A Celibate Founder

Abstract

This chapter looks at the popularity of Mario Bava, which was already a prestigious name in the context of the genre cinema in Italy and abroad. It talks about Bava that was mentioned on the cover of the critical anthology Film 1964 that was curated by Vittorio Spinazzola and linked by the significant subtitle of “mass movies and avant-garde cinema.” It also points out why the film Blood and Black Lace (6 donne per l'assassino) was not a commercial success in Italy despite the critics' interest on Bava and the commercial potential of the story. The chapter discusses critics that were content to concede Blood and Black Lace's stylistic qualities and its exquisite tricks of the trade. It looks at the newspaper La Stampa's review about how the film dispenses thrills and emotions by way of the director's excellent technique than with the shaky gimmicks of a clumsy script.