He had originally aspired to be a painter, it was not to be however , but his artistic flair is well reflected in his groundbreaking usage of black and white film styles as well as his work in glorious technicolour and his usage of striking visuals. He is credited with launching the careers of a number of starlets of the time such as Gina Lollobrigida and Barbara Steele and has collaborated with other respected directors, notably fan of his work Dario Argento (it is said he advised Argento on the famous underwater sequence in his classic Inferno) and Robert Fellini.

Also worth noting is how fondly he is remembered personally. All who worked with him seem to recall a friendly, gently humorous man, a joy to work with. Unusual when you think that, typically, most great directors seem to be either plain nuts or completely tyrannical! Considering the dark subject matter of his films he seems to have been remarkably grounded within his personal life - a self confessed 'scaredy cat' in fact! He is quoted, however, as saying he had a recurring dream of a man playing the tendons in his arm, violin style, for the object of his affections - a scene which would not be out of place in his film work and perhaps a telling glimpse into his creative world!

I was interested personally to discover that one of my favourite movies, 1979's Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, was closely based on Bava's sci-fi/horror Planet of the Vampires. Ridley Scott has never outright admitted this and I have yet to personally see Planet of the Vampires, so I can't fully pass judgment, but from what I have read on the subject, I understand some scenes are almost identical. The lonely, barren settings match and neither quite allows the viewer the satisfaction of seeing exactly what is lurking so tantalizingly in space. Alien, with its huge budget, hotshot director and awesome Giger imagery perhaps surpasses its inspiration, yet what would it have been if it were not for Bava's initial work?

Sean S. Cunningham, best known for the Friday the 13th franchise and a true legend within the horror world, freely holds Bava as a key inspiration for his own film work. Bavas 'Blood and Black Lace' is hailed as 'the original slasher movie' and one Sean S. Cunningham had no qualms 'tributing' it in Friday the 13th.

Bava may have unwittingly 'set' some horror rules but he also unwittingly broke them as well. For example; everyone knows if you have sex in a horror movie, you're gonna get it, good girls/guys survive. Bava didn't discriminate in this way, no one was safe in his films! Shocking bursts of extreme violence juxtapose at times with almost poetic imagery.

His influence extends well beyond horror, Martin Scorsese has regularly homaged the late Auteur and his film Cape Fear freely uses his style of camera work to create a desired effect and atmosphere. Quentin Tarintino, an eager champion of Bava, used Bava's I Tre Volti Della Paura as a template for his 1994 box office smash, the groundbreaking Pulp Fiction. Tim Burton's deliciously dark Batman films nod to Bava's tongue in cheek classic comic movie for adults Diabolik. Even the band Black Sabbath derived their name from (again!) Bava's I Tre Volti Della Paura.

It is tragic to think, that shortly after working with protegee Dario Argento, Bava passed away from a heart condition. His work was greatly unappreciated during his lifetime and even now, mainstream adulation has largely evaded him. His films are viewed as perhaps too weird, dreamlike and inaccessible, all the hallmarks of a cinematic genius if you ask me.