Domenico Massimo Pupillo, a renowned Italian film director, was born in Rodi Garganico, Apulia, in 1922. His journey in the film industry began through his acquaintance with Fernandel, who introduced him to Marcel Pagnol's assistant role. Prior to the release of his feature film Gli amichi dell'Isola, Pupillo claims to have created over 250 short films.
His breakthrough feature film, Gli amichi dell'Isola, was set in Sardinia and starred unprofessional actors. This was followed by a series of horror films, including Terror-Creatures from the Grave, Bloody Pit of Horror, and La vendetta di Lady Morgan. Pupillo has stated that he initially ventured into horror films to escape the documentary genre and gain recognition in the commercial film market.
However, after completing La vendetta di Lady Morgan, Pupillo declared that he was finished with horror films, and his subsequent directorial work became scarce. His subsequent films included the Western Django Kills Softly, released in 1967, and the mondo film Love: The Great Unknown. Prior to directing, Pupillo wrote a few mondo films, including Primitive Love, Sweden: Heaven and Hell, and Taboos of the World, which were directed by other filmmakers.
Pupillo later described himself as "disgusted" by the type of cinema he was making, and he primarily worked in television during the 1970s. His last feature film was Sa Jana, which was shot in Sardinia. According to the documentary Mondo Pupillo - Une conversation avec Massimo Pupillo, it is likely that Pupillo died on December 29, 1999, although no concrete evidence has been found to confirm this.
Person Biography:
Domenico Massimo Pupillo was born in 1922 in Rodi Garganico, Apulia, Italy. He began his career in film as Marcel Pagnol's assistant and went on to direct over 250 short films before the release of his feature film Gli amichi dell'Isola. Pupillo is known for his work in the horror and mondo film genres, and his films often featured unprofessional actors and unique storylines.
