{{Short description|Italian film director}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox person |name = Riccardo Freda |image = Riccardo_Freda_1958.png |caption = Riccardo Freda on the set of ''I Vampiri''{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=3}} |birth_date = {{birth date|1909|2|24|df=y}} |birth_place = [[Alexandria]], Egypt |death_date = {{death date and age|1999|12|20|1909|2|24|df=y}} |death_place = [[Rome]], Italy |spouse = [[Gianna Maria Canale]] }}
'''Riccardo Freda''' (24 February 1909 – 20 December 1999) was an Italian film director. He worked in a variety of genres, including [[sword-and-sandal]], [[horror film|horror]], ''[[giallo]]'' and [[spy film]]s.<ref name="allmovie-bio" />{{sfn|Paul|2005|p=276}}
Freda began directing ''[[I Vampiri]]'' in 1956.<ref name="bs-arrow-24">{{Cite AV media notes | title = I Vampiri | year = 2013 | page = 24 | author = Jones, Alan | type = booklet | publisher = Arrow Films | id = FCD756 }}</ref> The film became the first Italian [[sound film|sound]] horror film production.
==Biography== Riccardo Freda was born in 1909 in [[Alexandria]], Egypt to Italian parents.<ref name="allmovie-bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/riccardo-freda-p90464|publisher=[[AllMovie]]|title=Riccardo Freda|access-date=20 April 2017|last=Erickson|first=Hal|author-link=Hal Erickson (author)|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524211953/http://www.allmovie.com/artist/riccardo-freda-p90464|archivedate=24 May 2012}}</ref>{{sfn|Paul|2005|p=274}} Freda attended school in [[Milan]] where he took art classes at the [[Centro Sperimantale]].<ref name="allmovie-bio" /> After school he took on work as a sculptor and art critic.<ref name="allmovie-bio" />
===Film career=== Freda first began working in the film industry in 1937 and directed his first film ''[[Don Cesare di Bazan]]'' in 1942.<ref name="allmovie-bio" /> Freda began directing ''[[I Vampiri]]''.{{sfn|Shipka|2011|p=23}}{{sfn|Curti|2015|p=23}}{{sfn|Curti|2015|p=24}} ''I Vampiri'' was the first Italian horror film of the sound era, following the lone silent horror film ''[[The Monster of Frankenstein (film)|Il mostro di Frankenstein]]'' (1920)<ref name="bfi-gothic" />{{sfn|Curti|2015|p=11}} A wave of Italian horror productions did not follow until [[Mario Bava]]'s film ''[[Black Sunday (1960 film)|Black Sunday]]'' was released internationally.<ref name="bfi-gothic">{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-italian-gothic-horror-films|publisher=British Film Institute|title=10 Great Italian Gothic Horror Films|date=23 April 2015|access-date=30 July 2015|last=Gallant|first=Chris}}</ref>{{sfn|Curti|2015|p=3}}{{sfn|Curti|2015|p=1}}
Freda died on 20 December 1999 in [[Rome]].{{sfn|Paul|2005|p=276}}
== Filmography == {{sticky header}} {| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header-multi" ! width="15%" rowspan="2" scope="col" | Title !! width="4%" rowspan="2" scope="col" | Year!! colspan="4" scope="col" | Credited as !! width="10%" rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes !! width="1%" rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}} |- ! width=6% |Director!! width=6% | Writer!! width=6% |Editor!! width=6% | Other |- !scope="row"|''[[Lasciate ogni speranza]]'' |1937 | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=289}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[L'allegro cantante]]'' |rowspan="2"|1938 | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=289}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=290}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Fuochi d'artificio (1938 film)|Fuochi d'artificio]]'' | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=290}} |- !scope="row"| {{sort|Voce senza volot, La|''[[La voce senza volto]]''}} |rowspan="4"|1939 | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=290}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Piccoli naufraghi]]'' | | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | Assistant director |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=290}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=291}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Il cavaliere di San Marco]]'' | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=291}} |- !scope="row"|''[[In the Country Fell a Star]]'' | | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | Collaborator to direction |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=292}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=293}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Fascino]]'' |rowspan="4"|1940 | | | {{yes}} | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=292}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Il barone di Corbò]]'' | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=292}} |- !scope="row"|''[[La granduchessa si diverte]]'' | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=293}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Cento lettere d'amore]]'' | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=293}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Lucky Night (1941 film)|Lucky Night]]'' |rowspan="3"|1941 | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=293}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=294}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Caravaggio, il pittore maledetto]]'' | | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | Collaboration to the making |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=294}} |- !scope="row"|''[[L'avventuriera del piano di sopra]]'' | | {{yes}}{{ref|title|a}} | {{yes}} | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=294}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=295}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Don Cesare di Bazan]]'' |1942 | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | Producer |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=302}} |- !scope="row"|''[[L'abito nero da sposa]]'' |rowspan="4"|1945 | | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=295}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Non canto più]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=302}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Tutta la città canta]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=302}} |- !scope="row"|''[[07... Tassì]]'' | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=295}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|Black Eagle|''[[The Black Eagle]]''}} |1946 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=303}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|Misérables|''[[Les Misérables (1948 film)|Les Misérables]]''}} |rowspan="2"|1948 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=304}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|Mysterious Rider|''[[The Mysterious Rider (1948 film)|The Mysterious Rider]]''}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=305}} |- !scope="row"|''[[O caçula do barulho]]'' |rowspan="2"|1949 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=305}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=306}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|Iron Swordsman|''[[The Iron Swordsman]]''}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=306}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Guarany (film)|Guarany]]'' |rowspan="3"|1950 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=306}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=307}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|Gay Swordsman|''[[The Gay Swordsman]]''}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=307}} |- !scope="row"|''[[L'astuto barone]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | |Short film |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=308}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Magia a prezzi modici]]'' |rowspan="4"|1951 |{{yes}} | | | |Short film |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=307}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=308}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Double Cross (1951 film)|Double Cross]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=308}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Tenori per forza]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | |Short film |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=308}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=309}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Revenge of Black Eagle]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=309}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[See Naples and Die]]'' |rowspan="2"|1952 |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=309}} |- !scope="row"|''[[La leggenda del Piave (film)|La Leggenda del Piave]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=310}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Sins of Rome]]'' |1953 |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=310}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Theodora, Slave Empress]]'' |rowspan="2"|1954 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story, general manager |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=311}} |- !scope="row"|''[[I mosaici di Ravenna]]'' |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=312}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Da qui all'eredità]]'' |1955 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=312}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Beatrice Cenci (1956 film)|Beatrice Cenci]]'' |1956 |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} | |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=312}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[I Vampiri]]'' |rowspan="2"|1957 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Actor (Autopsy doctor) |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=313}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Trapped in Tangiers]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=314}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Sheba and the Gladiator]]'' |rowspan="3"|1959 | | | |{{yes}} |2nd unit director–battle scenes |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=296}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|White Warrior|''[[The White Warrior]]''}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=314}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Caltiki – The Immortal Monster]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=315}} |-
!scope="row"|{{sort|Giants of Thessaly|''[[The Giants of Thessaly]]''}} |1960 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=315}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=316}} |-
!scope="row"|{{sort|Mongols|''[[The Mongols (film)|The Mongols]]''}} |rowspan="3"|1961 | | | |{{yes}} |Director–battle scenes |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=296}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Samson and the Seven Miracles of the World]]'' |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=316}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Caccia all'uomo]]'' |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=317}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Marco Polo (1962 film)|Marco Polo]]'' |rowspan="6"|1962 | | | |{{yes}} |Director–battle scenes{{ref|title|c}} |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=297}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Alone Against Rome]]'' | | | |{{yes}} |Director–Arena sequences |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=298}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Seven Seas to Calais]]'' | | | |{{yes}} |Editor–naval battle scene{{ref|title|d}} |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=298}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=299}} |-
!scope="row"|{{sort|Witch's Curse|''[[The Witch's Curse]]''}} |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=318}} |-
!scope="row"|{{sort|Horrible Dr. Hichcock|''[[The Horrible Dr. Hichcock]]''}} |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=318}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=319}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|Seventh Sword|''[[The Seventh Sword]]''}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=319}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Gold for the Caesars]]'' |rowspan="3"|1963 | | | |{{yes}} |2nd unit director{{ref|title|e}} |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=299}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|Ghost|''[[The Ghost (1963 film)|The Ghost]]''}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=319}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=320}} |- !scope="row"|{{sort|Magnificent Adventurer|''[[The Magnificent Adventurer]]''}} |{{yes}} | | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=320}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=321}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Romeo e Giulietta]]'' |rowspan="2"|1964 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=321}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Genoveffa di Brabante]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=321}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=322}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[The Two Orphans (1965 film)|The Two Orphans]]'' |rowspan="2"|1965 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=322}} |- !scope="row"|''[[Coplan FX 18 casse tout]]'' |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=322}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=323}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Trap for the Assassin]]'' |1966 |{{yes}} | |{{yes}} | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=323}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Mexican Slayride (film)|Mexican Slayride]]'' |rowspan="2"|1967 |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=324}} |- !scope="row"|''[[La morte non conta i dollari]]'' |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=324}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=325}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Double Face]]'' |1969 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=325}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Tamar Wife of Er]]'' |1970 |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=326}} |-
!scope="row"|{{sort|Iguana with the Tongue of Fire|''[[The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire]]''}} |1971 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |Story |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=326}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=327}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Tragic Ceremony]]'' |1972 |{{yes}} | | | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=327}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Murder Obsession]]'' |1981 |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | | |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=328}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Un tour de manège]]'' |1989 | | | |{{yes}} |Actor (Riccardo the film director) |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=300}} |-
!scope="row"|''[[Revenge of the Musketeers (1994 film)|Revenge of the Musketeers]]'' |1994 | | | |{{yes}} |Based on "an idea by Freda and [[Éric Poindron]] |style="text-align:center;"|{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=300}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=301}} |- |}
==Notes== *{{note|title|}} '''<sup>a</sup>''' Freda has denied having taken part in writing the script for this film, despite being credited.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=295}} *{{note|title|}} '''<sup>b</sup>''' Freda was originally to direct the film but stated that he walked off the set on the first day of shooting.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=296}} *{{note|title|}} '''<sup>c</sup>''' Freda name is not in the credits but some sources state he directed several battles scenes in the film, which Freda denies.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=296}} *{{note|title|}} '''<sup>d</sup>''' Freda name is not in the credits but some sources state he edited the naval battle scenes in the film, which Freda denies.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=298}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=299}} *{{note|title|}} '''<sup>e</sup>''' Freda has claimed to have shot the entire film.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=298}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=299}}
== References == {{reflist}}
===Bibliography=== {{Refbegin}} * {{cite book |last=Curti |first=Roberto |title=Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957–1969 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]] |isbn=978-1-4766-1989-7 |year=2015 }}
* {{cite book |last=Curti |first=Roberto |title=Riccardo Freda: The Life and Works of a Born Filmmaker |publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]] |isbn=978-1476628387 |year=2017 }}
* {{cite book | last= Paul | first= Louis | title= Italian Horror Film Directors |publisher= McFarland |year= 2005 |isbn= 978-0-7864-8749-3}} * {{cite book |last=Shipka |first=Danny |title=Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France, 1960–1980 |publisher=McFarland |date=2011 |isbn=978-0-7864-4888-3 }} {{Refend}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0292720|name=Riccardo Freda}}
{{Riccardo Freda}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freda, Riccardo}} [[Category:1909 births]] [[Category:1999 deaths]] [[Category:Giallo film directors]] [[Category:Italian horror film directors]] [[Category:Italian male screenwriters]] [[Category:20th-century Italian screenwriters]] [[Category:Mass media people from Alexandria]] [[Category:20th-century Italian male writers]]