Friday Fives: Andrea Ferro of Lacuna Coil picks his favorite Italian B Movies

We here at AP know you internet denizens love lists. And we know that folks in bands have other interests beyond cranking out decibels. So here’s Friday Fives, a column that solicits a list of five subjects from a number of various rockers.

This week, frontman Andrea Ferro [pictured second from right] of Italian rock group Lacuna Coil schools you on his the best Italian “B movies.”

(Warning: Some of the embedded trailers are NSFW)
 

1. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968

This one is from director Sergio Leone and together with The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, it's the most important “Spaghetti Western.” It’s a brutal and epic film starring Henry Fonda as the bad guy and Charles Bronson as his nemesis. The story take place around a little town in the Old West, and there are all the right ingredients like cold-blooded killers, railroad construction and retaliation. Back then, it was a huge success in Europe and a financial flop in the States. Now, it's universally acknowledged as a masterpiece.

2. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

Ruggero Deodato directed this harsh movie about a missing camera crew who went to the Amazon to make a documentary with a group of cannibal natives. Once a rescue team recovers the cans of film and review the material, the horror begins. Cannibal Holocaust was banned in several countries due to it's disturbing portrayal of brutality. (The director was even arrested on obscenity charges.) It was the first movie using the “found footage” structure that would become popular later on in movies.

3. Planet Of The Vampires (1965)

Mixing horror and science fiction, director Mario Bava did a spectacular job combining great filming with a big dose of smart nuance due to the low budget of the production. The story is about two huge spaceships on an expedition to explore planet Aura. While entering the atmosphere, the crew become possessed by an unknown force and try to kill each other. Once on the planet, they discover they've been lured there in order for the Aurans to escape from their dying world.

4. Suspiria (1977)

From Italian horror master Dario Argento comes a movie about an American ballet student who transfers to a famous dance academy in Europe, only to discover it’s controlled by a coven of witches. It's a cult classic with a great soundtrack by progressive rockers Goblin. A remake is expected this year.

5. Delirio Caldo (1972)

A great thriller about a respected doctor accused of being a serial killer. Once the police have arrested him, the killing goes on and the story becomes really intriguing. Directed by Renato Polselli, who stated his career in the vampire friendly Gotico all'italiana genre, DelirioCaldo has a truly unpredictable plot.