Bava's considered one of the great masters of the European horror film.
He began as a cinematographer in the 1940s  and began directing his own
films in the 60s.  La Maschera del demonio (Black Sunday) with Barbara
Steele is probably his best-known work. According to IMMORAL TALES (By
Cathal Tohill and Pete Thomas), Bava had a strong influence on Dario Argento.
I personally like Bava's black and white work (Black Sunday, 1960, for
example) better than I do his color work.  He has a nice feel for the
contrast-possibilities of b&w and gets some gorgeous noir effects.
 
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Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the 
University of Alabama.