Dardano Sacchetti
Encyclopedia
Dardano Sacchetti, born in Rome
, Italy
in 1944, is an Italian screenwriter best-known for his work in the horror
genre.
At an early age, he became hooked on films from watching the American science fiction classic Them! (1954). In 1966, Sacchetti became friends with a group of young people in a local theater troupe and toured with them around Italy acting and writing plays for their acts. Here, he met a few prominent members of the Italian film industry and was introduced to some of them to write screenplays for their films. Sacchetti found work as a film critic for the periodical Cinema e Film newspaper, while theater and poetry continued to fill his interests.
In 1969, Sacchetti met a young Dario Argento
who was directing his first movie. Sacchetti and Argento first collaborated on a series of scripts that were never realized. After the box office success of Argento's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
(1969), the screenwriting pair worked on the script for Argento's next feature film, The Cat o' Nine Tails
. Sacchetti also worked on the scripts for Argento's Demons
(1985) and Demons 2 (1986). His script for Cat o'Nine Tails attracted the attention of Italian filmmaker Mario Bava who hired him to write the script for Twitch of the Death Nerve
(1971). Sacchetti also wrote the script for Bava's Shock
(1977) and was working on another film for him titled Anomalia at the time of Bava's death in 1980.
Sacchetti is best known for writing the script for Lucio Fulci
's Zombi 2
(1979) with the help of his wife Elisa Briganti. Fulci then hired Sacchetti to write other scripts for him, such as City of the Living Dead
(1980), The House by the Cemetery
(1981), The Beyond (1981), The New York Ripper
(1982) and Manhattan Baby
(1982).
In 1984, Fulci signed a deal to direct the Conan
-inspired fantasy film Conquest
, and failed to bring Sacchetti in with him on the project, after which Sacchetti never worked with Fulci again. Most fans feel the films Fulci made without Sacchetti after 1985 were noticeably inferior to their earlier collaborations. In 1987, Fulci accused Sacchetti of swiping the plot for his 1987 made-for-TV film Per Sempre from him, which Sacchetti said was plainly untrue. Fulci was angry that the film was directed by Lamberto Bava instead of himself, since he claimed to have given Sacchetti the original idea for the story several years earlier.
In addition to Argento, Fulci, and the Bavas (father Mario and son Lamberto
), Sacchetti also penned scripts for such directors as Umberto Lenzi
, Ruggero Deodato
, Stelvio Massi
, Antonio Margheriti
, Sergio Martino
, and Damiano Damiani.
In recent years, Sacchetti's productivity has slowed with the decline of the Italian film industry. Today, while continuing to write scripts for Italian television and an occasional feature film, he also teaches a number of screen writing seminars at University of Florence
's Faculty of Arts, and writing courses at other schools for future generation screenwriters.
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1944, is an Italian screenwriter best-known for his work in the horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
genre.
At an early age, he became hooked on films from watching the American science fiction classic Them! (1954). In 1966, Sacchetti became friends with a group of young people in a local theater troupe and toured with them around Italy acting and writing plays for their acts. Here, he met a few prominent members of the Italian film industry and was introduced to some of them to write screenplays for their films. Sacchetti found work as a film critic for the periodical Cinema e Film newspaper, while theater and poetry continued to fill his interests.
In 1969, Sacchetti met a young Dario Argento
Dario Argento
Dario Argento is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo, and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies....
who was directing his first movie. Sacchetti and Argento first collaborated on a series of scripts that were never realized. After the box office success of Argento's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is a 1970 giallo suspense thriller directed by Dario Argento . The film is considered a landmark in the Italian giallo genre...
(1969), the screenwriting pair worked on the script for Argento's next feature film, The Cat o' Nine Tails
The Cat o' Nine Tails
The Cat o' Nine Tails is a 1971 Italian giallo thriller film written and directed by Dario Argento; it was his second film as director....
. Sacchetti also worked on the scripts for Argento's Demons
Demoni
Dèmoni is a 1985 Italian horror film directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Argento. The screenplay was written by Bava, Argento, Franco Ferrini, and Dardano Sacchetti, from a story by Sacchetti...
(1985) and Demons 2 (1986). His script for Cat o'Nine Tails attracted the attention of Italian filmmaker Mario Bava who hired him to write the script for Twitch of the Death Nerve
Twitch of the Death Nerve
Twitch of the Death Nerve is a 1971 Italian horror film directed by Mario Bava. Bava cowrote the screenplay with Giuseppe Zaccariello, Filippo Ottoni and Sergio Canevari, with story credit given to Dardano Sacchetti and Franco Barberi. The film stars Claudine Auger, Luigi Pistilli, and Laura...
(1971). Sacchetti also wrote the script for Bava's Shock
Shock (1977 film)
Shock is an Italian horror film directed by Italian horror director Mario Bava. This was Bava's last film before he died of a heart attack in 1980...
(1977) and was working on another film for him titled Anomalia at the time of Bava's death in 1980.
Sacchetti is best known for writing the script for Lucio Fulci
Lucio Fulci
Lucio Fulci was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his directorial work on gore films, including Zombie and The Beyond , although he made films in genres as diverse as giallo, western, and comedy...
's Zombi 2
Zombi 2
Zombi 2 is a 1979 zombie horror film directed by Lucio Fulci. It is the best-known of Fulci's films and made him a horror icon. Though the title suggests this is a sequel to Zombi Zombi 2 (also known as Zombie, Island of the Living Dead, Zombie Island, Zombie Flesh Eaters and Woodoo) is a 1979...
(1979) with the help of his wife Elisa Briganti. Fulci then hired Sacchetti to write other scripts for him, such as City of the Living Dead
City of the Living Dead
City of the Living Dead is an Italian horror film from director Lucio Fulci. It has numerous alternate titles, such as Gates of Hell. It is the first installment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy which also includes The Beyond and The House by the Cemetery. Fulci makes an uncredited cameo...
(1980), The House by the Cemetery
The House by the Cemetery
The House by the Cemetery is a 1981 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Lucio Fulci and is the third instalment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy which also includes City of the Living Dead and The Beyond Its plot revolves around a series of murders taking place in a New England...
(1981), The Beyond (1981), The New York Ripper
The New York Ripper
The New York Ripper, original title Lo squartatore di New York, is a 1982 Italian horror film directed and co-written by Lucio Fulci.The film score was written by Francesco De Masi...
(1982) and Manhattan Baby
Manhattan Baby
Manhattan Baby is a 1982 Italian horror film...
(1982).
In 1984, Fulci signed a deal to direct the Conan
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
-inspired fantasy film Conquest
Conquest (1983 film)
-Plot:The film opens on a long strand of beach, where several people in white robes gather around a young man named Ilius, adorning him in a vest of leather armor, while an old man hands him a bow and a set of arrows, summoning it to fly to them...
, and failed to bring Sacchetti in with him on the project, after which Sacchetti never worked with Fulci again. Most fans feel the films Fulci made without Sacchetti after 1985 were noticeably inferior to their earlier collaborations. In 1987, Fulci accused Sacchetti of swiping the plot for his 1987 made-for-TV film Per Sempre from him, which Sacchetti said was plainly untrue. Fulci was angry that the film was directed by Lamberto Bava instead of himself, since he claimed to have given Sacchetti the original idea for the story several years earlier.
In addition to Argento, Fulci, and the Bavas (father Mario and son Lamberto
Lamberto Bava
Lamberto Bava is an Italian film director, specializing in horror and fantasy films.Bava was born in Rome, Italy, the son of cinematographer/director Mario Bava, and grandson of cameraman Eugenio Bava...
), Sacchetti also penned scripts for such directors as Umberto Lenzi
Umberto Lenzi
Umberto Lenzi , is an Italian film director who was very active in low budget crime films, peplums, spaghetti westerns, war movies, cannibal films and giallo murder mysteries ....
, Ruggero Deodato
Ruggero Deodato
Ruggero Deodato is an Italian film director and screen writer, best known for directing violent and gory horror films. Deodato is infamous for his 1980 film Cannibal Holocaust.- Biography :...
, Stelvio Massi
Stelvio Massi
Stelvio Massi was an Italian director known for his crime films, although he was not as well known as crime film specialists like Enzo G Castellari or Umberto Lenzi, but he made about thirteen films in the genre, and was considered a fairly decent director.He also worked with actors such as Eva...
, Antonio Margheriti
Antonio Margheriti
Antonio Margheriti , also known under the pseudonym Anthony M. Dawson, was a prolific Italian filmmaker. He was born in Rome and died in 2002 from a heart attack in Monterosi, Viterbo, near Rome at the age of 72....
, Sergio Martino
Sergio Martino
Sergio Martino is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.Martino is the brother of producer Luciano Martino. They collaborated frequently in their respective professions...
, and Damiano Damiani.
In recent years, Sacchetti's productivity has slowed with the decline of the Italian film industry. Today, while continuing to write scripts for Italian television and an occasional feature film, he also teaches a number of screen writing seminars at University of Florence
University of Florence
The University of Florence is a higher study institute in Florence, central Italy. One of the largest and oldest universities in the country, it consists of 12 faculties...
's Faculty of Arts, and writing courses at other schools for future generation screenwriters.
Partial filmography
- The Cat o' Nine TailsThe Cat o' Nine TailsThe Cat o' Nine Tails is a 1971 Italian giallo thriller film written and directed by Dario Argento; it was his second film as director....
(1971) - Twitch of the Death NerveTwitch of the Death NerveTwitch of the Death Nerve is a 1971 Italian horror film directed by Mario Bava. Bava cowrote the screenplay with Giuseppe Zaccariello, Filippo Ottoni and Sergio Canevari, with story credit given to Dardano Sacchetti and Franco Barberi. The film stars Claudine Auger, Luigi Pistilli, and Laura...
(1971) aka Bay of Blood - The Psychic (1977) aka Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes
- Shock (1977) aka Beyond the Door 2
- Zombi 2Zombi 2Zombi 2 is a 1979 zombie horror film directed by Lucio Fulci. It is the best-known of Fulci's films and made him a horror icon. Though the title suggests this is a sequel to Zombi Zombi 2 (also known as Zombie, Island of the Living Dead, Zombie Island, Zombie Flesh Eaters and Woodoo) is a 1979...
(1979) aka Zombie - Cannibal ApocalypseCannibal ApocalypseCannibal Apocalypse is a 1980 horror film directed by Antonio Margheriti, written by Margheriti and Dardano Sacchetti, and starring John Saxon.-Plot:...
(1980) aka Invasion of the Flesh Hunters - The Last HunterThe Last HunterThe Last Hunter is a 1980 Italian "macaroni combat" war film directed by Antonio Margheriti and starring David Warbeck.-Plot:Following the suicide of his best friend, Captain Harry Morris accepts a final deadly mission to go behind enemy lines to destroy a radio tower that is broadcasting...
(1980) - City of the Living DeadCity of the Living DeadCity of the Living Dead is an Italian horror film from director Lucio Fulci. It has numerous alternate titles, such as Gates of Hell. It is the first installment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy which also includes The Beyond and The House by the Cemetery. Fulci makes an uncredited cameo...
(1980) aka The Gates of Hell - The Beyond (1981)
- The House by the CemeteryThe House by the CemeteryThe House by the Cemetery is a 1981 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Lucio Fulci and is the third instalment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy which also includes City of the Living Dead and The Beyond Its plot revolves around a series of murders taking place in a New England...
(1981) - The Scorpion With Two Tails (1982) aka Murder in the Etruscan Cemetery
- Blue Island (1982) starring Sabrina SianiSabrina SianiSabrina Siani is an Italian film actress. Under this name or pseudonyms such as Sabrina Seggiani, Sabrina Sellers and Sabrina Syan, she has starred in numerous films, mostly sexy & violent cannibal films and barbarian "sword-and-sandal" movies...
- The New York RipperThe New York RipperThe New York Ripper, original title Lo squartatore di New York, is a 1982 Italian horror film directed and co-written by Lucio Fulci.The film score was written by Francesco De Masi...
(1982) - Manhattan BabyManhattan BabyManhattan Baby is a 1982 Italian horror film...
(1982) aka Evil Eye - Amityville II: The PossessionAmityville II: The PossessionAmityville II: The Possession is a 1982 horror film directed by Damiano Damiani. The screenplay by Tommy Lee Wallace is based on the novel Murder in Amityville by the parapsychologist Hans Holzer. It is a prequel to The Amityville Horror, set at 112 Ocean Avenue and featuring the fictional Montelli...
(uncredited) (1982) - 1990: The Bronx Warriors1990: The Bronx Warriors1990: The Bronx Warriors is a 1982 Italian action-science fiction film directed by Enzo G. Castellari.-Plot:Anne is the 17-year-old heiress to the arms manufacturing giant, The Manhattan Corporation...
(1982) - Exterminators of the Year 3000 (1983)
- Ironmaster (1983) aka Ator 3, aka The War of Iron
- A Blade in the DarkA Blade in the DarkA Blade in the Dark but also known by the title House of the Dark Stairway, is a 1983 horror film.-Plot:Bruno, a composer, becomes involved in a series of murders who lives in a villa. In a horror film Bruno is scoring: a young child, taunted by cruel bullies, descends into a dark cellar after a...
(1983) aka The House With the Dark Staircase - The New GladiatorsWarriors of the Year 2072Warriors of the Year 2072 is an Italian 1984 film directed by Lucio Fulci based on a story by Elisa Briganti. Runtime - 89 min...
(1984) - Monster SharkMonster SharkMonster Shark is a 1984 Italian horror film, and one of several environmental disaster films to emerge following the success of the 1975 film Jaws, including films such as: Great White, Orca, Piranha, Tentacles and Tintorera.- Plot :The film takes place along...
(1984) aka Devil Fish - BlastfighterBlastfighterBlastfighter is a 1984 Italian action film by Lamberto Bava starring Michael Sopkiw and George Eastman.-Plot:Jake "Tiger" Sharp is a former policeman who seeks revenge after his wife is murdered. After killing the murderer, Sharp is sentenced to seven years in prison...
(1984) aka Force of Vengeance - Cut and Run (1985) aka Inferno in Diretta
- Massacre in Dinosaur Valley (1985)
- DemonsDemoniDèmoni is a 1985 Italian horror film directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Argento. The screenplay was written by Bava, Argento, Franco Ferrini, and Dardano Sacchetti, from a story by Sacchetti...
(1985) - The Midnight Killer (1986) aka You'll Die At Midnight
- Evil Senses (1986)
- Hands Of Steel (1986) aka Vendetta dal Futuro
- Demons 2 (1986)
- Graveyard DisturbanceGraveyard DisturbanceGraveyard Disturbance is a 1987 Italian horror made-for-TV movie directed by Lamberto Bava and written by Dardano Sacchetti...
(1987) aka A Night in the Cemetery - Per Sempre (1987) aka Until Death
- The OgreThe Ogre (1988 film)The Ogre is a 1988 Italian horror made-for-TV movie directed by Lamberto Bava and written by Dardano Sacchetti...
(1987) aka Demons 3, aka House of the Ogre - Dinner With the Vampire (1987)
- Specters (1987)
- Body Count (1987) aka Camping Terror
- School of Fear (1988) aka Il Gioko
- "Prince of Terror" (1988) episode of Alta Tensione TV series
- Rat Man (1989)
- The ChurchThe Church (film)The Church is a 1989 Italian horror film written and produced by Dario Argento and directed by Michele Soavi. The film stars Hugh Quarshie, Tomas Arana, Barbara Cupisti, Asia Argento, Feodor Chaliapin, Jr., and Giovanni Lombardo Radice...
(1989) aka Demons 3 - Cy Warrior (1989)
- Killer CrocodileKiller CrocodileKiller Crocodile is a 1989 horror film about a large crocodile that mutates when exposed to large quantities of toxic waste, which has been dumped in the water where it lives...
(1989) - Killer Crocodile 2 (1990)
- The Torturer (2005)