Joe d'Amato (né Aristide Massaccesi le 15 décembre 1936 à Rome, mort le 23 janvier 1999) est le réalisateur et le scénariste de nombreux films d'horreurs ou pornographiques.

Un cinéaste contesté
Souvent considéré comme un maître du cinéma d'exploitation, certains fans du genre voient en lui un Ed Wood italien, d'autres le surnomment "Le méchant Ed Wood". Ceux qui utilisent de telles expressions expliquent que, contrairement à Ed Wood, qui s'intéressait au cinéma en tant qu'art, d'Amato y voyait plus un bon moyen de gagner de l'argent sans se soucier outre mesure de la qualité artistique de ses films (il ne s'en est d'ailleurs jamais caché et l'a plusieurs fois affirmé lors d'interviews). En outre, bien que les films des deux réalisateurs soient similaires en bien des points (pauvre jeu d'acteur, mauvais effets spéciaux, budget ridicule...), les films de d'Amato sont considérablement plus sombres, nihilistes et misanthropes et expriment généralement ce qu'un critique a affirmé être le "mépris de toute l'humanité".

Les méthodes peu scrupuleuses de d'Amato la fiotte ! (il viole souvent des jeunes filles sur scéne et d'autres films pour les incorporer dans les siens tranquillement), le contenu choquant de nombre de ses ?uvres (l'un de ses Emmanuelle est un film érotique sur fond de cannibalisme) et sa propension à se faire de la publicité (dans son film Anthropophagus apparait ce que beaucoup ont pris pour un véritable f?tus humain, rumeur que d'Amato a lui-même propagé pour y gagner en notoriété) font que d'Amato a souvent été censuré en Europe. Pour pouvoir néanmoins continuer à diffuser ses films, il utilise énormément de pseudonymes différents, allant même jusqu'à signer un script d'un nom féminin. Il est probable qu'en raison de cela, certains de ses travaux, notamment pornographique, n'ont pas encore été reconnus comme étant de lui.

Le fait que d'Amato soit plus attiré par l'argent que par les mérites de ses ?uvres apparaît dans plusieurs de ses films :

Un de ses premier films, un western sur un cow-boy vengeur intitulé Pour quelques milliers de dollars par jour fut réalisé quelques mois seulement après le succès du film de Sergio Leone, Et pour quelques dollars de plus.
En 1981, il réalise Caligula 2 qui est présenté comme la suite du Caligula sorti en 1979, allant même jusqu'à utiliser une affiche similaire.
Quelques mois seulement après la sortie de Conan le Barbare en 1982, il écrit et réalise Ator l'invincible, l'histoire d'un barbare scandinave combattant des monstres fantastiques pour libérer sa bien-aimée. Deux ans plus tard, lors de la sortie de Conan le Destructeur, il réalise rapidement Ator l'invincible 2. Celui-ci ressemble fortement à Conan mais contient également des extraits volés de différents films tel Quand les aigles attaquent (1968). Enfin, quand peu de temps après il est annoncé qu'il n'y aura pas de suite à Conan le destructeur, d'Amato annonce qu'il n'y aura pas de suite à son film.
Il meurt à Rome d'une crise cardiaque le 23 janvier 1999. Une rumeur persistante veut qu'il soit mort durant le tournage d'un film pornographiqe dans son domicile romain.


Filmographie sélective
1979 : Buio Omega (Blue Holocaust)
1979 : Le Notti erotiche dei morti vivanti
1979 : Immagini di un convento
1977 : Emanuelle - perchè violenza alle donne?
1977 : Emanuelle in America
Predatori delle Antille, I (????) (as David Hills) ... aka Tortuga (Italy) Sollazzevoli storie di mogli gaudenti e mariti penitenti - Decameron nº 69 (1972) (as Romano Gastaldi) ... aka More Sexy Canterbury Tales (UK) ... aka Sollazzevoli storie di mogli gaudenti e mariti penitenti (Italy: short title) Scansati... a Trinità arriva Eldorado (1972) (uncredited) ... aka Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado (USA) ... aka Pokerface (USA) ... aka Stay Away from Trinity... When He Comes to Eldorado (USA) ... aka Trinity in Eldorado (USA) Colt era il suo Dio, La (1972) (uncredited) ... aka God Is My Colt .45 (USA) ... aka Nur Gott war sein Colt (West Germany) Bounty killer a Trinità, Un (1972) (uncredited) ... aka A Bounty Killer for Trinity (Europe: English title: literal title) ... aka Bounty Hunter in Trinity (USA) Eroi all'inferno (1973) (as Michael Wotruba) ... aka Heroes in Hell Canterbury No. 2 - nuove storie d'amore del '300 (1973) (as John Shadow) ... aka Tales of Canterbury Morte ha sorriso all'assassino, La (1973) (as Aristide Massaccesi) ... aka Death Smiled at Murder ... aka Death Smiles on a Murderer (USA) ... aka Sette strani cadaveri Novelle licenziose di vergini vogliose (1973) (as Michael Wotruba) ... aka Diary of a Roman Virgin (International: English title) Fra' Tazio da Velletri (1973) (uncredited) Pugni, pirati e karatè (1973) (as Michael Wotruba) ... aka Pugni, pupe e karatè (Italy) Giubbe rosse (1974) ... aka Cormack of the Mounties ... aka Red Coat (USA) ... aka Royal Mounted Police (USA) The Arena (1974) (uncredited) ... aka Naked Warriors (USA: reissue title) ... aka Rivolta delle gladiatrici, La (Italy) Justine (1975) (final version) ... aka Justine and the Whip (USA) ... aka Justine de Sade (UK) ... aka Justine, una minorenne deliziosa (Italy) Emanuelle e Françoise le sorelline (1975) ... aka Blood Vengeance ... aka Emanuelle's Revenge Voto di castità (1976) ... aka Vow of Chastity (International: English title) Emanuelle nera orient reportage (1976) ... aka Emanuelle in Bangkok (USA) ... aka Emmanuelle in Bangkok (USA) Eva nera (1976) ... aka Black Cobra ... aka Black Cobra Woman (UK: DVD title) ... aka Emmanuelle Goes Japanese (USA: cut version) ... aka Erotic Eva ... aka Hot Pants (UK: video title) Ginecologo della mutua, Il (1977) ... aka Ladies' Doctor Emanuelle in America (1977) ... aka Brutal Nights ... aka Emanuelle nera in America Emanuelle - perché violenza alle donne? (1977) ... aka Confessions of Emanuelle (UK) ... aka Emanuelle Around the World ... aka Emanuelle Versus Violence to Women ... aka The Degradation of Emanuelle (video title) Emanuelle e gli ultimi cannibali (1977) (as Aristide Massaccesi) ... aka Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals ... aka Emanuelle's Amazon Adventure ... aka Trap Them and Kill Them Notti porno nel mondo (1977) (additional footage) (uncredited) ... aka Emanuelle and the Porno Nights (Australia: video title) ... aka Mondo Erotica (UK: video box title) ... aka Mondo Erotico (UK) Papaya dei Caraibi (1978) ... aka Die of Pleasure (Europe: English title) ... aka Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals (Europe: English title: video title) Duri a morire (1978) ... aka Tough to Kill (USA: video title) Via della prostituzione, La (1978) ... aka Emanuelle and the Girls of Madame Claude ... aka Emanuelle and the White Slave Trade Follie di notte (1978) ... aka Crazy Nights (International: English title) ... aka Notti pazze della Amanda Lear (Italy: alternative title) Notti porno nel mondo nº 2, Le (1978) ... aka Scandinavian Erotica (UK) Emanuelle e le porno notti nel mondo n. 2 (1978) (co-director) (uncredited) ... aka Emanuelle and the Erotic Nights (video title) ... aka Emanuelle e le porno notti (Italy: short title) ... aka Emanuelle e le pornonotti nel mondo ... aka Emmanuelle the Seductress ... aka Porno Exotic Love (USA) ... aka Sexy Night Report (USA: informal English title) Immagini di un convento (1979) ... aka Images in a Convent (USA: informal English title) Porno shop della settima strada, Il (1979) ... aka New York 7a strada (Italy) ... aka The Pleasure Shop on 7th Avenue Buio Omega (1979) ... aka Beyond the Darkness ... aka Blue Holocaust ... aka Buried Alive (USA: dubbed version) ... aka In quella casa... buio omega (Italy: reissue title) ... aka The Final Darkness (USA) Super Climax (1980) (as Alexandre Borsky) ... aka Passions brûlantes (France) Paradiso Blu (1980) (as Anna Bergman) ... aka Blue Paradise

1980 : Orgasmo nero (Voodoo Baby/Black Orgasm)
Hard Sensations (1980) Blue Erotic Climax (1980) Sesso nero (1980) ... aka Black Sex

1980 : Antropophagus (Anthropophagous: The Beast/The Grim Reaper/The Zombie's Rage)
Porno Esotic Love (1980) ... aka Sexy Erotic Love (Italy) Notti erotiche dei morti viventi, Le (1980) ... aka Erotic Nights of the Living Dead ... aka Nite of the Zombies (USA: promotional title) ... aka Notte degli zombies, La (Italy) ... aka Notti erotiche, Le (Italy: video box title) ... aka Sexy Nights of the Living Dead (USA) Voglia, La (1981) ... aka Desire

1980 : Holocausto porno
Bocca golosa (1981) (as Alexandre Borski) ... aka Greedy Mouth Sesso acerbo (1981)

1981 : Rosso sangue (absurd/Antropophagus 2/Zombie 6: Monster Hunter/The Grim Reaper 2) (sous le pseudonyme de Peter Newton)
Caldo profumo di vergine (1981) Orgasmo esotico (1982) (as Lee Castle) ... aka Orgasmo erotico (Italy) Anno 2020 - I gladiatori del futuro (1982) (as Kevin Mancuso) ... aka 2020 Texas Gladiators ... aka One Eye Force (Europe: English title: video title) Stretta e bagnata (1982) (uncredited)

1981 : Caligola: La Storia mai raccontata (Caligula II: The Untold Story/Emperor Caligula: The Garden of Taboo) (sous le pseudonyme de David Hills)
Delizie erotiche (1982) ... aka Erotic Delights (International: English title)

1982 : Ator l'invincibile I (Ator/Ator, the Fighting Eagle) (as David Hills)
Love in Hong Kong (1983) Endgame - Bronx lotta finale (1983) (as Steve Benson) ... aka Endgame - Bronx lotta finale (Philippines: English title) (USA: cable TV title) ... aka Endgame, gioco finale (Italy) Vergine per l'Impero Romano, Una (1983) (as Robert Hall) Déchaînement pervers de Manuela, Le (1983) (as John Bird) ... aka Emanuelle's Perverse Outburst (Europe: English title) ... aka Unleashed Perversions of Emanuelle (USA: informal English title) Messalina orgasmo imperiale (1983) (as O.J. Clarke) Alcova, L' (1984) ... aka Lust (UK: video title) ... aka The Alcove

1984 : Ator l'invincibile II (Ator, the Blade Master/The Return) (as David Hills)
Piacere, Il (1985) ... aka The Pleasure Voglia di guardare (1986) ... aka Christina ... aka Midnight Gigolo Undici giorni, undici notti (1986) ... aka Eleven Days, Eleven Nights Monaca del peccato, La (1986) (as Dario Donati) ... aka The Convent of Sinners Lussuria (1986) ... aka A Lustful Mind ... aka Lust Pomeriggio caldo (1987) ... aka 11 Days 11 Nights Part 3 (UK) ... aka 11 Days 11 Nights Part III: The Final Chapter (UK: video title) ... aka Afternoon ... aka Hot Afternoon (Europe: English title) ... aka Undici giorni, undici notti 3 (USA) Killing birds - uccelli assassini (1987) (uncredited) ... aka Dark Eyes of the Zombie ... aka Raptors ... aka Zombie 5: Killing Birds (USA: DVD box title) Delizia (1987) Rocky-X 2 (1988) Top Model (1988) ... aka 11 Days 11 Nights Part 2: 'The Sequel' (UK: video box title) ... aka Eleven Days, Eleven Nights, Part 2: The Sequel (UK) Amore sporco (1988) ... aka Dirty Love Squali (1989) (as Raf Donato) Sangue negli abissi (1989) (as Raf Donato) ... aka Deep Blood (International: English title) High Finance Woman (1989) ... aka Signora di Wall Street, La ... aka The Loves of a Wall Street Woman Any Time, Any Play (1989) ... aka Dove vuoi quando vuoi (Italy) Blue Angel Cafe (1989) ... aka Object of Desire Undici giorni, undici notti 2 (1990) ... aka 11 Days, 11 Nights 2 (USA) ... aka Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 (USA) ... aka Web of Desire: 11 Days 11 Nights 4 (UK: video title) Quest for the Mighty Sword (1990) (as David Hills) ... aka Ator III: The Hobgoblin ... aka Ator l'invincible ... aka The Hobgoblin (International: English title) Passion's Flower (1990) ... aka Fiore della passione, Il (Italy) Passi caldi (1990) (as Gerry Lively) Contamination .7 (1990) (as David Hills) ... aka The Crawlers (USA) ... aka Troll 3 (USA) ... aka Troll III: Contamination Point 7 (USA) Ritorno dalla morte (1991) (as David Hills) ... aka Frankenstein 2000 ... aka Return from Death: Frankenstein 2000 Ossessione fatale (1991) ... aka Dangerous Game ... aka Dangerous Obsession Donna di una sera, La (1991) ... aka A Woman's Secret ... aka Segreto di una donna, Il (Italy) Diavolo nella carne, Il (1991) ... aka Devil in the Flesh Tenera storia, Una (1992) ... aka Love Project Passion (1992/II) The Last Fight (1992) (V) Francesca's Castle (1992) Rosa (1993) (V) (as Alexandre Borsky) Labirinto dei sensi, Il (1993) ... aka The Labyrinth of Love (International: English title) Chinese Kamasutra - Kamasutra cinese (1993) (as Chang Lee Sun) ... aka Chinese Kama Sutra (Italy: poster title) ... aka Chinese Kamasutra (International: English title) Aladin (1993) (V) Racconti della camera rossa, I (1993) (as Robert Yip) Jungle Heat (1994) ... aka Jane: The Sexual Adventures of a Jungle Girl (USA: video catalogue title) ... aka Jungle Heat (USA: video title) ... aka Tarzan X ... aka Tharzan Fantasmi al castello (1994) (V) Casalinghe P... gli stalloni, Le (1994) (as Una Pierre) China and Sex - Cina e sesso (1994) (as Robert Yip) ... aka China and Sex (International: English title) Casa del piacere, La (1994) Some Like It Hard (1995) (V) ... aka Capone (USA) Provocation (1995) ... aka Provocazione (Italy) Passion in Venice (1995) (V) Paprika (1995) ... aka Anal Paprika ... aka The Last Italian Whore Operation Sex (1995) (V) ... aka Saloon Kiss (Italy) Marquis de Sade (1995) ... aka Marchese de Sade, Il (Italy) Marco Polo: La storia mai raccontata (1995) (V) ... aka Marco Polo (USA) Homo Erectus (1995) (V) ... aka Jurassic Pork Gangland Bangers (1995) (V) ... aka Sly Dog Fuga di mezzanotte (1995) (V) ... aka Midnight Obsession (USA) The Erotic Adventures of Aladdin X (1995) ... aka Erotic Dreams of Aladdin (USA: DVD title) Dr. Rocco et m. Sodo (1995) (V) Don Salvatore - l'ultimo Siciliano (1995) ... aka Don Salvatore: The Last Sicilian (International: English title) Colpo dell'anno (1995) (V) Caligola: Follia del potere (1995) (V) (as Raf De Palma) Barone von Masoch, Il (1995) (V) ... aka The Barone von Masoch (USA) Bambole del führer, Le (1995) (V) Amadeus Mozart (1995) (V) Adolescenza (1995) (V) 120 Days of Anal (1995) (V) ... aka 120 Days of Sodom Wild East (1996) (V) Virility (1996) (V) The VeneXiana (1996) (V) (as Michael Di Caprio) Top Girl (1996) (V) (as Andrea Massai) Robin Hood: Thief of Wives (1996) (V) ... aka Robin Hood: The Sex Legend (Europe: English title) Puberty (1996) (V) ... aka Dreams of a Cuntry Girl ... aka Sogni di una ragazza di campagna (Italy) Primal Instinct (1996) (V) ... aka Anal Instinct Porcone volanti, Le (1996) (V) (as John Bird) ... aka The Flying Doctors (USA) Penitenziario femminile (1996) ... aka Sex Penitentiary (USA) Monaco, Il (1996) (V) Messalina (1996) (V) ... aka Messalina: The Virgin Empress (USA) Ladrón de amor (1996) (V) ... aka Thief of Love (International: English title) (USA) ... aka Ladro d'amore (Italy) Kamasutra (1996) (V) ... aka Forbidden Sex of the Chinese Kama Sutra (Italy: cut version) ... aka Forbidden Sex of the Kama Sutra (USA: video box title) The Joy Club (1996) (V) Gypsy Seduction (1996) (V) Giulietta e Romeo (1996) ... aka Juliet & Romeo Flamenco Ecstasy (1996) (V) Dangerous (1996) (V) Daisy & Louise (1996) (V) (uncredited) Checkmate (1996) (V) Carmen (1996) (V) ... aka Carmen - La zoccola spagnola (Italy) Antonio e Cleopatra (1996) (V) ... aka Anthony & Cleopatra Anal Palace (1996) (V) Amore & Psiche (1996) (V) ... aka Amore & Psyche nel regno di Eros (Italy: video box title) ... aka E-r-o-s: The God of Passion (Canada: English title: video box title) ... aka Love and Psyche (USA: DVD title) All Grown Up (1996) (V) Afrodite (1996) (V) (as Raf De Palma) A cena con le amiche (1996) (V) ... aka Lunch Party (USA) Sea, Sex & Fun (1996) (V) Strip-tease (1997) (V) Stagioni di Bel, Le (1997) (V) ... aka Lulu's Nights (International: English title) Sodoma & Gomorra (1997) (V) ... aka Sodom & Gamorra (USA: video box title) ... aka Sodom & Gomorra (Canada: English title) Rudy (1997) (V) Regina degli elefanti, La (1997) (V) ... aka The Queen of the Elephants (International: English title) (USA) Peccati di gola (1997) (V) Othello 2000 (1997) (V) Nerone, perversione dell'impero (1997) (V) (as Raf De Palma) Misteri dell'Eros, I (1997) ... aka Rocco's Ghost (USA) ... aka The Mystery of Eros (International: English title) Iena, La (1997) ... aka Fatal Seduction Hure des Panthers, Die (1997) (V) Hamlet (1997) (V) Goya and the Naked Maja (1997) (V) ... aka Goya: la maja desnuda (Italy) Caligola: Follia del potere (1997) (V) (as Joe De Mato) ... aka Caligula: The Deviant Emperor (USA: video box title) ... aka Caligula: The Diviant Emperor (Canada: English title) All the President's Women (1997) (V) Afrodite: La dea dell'amore (1997) (V) ... aka Aphrodite: Goddess of Love (International: English title) Anal Perversions of Lolita (1997) (V) ... aka House of Anal Pervsions (USA) Forbidden Diary of the Two Princesses (1997) (V) ... aka Princess - Blaues Blut, heiße Nächte (Germany) Raw and Naked (1997) (V) ... aka Notgeil und wild (Germany) Tarzhard (1998) (V) Selen nell'Isola del tesoro (1998) (V) ... aka Selen on Treasure Island ... aka Selen the Girl from Treasure Island Samson in the Amazon's Land (1998) (V) ... aka Hercules and Samson in the Land of the Amazons Sahara (1998) (V) ... aka Queen of Elephants 2: Sahara

1998 : Rocco e i magnifici 7 (Rocco et les sex mercenaires/Outlaws 1) (V)
Prima e dopo la cura (1998) (V) Predatori della verginità perduta, I (1998) (V) ... aka Raiders (USA) Maschera di ferro, La (1998) (V) Initiation of Belle (1998) (V) Hell's Angel (1998) (V) Fantasma, Il (1998) (V) Experiences (1998) (V) Eternal Desire (1998) (V) Elixir (1998) (V) (as Joe d'Amato) Donna Flor (1998) (V) Crema batida (1998) (V) Combat des chefs, Le (1998) (V) Capricci anali (1998) (V) Calde libra - No limit (1998) (V) ... aka Cop Sucker (USA) Aventuras sexuals de Ulysses, As (1998) (V) ... aka Ulysses (Italy) Anima ribelle (1998) (V) Showgirl (1998) (V) Vicende intime 2 (1999) (V) ... aka Experiences 2 (USA) Torero (1999) (V) Prague Exposed (1999) (V) Experiencias eroticas (1999) (V) ... aka Vicende intime 1 (Italy) Calamity Jane (1999) (V) Rocco e i mercenari (1999) (V) ... aka Outlaws 2 ... aka Outlaws: Part Two (USA: video box title) ... aka The Final Assault (USA) Diabolique (2000) (V) Harem 2000 (2002) (V) Sperma Spende (2003) (V) Fatiche erotiche di Ercole, Le (2005) (V)


Quelques uns de ses pseudonymes [modifier]
Sarah Asproon
Donna Aubert
Stephen Benson
Steve Benson
Anna Bergman
John Bird
Alexandre Borski
Alexandre Borsky
James Burke
Lee Castle
Lynn Clark
O.J. Clarke
Hugo Clevers
Joe De Mato
Michael Di Caprio
Dario Donati
Raf Donato
Romano Gastaldi
Robert Hall
Richard Haller
David Hills
Igor Horwess
George Hudson
Gerry Lively
Kevin Mancuso
A. Massaccesi
Aristice Massaccesi
Aristide Massaccesi
Arizona Massachuset
Andrea Massai
J. Metheus
Peter Newton
Una Pierre
Zak Roberts
Tom Salima
John Shadow
Federico Slonisco
Frederick Slonisco
Fédérico Slonisco
Dan Slonisko
Frederick Slonisko
Frederico Slonisko
Frederic Slonisko
Frederiko Slonisko
Fred Slonisko
Chana Lee Sun
Chang Lee Sun
Michael Wotruba
Robert Yip