Mini Bio : Daria Nicolodi

Born June 19, 1950, in Florence, Italy, actress Daria Nicolodi started performing at an early age. She dabbled in theatre and underground film before making her bigscreen debut in 1970's "Men Against". Her first daughter, Anna was born in 1973. She continued with theatre and TV appearances until her big break in 1975, when avant-garde thriller director Dario Argento cast her in his hugely successful Deep Red. A romance blossomed between the two, and that same year their daughter, actress Asia Argento, was born. Their union, which would last until 1985, started to unravel in 1977, when the two cowrote the masterpiece, Suspiria, based on a story Daria's grandmother had told her. Though the lead role was written for Daria, it was instead given to American cult-goddess Jessica Harper when the distributors demanded an American play the part. Perhaps the greatest injustice she was dealt was not being given any credit for her part in the film when it was released. It wouldn't be until two decades later that Dario finally gave her writing credits. It wasn't all doom and gloom though, as that same year she starred in Mario Bava's Shock. She continued to act in Argento's films until 1987, though throughout that time period she also acted in horror films for Lamberto Bava,and Luigi Cozzi, and even wrote Cozzi's Paganini Horror and Demons 6/ The Black Cat. Sadly, her daughter Anna died in an accident in 1994. To this day she continues to appear on TV, and not long ago had a part in Argento's Mother of Tears, where she performed alongside Asia.

Selected Filmography

Deep Red (Dario Argento, 1975)
Suspiria (Dario Argento, 1977 - writing and cameo appearance)
Shock (Mario Bava, 1977)
La Venere D'Ille (Mario Bava, 1979)
Inferno (Dario Argento, 1980)
Tenebre (Dario Argento, 1982)
Phenomena (Dario Argento, 1985)
Opera (Dario Argento, 1987)
Delirium (Lamberto Bava, 1987)
Giallo Natale (Turno Di Notte, TV Series, 1987)
Demons 6/ The Black Cat (Luigi Cozzi, 1989 - writing)
Il Gioko (Lamberto Bava, TV, 1989)
Paganini Horror (Luigi Cozzi, 1989 - writing and actress)
Scarlet Diva (Asia Argento,2000)
Mother of Tears (Dario Argento, 2007)

Visit Daria's official site HERE.

KILL, BABY...KILL! (Mario Bava, 1966)

Dr Paul Eswai (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart) is summoned to a shadowy, secretive village, after the residents begin to die under mysterious circumstances, and coins are found embedded in their hearts. Paul finds the townsfolk less than cooperative, and frightfully superstitious. They inform him that the town is haunted by the ghost of seven year-old Melissa Graps, whose apparition causes the death of anyone who beholds her. Being a man of science, Paul thinks the story ridiculous - a sentiment seconded by the police inspector assigned to the case. But reason gives way to nightmare as Melissa appears to the doctor and his love interest, Monica (Erika Blanc), both of whom must uncover the town's guilty secret before the vengeful spirit strikes again. ... ... Kill, Baby..Kill! is another Bava Gothic classic, and one that uses more chills than spills to provide the frights. Bava's innovative lighting and subtly creepy imagery come together to form a memorable film, though it's general lack of action and gore might add a touch of tedium for some. There's also a rushed feeling about Kill, Baby...Kill!, a certain sloppiness (jerky shots, corpses' eyes fluttering, lazily-made sets, etc) uncharacteristic of Bava, though it doesn't much detract from the viewing experience. Worth a gander.

BLACK SUNDAY

(Mario Bava, 1960)

Princess Asa Vajda (Barbara Steele) and her servant Prince Javutich are branded as vampires (literally!) and put to death by having spike-lined masks hammered onto their faces. Quite a grand opening, I must say! Two hundred years later, Dr Andre Gorobec (John Richardson) and his colleague Dr Kruvajan have some mechanical issues with their carriage and, while it's being repaired, go off to explore the nearby ruins of a chapel. In the crypt they happen upon Asa's tomb, and unwittingly revive her when blood from Kruvajan's wounded hand drips onto her.

Upon exiting the crypt, the doctors are confronted by Katia Vajda (Steele, again!), whose family owns a large castle and the previously mentioned chapel. They part ways, but are soon reunited when Prince Vajda is nearly scared to death by Javutich. When the inhabitants of the castle begin to drop off and Asa's purpose is made known, it's soon up to Andre to save Katia's life and soul.

This is THE Italian horror film that started it all. Given when it was released, it's quite a gruesome and violent little outing! Faces are nailed, melted, reconstructed, aged... the special effects were groundbreaking. It also contains a lot of implied sexuality for the time. However, that's not to say that Black Sunday is all about the gore, torn shirts, and bondage.

Nary a frame is wasted in this film. Bava makes the most out of every fog and cobweb-draped scene, and he treats us to an abundance of closeups, extreme angles, and 360 degree pan shots. Silhouettes, light, and shadow are expertly applied to the graveyard, crypt, and castle scenes, and in themselves imply more menace than the off-screen deaths. Barbara Steele is magnificent in her dual roles, switching from vampiric vixen to innocent victim with ease. This is essential viewing for fans of Italian AND classic horror. Buy it here.

BLACK SABBATH

(Mario Bava, 1963)

Classic Italian horror, hands down. This triptych of terror by the great Mario Bava is beautiful and horrifying, and stars Boris Karloff, Mark Damon, Michele Mercier, and Jacqueline Pierreux.

The Telephone
Rosy has been receiving threatening calls from her ex Frank, a dangerous convict recently escaped from jail. She asks her former lesbian lover, Mary, to stay the night and protect her, only to discover that Mary has designs of her own. A taut little thriller with some genuine surprises.

The Wurdulak
Count Vladmir tracks down the home of the owner of a knife found in the back of a headless corpse. There he meets a terrified, superstitious family who tell of the legend of the wurdulak, a vampiric being that feeds on its own family. It seems the family patriarch, Gorca, had gone off to hunt a wurdulak and not returned. The knife found by the count belonged to Gorca, and the family fears that if he doesn't return before the stroke of midnight, he has become one of the undead. Gorca does return, though slightly after midnight. His family hastily, and unfortunately, bring him inside. This episode is heavy on the atmosphere, and has great performances by leads Karloff and Damon.

The Drop of Water
Helen is a nurse called in to the home of a recently deceased woman by a rather frantic maid. When Helen arrives, the maid informs her that the deceased, a medium, had died while in a trance. This doesn't deter Helen from stealing a ring from the corpse's finger, though she doesn't possess it for long as the dead don't take theft lightly. In my humble opinion, this is the best film of the three. The music is eerie, the lighting top-notch, and Jacqueline Pierreux's performance quite convincing. The corpse is pretty freaky too. Buy it here.

BLOOD AND BLACK LACE

(Mario Bava, 1964)

When first released, Blood and Black Lace was one of the most violent and gory films of its time. It's thanks to this film that the giallo subgenre was created, as it introduced the world to leather gloves, razorblades, and mutilated models. Bava's earlier effort, The Girl Who Knew Too Much, may have been the blueprint for the onscreen giallo, but lacked the sleaze, excess, and brutality that came to define the genre.

In one of the best opening sequences of all time, the credits roll along to a swinging tune as all the main players are introduced posing alongside mannequins. It's at this point that the viewer realizes this will be a murder-mystery unlike any previously seen!

The story begins on a stormy night, as they all do, at the Christian Haute Couture Salon. It seems drugs are a problem at the salon as one of the models, Isabella, has stolen some from model Nicole's boyfriend. Soon after, Isabella is bludgeoned and strangled to death by a faceless man in black, and her body stuffed in a closet in the salon.

After the police leave, Nicole discovers Isabella's diary just prior to a fashion show. Salon owner countess Christina Como, as well as a handful of models and other soon-to-be suspects, seem concerned about what incriminating entries may be in the diary, but Nicole takes it for safekeeping. She doesn't possess it for long, as someone steals her purse while she's on the catwalk. The murderer, unaware that Nicole no longer has the diary, tricks her into meeting him at her boyfriend's antique shop, where she too is killed.

We learn that yet another girl has the diary, and despite her efforts to destroy it, the killer tracks her down, beats her, and burns her face. The police, aware of the dwindling list of suspects, throw all the men in jail to ensure the safety of the women, except the killing doesn't stop...

By now (even 30 years ago) the story is a familiar one, but Bava gave it that little something extra with his trademark fluid camerawork, use of abstract and colored lighting, and unique compositions. The story itself is indeed a bit dated, a touch misogynist, and there are far too many talky police scenes, but I defy you to name the killer by the big reveal! Highly recommended, and you can purchase it here.