Ernesto Gastaldi

• Name — Ernesto Gastaldi • Born — 10 September 1934 • Birthplace — Graglia, Italy • Pen Name — Julian Berry • Occupation — Screenwriter, film director

Ernesto Gastaldi was born on 10 September 1934 in Graglia in the province of Province of Biella, Piedmont. Gastaldi left his job as a clerk at the Sella bank in Biella to move to Rome where he was admitted into Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. After graduating, Gastaldi had trouble finding work. In 1957, Gastaldi wrote his first science fiction novel which the publishers requested an English-language name for the cover. Gastaldi was sharing an apartment at the time with an Anglo-Italian man named Julian Birri, whom he adapted his name to for his alias, Julian Berry. Gastaldi would write more crime and science fiction novels during this period such as Sangue intasca (1957) as James Duffy, Brivido sulla schiena (1957) as Freddy Foster and Tempo zero (1960) as Berry. Gastaldi's debut as a screenwriter and assistant director was with the film The Vampire and the Ballerina by Renato Polselli. Gastaldi reflected on writing the film by stating that his working hours were from 8 in the morning until midnight, stating that "if someone had told me I was making a Gothic film I would have laughed." Other works in gothic horror included Gastaldi writing for Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory, The Horrible Dr. Hichcock and The Whip and the Body. Following his gothic works, was his work in giallo film, where Gastaldi directed films such as Libido, which was released in 1965.

• Title — Year — Credited as — Notes — Ref(s) Reference(s) • Screenwriter — Screen story writer — Other • 1960 • Guns of the Black Witch — 1961 • Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory • Queen of the Seas • Venus Against the Son of Hercules — 1962 • Alone Against Rome • Avenger of the Seven Seas • Charge of the Black Lancers • Medusa Against the Son of Hercules — 1963 • Assistant director • Hercules and the Masked Rider • Terror in the Crypt — 1964 • Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus — 1965 • Uncredited • Libido — Director • 1966 • Killer's Carnival • Arizona Colt • Blood at Sundown • Day of Anger — 1967 • Flashman • 1968 • 1969 • So Sweet... So Perverse • Arizona Colt Returns — 1970 • Light the Fuse... Sartana Is Coming • All the Colors of the Dark — 1972 • Torso — 1973 • The Violent Professionals • My Name Is Nobody • Almost Human — 1974 • Gambling City — 1975 • Kidnap Syndicate • Savage Three — Treatment • 1977 • Sahara Cross • Concorde Affaire '79 — 1979 • 1982 • Notturno con grida — Director • Once Upon a Time in America — 1984 — Uncredited • Shatterer — 1987

Ernesto Gastaldi is recorded as screenwriter, writer and director.