Aldo Tonti

Camera operator

March 2, 1910 (78 years)

† July 7, 1988

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Biography

Aldo Tonti (2 March 1910 – 2 July 1988) was an Italian cinematographer. Born in Rome, Tonti started his career as photographer, then entered the industry of cinema as assistant camera operator. He debuted as cinematographer in 1939, with Piccoli naufraghi by Flavio Calzavara; his first important work was Ossessione by Luchino Visconti. His works include films by Federico Fellini, King Vidor, Richard Fleischer, Roberto Rossellini, John Huston, Alberto Lattuada, Mario Monicelli, Sergio Sollima, P…

Filmography

6.7

War and Peace

The love story of young Countess Natasha Rostova and Count Pierre Bezukhov is interwoven with the Great Patriotic War of 1812 against Napoleon's invading army.

6.9

The Count of Monte-Cristo

Young sailor Edmond Dantès is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes, finds treasure, and reinvents himself as the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo to exact revenge on those who betrayed him.

6.9

Barabbas

Epic account of the thief Barabbas, who was pardoned for his crimes and spared crucifixion when Pilate offered the Israelites a choice to pardon Barabbas or Jesus. Struggling with his spirituality, Barabbas goes through many ordeals leading him to the gladiatorial arena, where he tries to win his freedom and confront his inner demons, ultimately becoming a follower of the man who was crucified in his place.

7.5

Obsession

Gino, a drifter, begins an affair with inn-owner Giovanna as they plan to get rid of her older husband.

8.0

Nights of Cabiria

Rome, 1957. A woman, Cabiria, is robbed and left to drown by her boyfriend, Giorgio. Rescued, she resumes her life and tries her best to find happiness in a cynical world. Even when she thinks her struggles are over and she has found happiness and contentment, things may not be what they seem.

6.5

Reflections in a Golden Eye

Bizarre tale of sex, betrayal, and perversion at a military post.

6.4

Cast a Giant Shadow

An American Army officer is recruited by the yet to exist Israel to help them form an army. He is disturbed by this sudden appeal to his Jewish heritage. Each of Israel's Arab neighbors has vowed to invade the poorly prepared country as soon as partition is granted. He is made commander of the Israeli forces just before the war begins.

5.8

Ashanti

Dr. Anansa Linderby is kidnapped in a medical mission in Africa by a slave trader. From this moment, her husband will do anything to recover her and to punish the bad guys, but that will be not an easy task.

6.6

Crazy Joe

The rise and fall of a Mafia gangster, based on the life of murdered New York gangster "Crazy" Joey Gallo.

7.4

Europa '51

A wealthy, self-absorbed Rome socialite is racked by guilt over the death of her young son. As a way of dealing with her grief and finding meaning in her life, she decides to devote her time and money to the city’s poor and sick. Her newfound, single-minded activism leads to conflicts with her husband and questions about her sanity.

6.4

Casanova '70

The amorous adventures of Andrea Rossi-Colombotti, an army officer who finds pleasure with beautiful women in life-threatening situations.

5.7

It Can Be Done Amigo

An outspoken boy and a gunfighter-pimp save a drifter's life from hanging. The boy's uncle dies, leaving a house and some dry, useless land to the boy. The dying uncle has obtained the drifter's promise to help the boy get what is his. Meanwhile the gunfighter has decided that the drifter should marry his daughter after being with her previously. The two get into a series of brawls and shoot-outs until they arrive in the town and find the boy's inheritance -which turns out not to be as useless as it first appears.

6.0

Violent City

A hitman is double-crossed by his girlfriend and barely escapes a murder attempt. He then sets out to take his revenge on the woman and the gang boss who put her up to it.

7.4

The Treasure of San Gennaro

A pair of Americans want to perform the greatest robbery: the treasure of San Gennaro, in Napoli.

7.3

The Ape Woman

A modest Neapolitan man meets a young woman with excessive hairiness. He exhibits her at fairs and marries her. It is after marriage that he receives a tempting offer from a French manager.

6.5

The Valachi Papers

When Joe Valachi has a price put on his head by Don Vito Genovese, he must take desperate steps to protect himself while in prison. An unsuccessful attempt to slit his throat puts him over the edge to break the sacred code of silence.

7.3

Flesh Will Surrender

Giovanni used to be a humble, mild-mannered government clerk whose life was turned upside down when he met Giulio, a notorious forger who at once set about manipulating the over-confident man. Giovanni did what he should never have done: he associated himself with the crook. Giulio soon laid hands on Giovanni's money, ruined his career and manhandled him into marrying his own mistress, the beautiful Ginevra. It was of course an unhappy marriage but Giovanni found a little solace when his son Ciro was born. Seven years later though, Wanzer resurfaced...

4.5

Rene the Cane

"René la Canne" was the second collaboration between Francis Girod and Ennio Morricone, coming after "Le Trio Infernal" (1974) and before "La Banquière" (1980). His film is an adaptation of a story by Roger Borniche about the gangster René Girier and relates the fantastic adventures of a flamboyant mobster (René/Gérard Depardieu) and a maverick police inspector (Fernand la Sournoise/Michel Piccoli), through the 1940s.

4.6

War Goddess

Alena Johnston is Antione, the War Goddess of the Amazons, who must mate with the Greek king Theseus to propogate her race. Traditionally this is done only out of duty, but this time she falls in love with her "boy toy"... a definite no-no for an Amazon queen. Helmed by James Bond director Terence Young and based on a story co-authored by Robert Graves, this sexy and spectacular entry in the sword-and-sandal genre features an incredible bevy of Euro-cult starlets including Rosanna Yanni, Helga Line and Luciana Paluzzi, plus a lyrical score by Academy Award-winner Riz Ortolani.

5.4

Attila

Attila, the leader of the barbarian Huns and called by the Romans "The Scourge of God", sweeps onto the Italian peninsula, defeating all of the armies of Rome, until he and his men reach the gates of the city itself.