Augusto Tretti and Nello Vegezzi.

Roberto Curti is an Italian film historian and the author of numerous published books and articles. He lives in Cortona, Italy.

Roberto Curti
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 217
Bibliographic Info: 31 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7242-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3300-8
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
A Note on the Essential Filmographies viii
Abbreviations ix
Introduction 1
1. Pier Carpi—The Man Who Would Be Cagliostro 11
2. Alberto Cavallone—The Wild Eye of Excess 28
3. Riccardo Ghione—Before and After the Revolution 64
4. Giulio Questi—The Man with Nine Lives 83
5. Brunello Rondi—The Poet of Obsession 112
6. Paolo Spinola—Rather Die Than Be Defiled 142
7. Augusto Tretti—The Don Quixote of Italian Cinema 154
8. Nello Vegezzi—The Baron in the Trees 170
Chapter Notes 185
Essential Bibliography 195
Index 197