Paolo Heusch (26 February 1924 – 16 October 1982) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.

Life and career

Born in Rome, Heush started his career immediately after the World War II as a

script supervisor A script supervisor (also called continuity supervisor or script) is a member of a film crew who oversees the continuity of the motion picture including wardrobe, props, set dressing, hair, makeup and the actions of the actors during a scene. The ...

. Between 1949 and 1957 he was active as an assistant director for over twenty films. After directing a number of documentaries, he made his feature film debut in 1958 with '' The Day the Sky Exploded'', the first science fiction film produced in Italy. His third film as a director was ''

Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory ''Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory'' ( it, Lycanthropus) is a 1961 Italian horror film directed by Paolo Heusch. Plot Wolves have been roaming around a girls' reformatory. When the girls begin to get murdered, suspicion focuses on both the wolves ...

''. He was then asked to co-direct '' Violent Life''. based on

Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, filmmaker, writer and intellectual who also distinguished himself as a journalist, novelist, translator, playwright, visual artist and actor. He is considered one of ...

's novel of the same name. He was hired by producer Moris Ergas to direct the film with

Brunello Rondi Brunello Rondi (26 November 1924 – 7 November 1989) was a prolific Italian screen writer and film director best known for his frequent script collaborations with Federico Fellini. His brother, Gian Luigi Rondi, was an Italian film critic. Bi ...

as the produced wanted a technically gifted director to help the screenwriter direct his first film. Heusch was often brought on to co-direct films, and works that were credited to other filmmakers, such as ''

The Commandant Robin Beauclerk Smith (February 28, 1955) is a South African actor whose professional career began in theater whilst still in high school in 1970. He attended the University of Cape Town Drama School after school and worked at The Space Theater ...

'', '' Che fine ha fatto Toto baby?'' which is only credited to Ottavio Alessi and ''

Toto d'Arabia Toto may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Pets * Toto (''Oz''), a dog in the novel and film ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' * Toto, in Japanese ''The Cat Returns'' Characters of agency * a character in '' Le château à T ...

'' which is credited to

Jose Antonio de la Loma Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. *Jose ben Abin *Jose ben Akabya * Jose the Galilea ...

. Heusch continued to work in other genres including heist films, adventures, and erotic dramas in the 1960s. Heusch's last uncredited work was shooting some extra scenes for

Massimo Dallamano Massimo Dallamano (17 April 1917 – 4 November 1976), sometimes credited as Max Dillman, Max Dillmann or Jack Dalmas, was an Italian director and director of photography. Life and career Born in Milan, Dallamano began in the 1940s as camera ...

's ''

Venus in Furs ''Venus in Furs'' (german: Venus im Pelz, links=no) is a novella by the Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, and the best known of his works. The novel was to be part of an epic series that Sacher-Masoch envisioned called '' Legacy of Cai ...

'' for its 1975 re-release. Heusch died in 1982 at the age of 58.

Selected filmography

* '' Alarm Bells'' (1949 - screenwriter) * '' The Day the Sky Exploded'' (1958) * ''

The Defeated Victor ''The Defeated Victor'' ( it, Un uomo facile) is a 1958 Italian drama film directed by Paolo Heusch. It was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. Cast * Maurizio Arena as Romolo De Santis * Giovanna Ralli as Lina * Tiberio ...

'' (1958) * ''

'' (1961) * '' Violent Life'' (1961) * ''

'' (1963) * ''

A Stroke of 1000 Millions ''A Stroke of 1000 Millions'' ( it, Un colpo da mille miliardi, es, Un golpe de mil millones, french: Intrigue à Suez) is a 1966 Italian-Spanish-French Eurospy film directed by Paolo Heusch and starring Rik Van Nutter.Marco Giusti. ''007 all'ita ...

'' (1966) * '' Bali'' (1970)

References

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Heusch, Paolo 1924 births 1982 deaths Italian film directors Italian male screenwriters Writers from Rome 20th-century Italian screenwriters 20th-century Italian male writers