**Mario Bava (1914-1980)** was an influential Italian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer, recognized as one of the founding fathers of Italian horror cinema and the *giallo* genre. He began his career working on special effects and as a cinematographer, developing a keen visual sense.

His transition to directing was marked by iconic films such as *Black Sunday* (1960), a cornerstone of gothic horror. He pioneered the *giallo* with *The Girl Who Knew Too Much* (1963) and *Blood and Black Lace* (1964), defining the genre's conventions. Other significant works include the anthology film *Black Sabbath* (1963) and the proto-slasher *A Bay of Blood* (1971).

Bava's style is distinctive for its evocative use of color, its dreamlike and often claustrophobic atmosphere, and an elegant staging of violence. He was a master of cinematography and visual composition. His aesthetic and innovations have profoundly influenced generations of directors, from Dario Argento to modern horror cinema.