Luigi Batzella

Luigi Batzella (San Sperate, 1924 – San Sperate, 2008) also known as Paolo Solvay was an Italian film director, editor, screenwriter and actor. He made numerous low-budget genre films.

Luigi Batzella
Born1924
San Sperate, Italy
Died2008, aged 84
San Sperate, Italy
Other namesIvan Kathansky, A.M. Frank
OccupationFilm director, screenwriter actor

Life and career

Luigi Batzella was born in San Sperate, Sardinia in 1924.[1] After what film historian and critic Roberto Curti described as "a nondescript career as an actor," Batzella began his career as a director in 1966 with the war film Tre franchi die pietà.[1] After directing a few low budget westerns, Batzella directed his first horror film The Devil's Wedding Night which was directed with an uncredited Joe D'Amato.[1] Following the release of his next horror film Nude for Satan in 1978, Batzella directed two Nazisploitation films Kaput Lager – Gli ultimi giorni delle SS and La Bestia in calore for which he was credited as Ivan Kathansky.[2] His next feature would be the sex comedy Probito erotico starring Ajita Wilson where he is credited as Paul Selvin.[2] His final official film credit was for the film Strategia per una missione di morte where he is credited as Kathansky in some prints and as A.M. Frank in the French version.[2] Curti has stated that some sources claim Batzella was involved with the Bruce Le production Mie ju que que.[2] Batzella died in San Sperate in 2008 at the age of 84.[2]

Partial filmography
TitleYearCredited asNotesRef(s)
DirectorScreenwriterFilm editorActorOther
Slaughter of the Vampires 1962 Yes as "Dr. Nietzsche" [3]
Hawk of the Caribbean Yes as "Pirate" [4]
The Saracens 1963 Yes as "Mahmud" [5][6]
Zorikan the Barbarian 1964 Yes [7]
The Last Gun 1964 Yes [8][9]
Django's Cut Price Corpses 1971 Yes Yes [10]
God is My Colt 1972 Yes Yes [11]
The Devil's Wedding Night 1973 Yes Yes [12]
Nude for Satan 1974 Yes Yes Yes [13]
The Bloodsucker Leads the Dance 1975 Yes as "Police Inspector" [14]
Special Squad Shoots on Sight 1976 Yes [15]
La Bestia in calore 1977 Yes Yes Yes [16][2]
Kaput Lager – Gli ultimi giorni delle SS Yes Yes Yes [2][17]
Strategia per una missione di morte N/A Yes Yes Yes [18]

Footnotes
  1. Curti 2017, p. 98.
  2. Curti 2017, p. 129.
  3. Curti 2015, p. 76.
  4. Kinnard & Crnkovich 2017, p. 33.
  5. Kinnard & Crnkovich 2017, p. 149.
  6. Kinnard & Crnkovich 2017, p. 150.
  7. Kinnard & Crnkovich 2017, p. 194.
  8. Grant 2011, p. 435.
  9. "Jim, il primo (1964)". Archiviodelcinemaitaliano.it (in Italian). Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. Grant 2011, p. 456.
  11. Grant 2011, p. 460.
  12. Curti 2017, p. 97.
  13. Curti 2017, p. 126.
  14. Curti 2017, p. 154.
  15. Curti 2013, p. 196.
  16. "La bestia in calore (1977)". Archiviodelcinemaitaliano.it (in Italian). Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  17. "Kaput lager gli ultimi giorni delle SS (1977)". Archiviodelcinemaitaliano.it (in Italian). Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  18. "Strategia per una missione di morte (1979)". Archiviodelcinemaitaliano.it (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2018.

References
  • Curti, Roberto (2013). Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980. McFarland. ISBN 0786469765.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Curti, Roberto (2015). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957-1969. McFarland. ISBN 1476619891.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Curti, Roberto (2017). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970-1979. McFarland. ISBN 1476629609.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Grant, Kevin (2011). Any Gun Can Play. Fab Press. ISBN 9781903254615.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kinnard, Roy; Crnkovich, Tony (2017). Italian Sword and Sandal Films, 1908-1990. McFarland. ISBN 1476662916.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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