Ruggero Deodato (1939 - )

Date of Birth: 7 May 1939
Place of Birth: Potenza, Italy
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Also Known As: Roger Rockfeller; Roger Deodato; Roger Franklin

BIOGRAPHY

"I love the cinema and sometimes I agree to make a particular film purely because I have this passion for film-making, especially if it's a film which gives me the chance to indulge my technical skills."

On the basis of just one movie, Deodato became the enfant terrible of Italian cinema, a wayward talent who has sadly never really achieved all that much since the devestating Cannibal Holocaust (1980).

A brief spell of acting in the 1950s gave way to a much longer tenure as assistant director, working with some of the key figures in the development of Italian popular cinema in this capacity for over a decade. In the late 1960s, he moved into television, producing highly regarded commercials and news programmes before venturing into drama series with equal success.

The move to the big screen was a logical next step and Deodato attacked it with some gusto, making no less than four features in his first year, 1968. In fact, he'd unofficially made his directorial debut in 1964 with the entirely terrible Ursus il terrore dei Kirghisi, a peblum abandoned mid-shoot by Antonio Margheriti and completed by director of photography Gabor Pogany after Deodato also walked. The film was eventually credited to Margheriti for commercial reasons.

Deodato didn't stay in films for long, however, and quit the industry in 1969 to go into advertising. By 1976, he was Italy's leading producer of TV commercials and teamed up with Lamberto Bava who acted as his assistant. 1975 had seen Deodato tentatively return to the big screen with Ondata di piacere, a low key sexy thriller and was soon back to full time film production, fitting in commercials as and when he could.

The breakthrough year was 1980, when Deodato made La casa sperduta nel parco and his classic Cannibal Holocaust, one of the most galvanising and hardest to forget violence epics the Italians ever made. The fall out from Holocaust however, caused severe problems for Deodato and his career never really recovered. Faced with law suits, critical revulsion and wholesale banning, the film entered exploitation movie notoriety, earned Deodato a place in the horror hall of fame and virtually finished him as a credible commercial entity.

His filmography post-Holocaust is a rag bag collection of iffy horrors, camp peblums and bland dramas that have done nothing to fulfill the promise of that great jungle epic.
KEVIN LYONS

GENRE FILMOGRAPHY

1961
Ursus nella valle dei leoni (assistant director)
Ursus im Tal der Löwen - West German title
Ursus in the Valley of the Lions
Ursus leijonien laaksossa - Finnish title
Valley of the Lions

1963
RO.GO.PA.G (assistant director)
Lavado cerebral - Venezuelan title
Laviamoci il cervello - alternative title
Let's Have a Brainwash
RoGoPaG - alternative title
Rogopag - Argentinian title

La vergine di Norimberga (assistant director)
Back to the Killer
The Castle of Terror - UK title
Die Gruft der lebenden Leichen - West German title
Horror Castle - US title
El justiciero rojo - Spanish title
Das Schloss des Grauens - West German video title
Terror Castle
La vierge de Nuremberg - French title
The Virgin of Nuremberg - English language title

Danza macabra (assistant director (as Roger Drake))
Castle of Blood - UK / US title
The Castle of Terror - US title
Coffin of Terror
Danse macabre - French title
Dimensions in Death
Edgar Allan Poe's Castle of Blood
The Long Night of Terror
La lunga notte de terrore
Terrore
Tombs of Horror
Tombs of Terror

1964
Anthar l'invincibile (assistant director)
Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules - US title
Marchands d'esclaves - French title
Il mercante di schiave
The Slave Merchants
Soraya - Sklavin des Orients - West German title
Soraya, reina del desierto - Spanish title

Ursus il terrore dei Kirghisi (assistant director, director (uncredited))
Hercules, Prisoner of Evil - US title
La terreur des Kirghiz - French title
Terror of the Kirghiz
Ursus greift ein - West German title
Ursus und die Sklavin des Teufels - West German title
Ursus, Schrecken der Kirgisen - West German title

1965
I criminali della galassia (assistant director)
The Criminals of the Galaxy
The Galaxy Criminals
Gamma I Quadrilogy Vol. 1 - US title
Raumschiff Alpha - Der Planet der Verdammten - West German video title
Wild, Wild Planet - US title

I Diafanoidi vengono da Marte (assistant director (as Roger Godey))
The Deadly Diaphonoids
Diaphanoids, Bringers of Death
Gamma I Quadrilogy Vol. 2 - US title
Planet der Verdammten - West German title
Tödliche Nebel - West German title
The War of the Planets - US title

Il pianeta errante (assistant director)
Gamma I Quadrilogy Vol. 3 - US title
Mission Wandering Planet
Il missione pianeta errante
Orion 3000 - Raumfahrt des Grauens - West German title
Planet on the Prowl
War Between the Planets

La morte viene dal pianeta Aytin (assistant director)
Gamma I Quadrilogy Vol. 4 - US title
Mort vient de la planète Aytin - French title

1966
Il terzo occhio (assistant director)
Das Dritte Auge - West German title
Le froid baiser de la mort - French title
Third Eye - US title

1967
Le plus vieux metier du monde (assistant director)
Das Älteste Gewerbe der Welt - West German title
El amor a través de los siglos – Uruguayan title
El amor a través del tiempo - Argentinian title
L'amore attraverso i secoli
L'amour à travers les âges
Love Through the Centuries
Maailman vanhin ammatti - Finnish title
El oficio más viejo del mundo - Spanish title
The Oldest Profession in the World
The Oldest Profession - US title
To pio palio epaggelma tou kosmou – Greek title

1968
Fenomenal e il tesoro di Tutankamen (script, director (as Roger Rockefeller))
Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen

Gungala, la pantera nuda (director (as Roger Rockefeller))
Gungala, a Pantera Negra - Portugese title
Gungala, the Black Panther Girl - US title
Gungala, the Naked Panther
Tarzanflickan - Swedish title
A Virgem da Floresta - Portugese title

1971 - 1973
All'ultimo minuto (director)

1976
Ultimo mondo cannibale (director)
Cannibal
Cannibals – Greek video title
Carnivorous
Jungle Holocaust
Kannibaalit - Finnish title
The Last Cannibal World
The Last Survivor
Mondo cannabale 2 – Polish title
Mondo Cannibale 2 - Der Vogelmensch - West German title
Mundo caníbal - Spanish title
De sista kannibalerna - Swedish title
Viimeiset kannibaalit - Finnish title

1980
Cannibal Holocaust (director, performer (man sitting on lawn outside the university - uncredited))
Cannibal holocausto – Argentinian video / Venezuelan title
Holocausto caníbal - Spanish title
Kannibaalien polttouhrit – Finnish title
Kannibal massakren – Danish title
Nackt und zerfleischt - West German title
Nadzy i rozszarpani – Polish title
To olokaftoma ton kanivalon – Greek video title

La casa sperduta nel parco (director)
The House on the Edge of the Park
Le maison au fond du parc - French title
Der Schlitzer - West German title
Talo puiston laidalla - Finnish title
Talo puiston perällä - Finnish title

1983
I predatori di Atlantide (director (as Roger Franklin), performer (oil rig assistant - uncredited))
Atlantis - English language title
Atlantis Inferno
The Atlantis Interceptors
Los invasores del abismo - Spanish title
Les prédateurs du futur - French title
The Raiders of Atlantis
Los saqueadores de la Atlantid – Argentinian video title

1985
Inferno in diretta (director, performer (man in TV footage of Jonestown - uncredited))
Amazon: Savage Adventure
Amazonia: La jungle blanche - French title
Cut and Run – UK / US title
Inferno em Directo - Portugese title
Kuvaa ja pakene! - Finnish video title
Painajainen huumeleirilla - Finnish title
Straight to Hell - English language title

1986
Camping nel terrore (director)
Body Count - Die Mathematik des Schreckens - West German title
Body Count - shamaani - Finnish title
Body Count
Camping della morte
The Eleventh Commandment - US title
Paraíso sangriento – Argentinian video title
Wyliczanka – Polish title

1987
I barbari (director)
Barbaarit - Finnish title
Die Barbaren - West German title
The Barbarians and Co.
The Barbarians
Os Bárbaros – Brazilian title
Barbarzyncy – Polish title

1988
Un delitto poco comune (director, performer (man who gets on moped at station - uncredited))
Bestia asesina - Spanish title
La casa di Via Rubens
Off Balance - Der Tod wartet in Venedig - West German title
Off Balance
Phantom of Death
Squilibrio – Italian video title
Le tueur de la pleine lune - French title

1989
Ragno gelido (script, director, performer (man in phone booth - uncredited)
Angoisse sur la ligne - French title
Dial Help
Kauhu kintereillä - Finnish title
Love Threat
Minaccia d'amore
Paholainen soittaa - Finnish title

1992
The Washing Machine (director, performer (nosy neighbour - uncredited) *
Die Waschmaschine - German title

NON-GENRE FILMOGRAPHY

1958
Nella citta l'inferno (assistant director)
...and the Wild Wild Women - US title
L'enfer dans la ville - French title
Hell in the City - English language title
Helvetti on irti - Finnish title
Die Hölle in der Stadt - West German title
Infierno en la ciudad - Spanish title

1959
Il generale della rovere (assistant director)
Der Falsche General - West German title
El general de la Rovere - Spanish title
General della Rovere - US title
Le général della Rovere - French title
Kenraali della Rovere - Finnish title

1960
Era notte a Roma (assistant director)
Es war Nacht in Rom - West German title
Escape by Night - US title
Les évadés de la nuit - French title
Unter den Augen der Häscher - West German title
Wait for the Dawn - UK title

Che gioia vivere (assistant director)
Halt mal die Bombe, Liebling - West German title
Ilo elää - Finnish title
The Joy of Living - English language title
Míly öröm élni - Hungarian title
Que alegría vivir - Spanish title
Quelle joie de vivre - French title

Viva l'Italia (assistant director)
Garibaldi - US title
¡Viva Italia! - Spanish title

1961
Vanina Vanini (assistant director)
The Betrayer
Der Furchtlose Rebell - West German title
Verrat im Kastell - East German title

Pastasciutta nel deserto (assistant director)

1962
Anima nera (2nd assistant director)
Alma negra - Spanish title
Musta sielu - Finnish title
Schwarze Seele - West German title

Lo smemorati di collegno (2nd assistant director)

Il giorno piu corto (assistant director)
El día más corto - Spanish title
Il giorno più corto commedia umoristica
The Shortest Day - US title

Il figlio di Spartacus (assistant director)
Le fils de Spartacus - French title
El hijo de Espartaco - Spanish title
Rooman kotkat - Finnish title
The Slave - US title
Sohn des Spartacus - West German title
Son of Spartacus

1963
Gli onorevoli (1st assistant director)

Il monaco di Monza (assistant director)
The Monk of Monza

Toto sexy (assistant director)
Sexy Toto

1964
L'età del ferro (assistant director) *
The Iron Age - US title

L'idea fissa (assistant director)
Love and Marriage - US title
Wenn das die Männer wüssten - West German title

La vendetta dei gladiatori (assistant director)
Die Rache der Gladiatoren - West German title
Revenge of the Gladiators - US title

Romeo e Giulietta (assistant director)
Romeo and Juliet

1965
Django (director on two weeks of exterior shooting - uncredited)
Django - kostaja - Finnish title

Su e giu (assistant director)
Up and Down - English language title

Madamigella di Maupin (assistant director)
Le chevalier de Maupin - French title
Mademoiselle de Maupin - French title

Johnny Oro (assistant director)
Ringo and His Golden Pistol
Ringo dödar för dollar - Swedish title
Ringo ja kultainen pistooli - Finnish title
Ringo mit den goldenen Pistolen - West German title

Le Lit a deux places (assistant director)
The Double Bed
Racconti a due piazze
Vuode kuudelle - Finnish title

Navajo Joe (assistant director)
A Dollar a Head - US title
Joe, el implacable - Spanish title
Kopfgeld - Ein Dollar - West German title
Navajo Joe - 1 dollari päänahasta - Finnish title
Navajo Joe - Portugese title
Savage Run - US title

1966
I crudeli (assistant director)
The Cruel Ones - US title
Dos despiadados - Spanish title
Die Grausamen - West German title
The hellbenders - US title
Helvetescommandos - Swedish title
Rio Hondon kuolemanloukku - Finnish title

Wanted (assistant director)
Desperados för dollar - Swedish title
Für drei lumpige Dollar - West German title
No soy un asesino - Spanish title
Le recherché - French title
Wanted - mieluummin kuolleena - Finnish title
Wanted, le recherche - French title

Un fiume di dollari (assistant director)
Dollarivirta - Finnish title
En flod av dollar – Swedish title
Eine Flut von Dollars – Austrian / West German title
The Hills Run Red - UK / US title
Un río de dólares - Spanish title
River of Dollars - US title

1967
Pronto... c'e una certa Giuliana per te (reshoot director - uncredited)

Aperol (director)

Ridera (Cuore matto) (assistant director)
Riderà!
Wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten - East German title

Marinai in coperta (assistant director)

Peggio per me... meglio per te (assistant director)

1968
Donne... botte e bersaglieri (director)
Man Only Cries for Love

Giulietta e Romeo (assistant director)
Los amantes de Verona - Spanish title
Julieta y Romeo - Venezuelan title
Liebe in Verona - West German title
Romeo and Juliet

Secret Ceremony (assistant director)
Ceremonia secreta - Spanish title
Cérémonie secrète - French title
Cerimónia Secreta – Portugese title
Cerimonia segreta – Italian title
Die Frau aus dem Nichts - West German title
Salainen seremonia - Finnish title
Svart spegel – Swedish title

Vacanze sulla Costa Smeralda (director)
Holidays on the Costa Smeralda
Vacation on the Esmeralda Coast

1969
I quattro del pater noster (director)
In the Name of the Father

Il triangolo rosso (director)

Zenabel (director)
Gräfin der Lust - West German title
Die Jungfrau mit der scharfen Klinge - West German title

1970
Polenghi Lombardo (director)

1970 - 1975
Philips (director)

1971
Ciao Poaggio (director)

Formaggino mio (director)

Fornet (director)

Polenghi Lombardo (director)

Personal G.B. (director)

Venus (director)

1971 - 1974
Kraft (director)

1972
Birra wuhrer (director)

Olio topazio (director)

Esso (director)

Brillantina Linetti (director)

1973
Amaro Cora (director)

Invernizzina (director)

1974
Il segreto di Cristina (director)

Pernigotti (director)

Philips (director)

1974 - 1976
Crodino (director)

1975
Ondat di piacere (director)
Himon aallot - Finnish title
Oleada de placer - Spanish title
A Wave of Pleasure - English language title
Waves of Lust - US title

Fanta (director)

Abiti Monti (director)

Cera Solex (director)

1975 - 1976
Sperlari (director)

1976
Uomini si nasce, poliziotti si muore (director, performer (man walking out of bank – uncredited))
Eiskalte Typen auf heißen Öfen - West German title
Iskalla typer på heta bågar - Swedish title
Kylmät tyypit, kuumat raudat - Finnish title
Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man

Cerotto Band Aid, Johnson and Johnson (director)

Bio Presto (director)

1977
L'ultimo sapore dell'aria (director)
Last Feelings

1979
Concorde Affair '79 (director (as Roger Deodato), (performer (man in restaurant – uncredited))
Affare Concorde
O Caso Concorde - Portugese title
The Concorde Affair - US video title
Das Concorde Inferno - West German title
SOS Concorde lento 128 kutsuu - Finnish title

1986
Per un pugno di diamanti (director)
Erämaan legenda - Finnish title
Flash Fighter - West German title
O Herói do Deserto - Portugese title
Lone Runner - lo scrigno dei mille diamanti
Lone Runner

1989
Il ricatto (director) *

1990
Ocean (director)
Ocean - US title

1991
I ragazzi del muretto (director)

1992
Mamma ci penso io (script, story, director, performer (street photographer in yellow hat - uncredited))
Mom I Can Do It - English language title
Les petites canailles - French title

1995
Noi siamo angeli (script, director, performer (man talking with Padre Zaccaria - uncredited)) *
We Are Angels
Zwei Engel mit vier Fäusten – German title

1998
Pensando all'Africa (director)

1999
Sotto il cielo dell'Africa (director) *
Terre d'espérance - French title
Thinking About Africa - US title
Unter der Sonne Afrikas – German title

2002
Father Hope (director) *

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cannibal Holocaust and the Savage Cinema of Ruggero Deodato

MAGAZINES

L'Ecran Fantastique 19 pp.70-71
illustrated interview

BOOKS

Cannibal Holocaust and the Savage Cinema of Ruggero Deodato
biography, filmography

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009