Monday, August 25, 2014

Remembering Sergio Bergonzelli

Sergio Giovanni Romolo Bergonzelli was born on August 25, 1924 in Alba, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in Philosophy from the university and debuted in 1952 as an actor, initially using the pseudonym Siro Carme. That year he would appear in four films.
 
1953 would see Bergonzelli intensify his acting career with his appearance in six films.
 
1954 opens with his participation in the dramatic movieIl prigioniero del re” an Italian-French collaboration with Giorgio Rivalta and Richard Pottier, the same year he appeared in another film entitledAddio, mia bella signora!” by Fernando Cerchio.
 
After two years of absence from the films we see him again in 1957 with his last two film appearances as an actor, “Il momento più bellothe” directed by Luciano Emmer where he plays the role of Mr. Mancini and “Giovanni dalle Bande Nere” a historical film by Sergio Grieco.
 
The year 1957 marks his definitive end of being an actor, but opens the door to Bergonzelli’s directing career, in fact in 1960 he made ​​his first film as both director and as a writer (a role he held in many other productions) with the film “Gli avventurieri dei tropici”.
 
In 1964 Bergonzelli directed another film, “The Last Gun” a Euro-western with Cameron Mitchell, described by critics as one of the first Spaghetti Westerns, even prior to the masterpiece of Sergio Leone's “A Fistful of Dollars”.
 
Again in 1965 as director and screenwriter (participation on the screenplay of Bitto Albertini ) with “A Stranger in Sacramento”, another Euro-western with Mickey Hargitay. In the same year, the actor-director makes another film, “MMM 83 - Missione morte molo”, completely changing genres.
 
In 1966 returns to the western genre with the creation of “El Cisco”, starring William Berger , also in this case Bergonzelli personally takes care of the script. In the period between 1965 and 1975 the film world will see a spread of the western genre, Bergonzelli is no exception to the trend and directs still another Euro-western: “A Colt in the Hand of the Devil”.
 
In 1968 he scores with “Silvia e l'amore” a debut in the erotic genre which he will participate in for most of the rest of his career. The same year he produced another erotic film directed as a pseudo-documentary called “The 10 Wonders of Love”.
 
In 1969 he directed the adventure film “I disperati di Cuba”, the following year instead he directs a mediocre-erotic thriller entitledNelle pieghe della carne”.
 
In 1971 the drama (with many erotic scenes) “Io cristiana studentessa degli scandali” is directed and written by Sergio. The following year he directs and writes his final Euro-western “Raise Your Hands, Dead Man, You’re Under Arrest”.
 
1973 still fins him making erotic B-movies this time interspersed with religious themes, unprejudiced by the combination of the issues but at the same moralistic, Cristiana monaca indemoniata”. After finishing this film Bergonzelli leaves the scene for about two years, he returned in 1975 with the erotic comedy “L cognatina”. In 1976 he directs the erotic filmTaxi Love, servizio per signora”. Thus he resumes his career, the same year directing “La sposina”, and “Il compromesso... erotico”. His last film “Malizia oggi” (1990) where porn star Valentine Demy appears.
 
Bergonzelli died in Rome, Italy on September 24, 2001.
 
Today we remember Sergio Bergonzelli on what would have been his 90th birthday.

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