The Italians Who Pretended to Be American: A Guide to the Masters of 1980s Exploitation Schlock

One of the strangest and most oddly lucrative sub-genres of the 1980s was the wave of “American” movies secretly made by Italian directors.

And by American, I mean:

Italian actors badly dubbed into English.

Scripts that read like they were written by someone who learned English from bootleg action movies.

Obvious foreign locations (usually the Philippines pretending to be Vietnam, New York, or “somewhere near Texas”).

And a general, indefinable off-brand quality that makes the failure to fool audiences part of the charm.

These films weren’t trying to be good.

They were trying to be convincing.

And they absolutely were not.

But here’s where it gets even better:

many of these directors also “Americanized” themselves, adopting a buffet of fake names to further the illusion that these movies came from Hollywood instead of Rome.

So consider this your quick-reference guide to the Italian filmmakers who cosplayed as Americans in the 1980s to sell you some of the best and worst B-movie schlock the world has ever seen.

Zombies.

Cannibals.

Vietnam knockoffs.

Exploding heads.

And enough fake names to fill a phone book.

1. Joe D’Amato (Aristide Massaccesi)

The undisputed champion.

D’Amato directed and/or produced hundreds of films. In the 1980s alone, he bounced between extreme horror, softcore, and hardcore pornography like he was changing socks.

If there was money in it, Joe D’Amato was already there.

Aliases:

Joe D’Amato (main), Alexander Borck, David Hills, Chang Lee Sun, Robert Yip… and about thirty more depending on the mood.

Signature 80s films:

• Anthropophagus (1980) – the gut-eating cannibal classic

• Absurd (1981) – also known as “Zombie 6,” because why not

• Porno Holocaust (1981)

• The endless Emanuelle sequels and hardcore titles under pseudonyms

This man alone could fill three video stores and a trench coat.

2. Bruno Mattei

The king of the Italian mockbuster.

Fast. Cheap. Loud. Often gloriously incompetent.

If you ever wondered what Terminator, Aliens, Rambo, and Robocop would look like after being passed through Google Translate and a budget of $11, Mattei is your guy.

Aliases:

Vincent Dawn, David Hills, Herik Neil, Michael E. Lemick, Pierre Le Blanc, Werner Knop…

Signature 80s films:

• Hell of the Living Dead (aka Virus, 1980)

• Rats: Night of Terror (1984)

• Strike Commando (1987)

• Robowar (1988)

• Zombie 3 (co-directed with Claudio Fragasso, 1988)

Mattei didn’t rip off Hollywood — he lovingly photocopied it.

3. Antonio Margheriti (Anthony M. Dawson)

The veteran pro.

Margheriti made everything from sword-and-sandals to sci-fi, but in the 80s he basically invented the “macaroni Vietnam” subgenre.

Think Apocalypse Now if it were shot in a jungle behind a mall.

Aliases:

Anthony M. Dawson (most common), Anthony Daisies

Signature 80s films:

• The Last Hunter (1980)

• Cannibal Apocalypse (1980)

• Tiger Joe (1982)

• Tornado (1983)

These movies are so fake they loop back around to being sincere.

4. Lucio Fulci

“The Godfather of Gore.”

If you’ve seen an eye get stabbed, melted, gouged, or mysteriously exploded, Fulci probably did it first.

Unlike the others, he usually kept his real name — because when you invent an entire visual language of rot and despair, you don’t need a fake ID.

Aliases:

Almost none (occasionally “Louis Fulci” in some prints)

Signature 80s films:

• City of the Living Dead (1980)

• The Beyond (1981)

• The House by the Cemetery (1981)

• The New York Ripper (1982)

• Zombie (1979, but still the gateway drug)

Fulci didn’t make movies.

He made fever dreams with budgets.

5. Lamberto Bava

Mario Bava’s son — taking the family business straight into demonic multiplex territory.

Where his father was gothic and poetic, Lamberto was neon and unhinged.

Aliases:

John Old Jr. (very early work)

Signature 80s films:

• Macabre (1980)

• Demons (1985)

• Demons 2 (1987)

There is no logic in Demons.

Only vibes.

And a lot of goo.

6. Umberto Lenzi

The cannibal king.

A director who moved from stylish thrillers to jungle brutality like it was a natural career progression.

Aliases:

Occasionally Humphrey Humbert or Lou Castle

Signature 80s films:

• Eaten Alive! (1980)

• Nightmare City (1980)

• Cannibal Ferox (aka Make Them Die Slowly, 1981)

Lenzi made movies that feel like dares.

Honorable Mentions

• Claudio Fragasso (Clyde Anderson, Drake Floyd) → Zombie 3, Shocking Dark, Troll 2

• Ruggero Deodato → Cannibal Holocaust, House on the Edge of the Park

• Michele Soavi → StageFright, The Church, Cemetery Man

That’s the core crew who defined 1980s Italian exploitation — filmmakers who built an entire cinematic ecosystem out of fake names, fake countries, and very real buckets of blood.