...was reconstructing THE STRANGE VICE OF SIGNORA WARD from VHS tapes of the various, incomplete prints available in the states back during the begining of the home video revolution. I rented both NEXT VICTIM and BLADE OF THE RIPPER and edited them together with my camcorder. I still love the film, and in fact love every Gastaldi scripted film I've ever seen.

The shelves of video stores, in the late 80's, were full of hidden treasures - just shelf-filler for video store clerks who didn't know better and wanted to take up space until the next 30 copies of BACK TO THE FUTURE III were delivered. I used to pick up the boxes and stare at them, wanting to take the plunge, but not quite ready to leave familiar terrain. Once I finally gave in, my whole perception of cinema changed. Gastaldi, whether his name appeared anywhere on the print of the film or not, was responsible for so many of these gems and it was through Italian horror/gialli cinema that my passion for films became reinvigorated. More than simply initiating me into a new genre, viewing gialli has made me appreciate every film genre (yes, including the occasional Hollywood crap) a little bit more. Watching BULWORTH, a few years ago, I leaned forward in my seat when I saw the mysterious, black-gloved assassin's hands loading a gun to the sounds of an Ennio Morricone score. Watch a few gialli before renting the latest Hollywood thriller or arthouse favorite. The duplicity and sexual behavior that takes center stage in the giallo and Gastaldi's scripts, start becoming more apparent even in lesser works. In short, once you've seen enough films scripted by Gastaldi, you'll never look at cinema the same way again.

Gastaldi's scripts always add a level of complexity to what would otherwise be a standard exploitation film. Take a look at WEREWOLF IN A GIRL'S DORMITORY; honestly, what more do you expect with a title like that then a marauding werewolf terrorizing a bunch of coeds? But Gastaldi laces the proceedings with subplots and secret agendas. To enjoy a Gastaldi film, you can't just sit back and rest waiting for the next gruesome killing, you have to actually *think* about what you're watching. I'm sure a lot of people thought that was too much work to put into a grainy, incomplete, panned-n-scanned, dubbed, EP mode video tape. Their loss.

Anyway, Happy Birthday, Ernesto. I'll bet you never suspected that several decades later, so many people on our side of the pond would appreciate your work that much.

...for the many, many hours of brilliant entertainment I was (and still am!) able to enjoy through your work.