Michele Soavi

• Born — 3 July 1957 • Birthplace — Milan, Italy • Occupation — * Director • screenwriter • actor • Years Active — 1978–present • Family — Adriano Olivetti (grandfather)

Soavi was born into a well-to-do Milanese family in 1957. His father, Giorgio Soavi, was a poet, author, and journalist. His mother Lidia (née Olivetti) was the daughter of Adriano Olivetti, the founder of the Olivetti brand and a former member of the Chamber of Deputies. A lifelong fan of horror films, who first saw Dario Argento's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage at the age of 12, Soavi enrolled in creative arts classes as a teenager, and worked at becoming an actor. He took acting lessons at the drama school of Alessandro Fersen, and also served as a cameraman.

Soavi's filmmaking career began in earnest when he was offered an assistant director job by Marco Modugno after appearing as an extra in Modugno's 1979 film Bambule. Soavi continued to act in films such as Alien 2: On Earth and Lucio Fulci's City of the Living Dead, and served as an assistant director to Aristide Massacessi (Joe D'Amato), and occasionally appeared in bit parts in some of D'Amato's films. Soavi later came into his own when he started his collaboration with famed Italian horror director Dario Argento, who used him as assistant director on the film Tenebrae (1981), Phenomena (1985), and Opera (1987). He was an assistant director to Lamberto Bava on A Blade in the Dark (1983), Blastfighter (1984), and Demons (1985). He also acted in many of the films on which he worked, in parts ranging from minor cameo appearances to major supporting roles. Typical of Italian B-movies of the time, he often used an Anglicized pseudonym, including Michael Soavi, Michael Shaw, Michael Soft, and Michael Saroyan. Soavi also makes cameos in all the films he directed and assistant directed prior to 2000.

• Illustration — Soavi in 1994.

• Dario Argento's World of Horror (1985) documentary • The Valley (1985 short) • Stage Fright (1987) • The Church (1989) a.k.a. Demons 3 • The Sect (1991) a.k.a. The Devil's Daughter or Demons 4 • Cemetery Man (1994) a.k.a. Dellamorte Dellamore • Ultimo 2 - La sfida (1999) • Uno bianca (2001) • Il testimone (2001) • St. Francis (2002) • Ultima pallottola (2003) • Ultimo 3 - L'infiltrato (2004) • The Goodbye Kiss (2006) • Political Target (2006) • Nassiryia - Per non dimenticare (2007) • Blood of the Losers (2008) • Adriano Olivetti: La forza di un Sogno (2013) • Sfida al cielo - La narcotici 2 (2015) • Rocco Schiavone (2016) • Rocco Chinnici (2017) • The Legend of the Christmas Witch (2018)

• 2020 Texas Gladiators (1982) • Tenebrae (1982) • A Blade in the Dark (1983 - actor) • Endgame (1983) • Blastfighter (1984) • Phenomena (1985 - also actor) • Demons (1985) • Opera (1987) • The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) • The Brothers Grimm (2005)

Soavi makes cameos in almost all the films he directed and assistant directed prior to 2000, Cemetery Man being an example of a movie he did have a part in. He has also acted, usually uncredited, in numerous films from other Italian horror directors. • The Greatest Battle (1978) • Little Lips (1978) • Alien 2: On Earth (also known as Alien Terror) (1980) • City of the Living Dead (also known as The Gates of Hell) (1980) • Day of the Cobra (1980) • Absurd (a.k.a. Anthropophagus 2) (1981) • Caligula II: The Untold Story (1982) • The New York Ripper (1982) • The Atlantis Interceptors (also known as Atlantis Inferno) (1983) • Dèmoni (1985) a.k.a. Demons • The Black Cat (1989) a.k.a. De Profundis or Demons 6

The authorities additionally record the headings Soavi, Michele, Michelle Soavi and Michael Soavi. His recorded language was Italian. He was the child of Giorgio Soavi. Other recorded relations include Adriano Olivetti.

Michele Soavi is recorded with the occupation television director. Recorded with the occupation stunt performer. Recorded as actor, screenwriter, stunt performer, singer and television writer.