Marcello Aliprandi
Marcello Aliprandi (2 January 1934–26 August 1997) was an Italian film director. In addition to his work in television and the theater, he directed seven feature films, including "Smiling Maniacs" (1975) and "Vatican Conspiracy" (1982). Early life. Aliprandi was born in Rome to an Italian father and an Armenian mother. Career. In the mid-1950s, Aliprandi left university to enroll at the Silvio D'Amico art academy. After graduating, he became an assistant to Luchino Visconti, working with him both in the theater and as assistant director for the 1963 film "The Leopard". Later during the 1960s, Aliprandi worked mainly  in theater and as a member of the "Compagnia dei giovani" (Company of Young People), directing various plays and operas. He returned to film in 1968 as an assistant director for Alberto Lattuada's "Fraulein Doktor". The first feature film directed by Aliprandi was the 1970 science-fiction film "La ragazza di latta" (The Tin Girl), for which he also co-wrote the screenplay. Aliprandi received good critical reviews for "La ragazza", as well as for his next two films—1974's "Corruzione al palazzo di giustizia" (Corruption at the Palace of Justice, released in the United States as "Smiling Maniacs ) and 1976's Un sussurro nel buio" (A Whisper in the Dark). But only one of the three, "Smiling Maniacs", was a commercial success. Aliprandi's last film in the 1970s, "Senza buccia" (Skin Deep) (1979), was both a critical and commercial failure. For the entire 1980s, Aliprandi mostly worked in television and the theater. His television work included the three-part musical "Hollywood Hello, qui, Broadway!", which featured choreographer Bob Fosse playing himself (Aliprandi and Fosse had met while Aliprandi was visiting the United States). It also included Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie". The only feature film that Aliprandi  made during this period was 1982's "Morte in Vaticano" (Death in the Vatican). As with his previous feature film, it was a commercial failure. Along with friend Lino Patruno, Aliprandi founded the production company Movietone of Italy in the early 1990s. His final two films were 1992's "Prova di Memoria" (Memory Test, released in the United States as "Crimson Dawn") and 1994's "Soldato Ignato" (Unknown Soldier). The latter film saw little distribution, being screened only at two film festivals— one in Italy and the other at Brazil's Festival de Gramado. For the Italian screening, Aliprandi's  directing credit was given as "Daniel Ford". In assessing Aliprandi's career, film historian Roberto Curti noted that his early association with Visconti lent Aliprandi a certain level of respect within the Italian film industry. However, he also noted that Aliprandi never achieved great critical success. Curti attributed this largely to Aliprandi's directorial style, which he described as "often too weird and artistically compromised". He added that, except for "Senza buccia" (Skin Deep), Aliprandi's films were "personal and technically competent" and dealt with fantasy elements in ways that were "original and idiosyncratic". Directing credits. Film. Five of these  films had their musical scores written by Pino Donaggio. The two that did not were the very first ("The Tin Girl") and 1992's "Crimson Dawn".