TERZANO, MASSIMO

(1892-1947)

Cinematographer. Having begun in the industry as a cameraman in 1913, Terzano graduated to director of photography in the last generation of theMacistefilms, most notablyMaciste imperatore(Emperor Maciste, 1924) andMaciste all'inferno(Maciste in Hell, 1926). With the advent of the sound era, he worked as cinematographer onGoffredo Alessandrini'sLa segretaria privata(The Private Secretary, 1931) and then on several ofMario Camerini's most renowned films, includingGli uomini che mascalzoni(What Scoundrels Men Are!1932) andIl cappello a trepunte(The Three-Cornered Hat, 1935).One of his greatest achievements during this period was his work on Walter Ruttman'sAcciaio(Steel, 1933), much of which had to be shot under extremely difficult conditions inside a steel foundry. He subsequently served as director of photography onCarmine Gallone'sCasta diva(1935) andGiuseppe Verdi(The Life of Giuseppe Verdi, 1938) and in the early 1940s became closely associated with so-called calligraphers such asMario Soldati, for whom he produced the stunning photography ofMalombra(1942) andLa miserie del Signor Travet(HisYoung Wife, 1945), andRenato Castellani, with whom he worked onUn colpo dipistola(A Pistol Shot, 1941) andZaza(1944).

In the immediate postwar period he contributed to the ensemble partisan filmGiorni di gloria(Days of Glory, 1945) and renewed his collaboration with Camerini as cinematographer forDue lettere anonime(Two Anonymous Letters, 1945) before his promising career was cut short by his untimely death in 1947.