Lou Castel
Encyclopedia
Lou Castel is a Colombian
actor known primarily for his work in Italian
films.
Born Ulv Quarzell in Bogotá
, Castel moved to Europe as a young man. Interested in acting from an early age, he attended the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia
, but was quickly kicked out. His first movie role was an uncredited extra in The Leopard
(1963). But two years later, he would catch his big break when he starred in Fists in the Pocket
. His performance as the epileptic Alessandro, who murders his mother and his brother, was acclaimed all over the world. His next role to gain international prominence was probably as Jeff, the temperamental bisexual film director in Beware of a Holy Whore (1971), directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
. Fassbinder himself portrayed the film's producer.
In the following decades, Castel worked with some of the other important European directors of the era, including Pier Paolo Pasolini
, Wim Wenders
, Philippe Garrel
, and Olivier Assayas
. Though the quality of the films he acted in were quite disparate, ranging from arthouse films to cheap exploitation, Castel always chose roles that reflected his militant leftist beliefs. He is still acting to this day.
Colombian people
Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
actor known primarily for his work in Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
films.
Born Ulv Quarzell in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Castel moved to Europe as a young man. Interested in acting from an early age, he attended the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia
Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia
The Centro sperimentale di cinematografia was established in 1935 in Italy and aims to promote the art and technique of cinematography and film....
, but was quickly kicked out. His first movie role was an uncredited extra in The Leopard
The Leopard (film)
The Leopard is a 1963 Italian film by director Luchino Visconti, based on Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's novel of the same name.-Cast:* Burt Lancaster as Prince Don Fabrizio Salina* Claudia Cardinale as Angelica Sedara / Bertiana...
(1963). But two years later, he would catch his big break when he starred in Fists in the Pocket
Fists in the Pocket
Fists in the Pocket is a 1965 Italian film directed by Marco Bellocchio. It was Bellocchio's debut film.In an interview, writer Rex Pickett described Fists in the Pocket as one of the films he "saw in film school that transformed" him.- Synopsis :A young man takes drastic measures to rid his...
. His performance as the epileptic Alessandro, who murders his mother and his brother, was acclaimed all over the world. His next role to gain international prominence was probably as Jeff, the temperamental bisexual film director in Beware of a Holy Whore (1971), directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Rainer Werner Maria Fassbinder was a German movie director, screenwriter and actor. He is considered one of the most important representatives of the New German Cinema.He maintained a frenetic pace in film-making...
. Fassbinder himself portrayed the film's producer.
In the following decades, Castel worked with some of the other important European directors of the era, including Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual. Pasolini distinguished himself as a poet, journalist, philosopher, linguist, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, newspaper and magazine columnist, actor, painter and political figure...
, Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
, Philippe Garrel
Philippe Garrel
Philippe Garrel is a French director, cinematographer, screenwriter, editor and producer. His movies have won him awards at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival...
, and Olivier Assayas
Olivier Assayas
Olivier Assayas is a French film director and screenwriter.He made his debut in 1986, after directing some short films and writing for the influential film magazine Cahiers du cinéma.-Career:...
. Though the quality of the films he acted in were quite disparate, ranging from arthouse films to cheap exploitation, Castel always chose roles that reflected his militant leftist beliefs. He is still acting to this day.
Partial filmography
- 1963 : Il GattopardoThe Leopard (film)The Leopard is a 1963 Italian film by director Luchino Visconti, based on Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's novel of the same name.-Cast:* Burt Lancaster as Prince Don Fabrizio Salina* Claudia Cardinale as Angelica Sedara / Bertiana...
- uncredited - 1965 : Fists in the PocketFists in the PocketFists in the Pocket is a 1965 Italian film directed by Marco Bellocchio. It was Bellocchio's debut film.In an interview, writer Rex Pickett described Fists in the Pocket as one of the films he "saw in film school that transformed" him.- Synopsis :A young man takes drastic measures to rid his...
: Alessandro - 1966 : A Bullet for the GeneralA Bullet for the GeneralA Bullet for the General , is a 1966 film which stars Gian Maria Volonté, Klaus Kinski, Lou Castel and Martine Beswick. Originally entitled El Chucho, quién sabe?, it is the story of El Chucho, the bandit, and Bill Tate who is a counter-revolutionary in Mexico...
: Bill 'Niño' Tate - 1967 : RequiescantRequiescantRequiescant is a 1967 spaghetti western directed by Carlo Lizzani.-Synopsis:After surviving his family being massacred, a young boy is taken in and raised by a preacher...
: Requiescant - 1968 : Come Play with MeCome Play with Me (1968 film)Come Play with Me is a 1968 Italian drama film directed by Salvatore Samperi. It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the events of May 1968 in France.-Plot:...
: Alvise - 1968 : The ProtagonistsThe ProtagonistsThe Protagonists is a 1968 Italian drama film directed by Marcello Fondato. It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the events of May 1968 in France.-Cast:* Sylva Koscina - Nancy...
- 1971 : Beware of a Holy Whore : Jeff, Regisseur
- 1972 : Who Killed the Prosecutor and Why?Who Killed the Prosecutor and Why?Who Killed the Prosecutor and Why? is a 1972 thriller film directed by Giuseppe Vari and starring Lou Castel.-Cast:* Lou Castel - Carlo* Beba Loncar - Olga* Adolfo Celi - Inspector Vezzi* Massimo Serato - Uncle Fifi...
: Carlo - 1973 : The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter (1973 film)The Scarlet Letter is a 1973 German film directed by Wim Wenders. It is an adaptation of the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel The Scarlet Letter.The film stars Senta Berger as Hester Prynne, Hans Christian Blech as Roger Chillingworth, and Lou Castel as Rev...
: Rev. Dimmesdale - 1974 : GangsterfilmenGangsterfilmenGangsterfilmen is a 1974 Swedish film directed by Lars G. Thelestam. It was entered into the 25th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Clu Gulager - Glenn Mortenson* Ernst Günther - Anders Andersson* Per Oscarsson - Johan Gustavsson...
- 1976 : Pure as a LilyPure as a LilyPure as a Lily is a 1976 comedy film directed by Franco Rossi and starring Vittorio Gassman.-Cast:* Vittorio Gassman - Anthony M. Wilson* Ornella Muti - Lucia Mantuso* Madeleine Hinde - Vanessa Hampton* Adolfo Celi - L'onorevole...
- 1976 : The Cassandra CrossingThe Cassandra CrossingThe Cassandra Crossing is a 1976 British disaster film directed by George Pan Cosmatos and starring Richard Harris, Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren, Martin Sheen, Burt Lancaster, Lee Strasberg and O. J. Simpson.-Plot:...
: Swedish terrorist - 1976 : Caro MicheleCaro MicheleCaro Michele is a 1976 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli. It was entered into the 26th Berlin International Film Festival, where Monicelli won the Silver Bear for Best Director.-Cast:* Mariangela Melato as Mara Castorelli...
- 1977 : Change of Sex
- 1977 : The American FriendThe American FriendThe American Friend is a 1977 film by Wim Wenders, loosely adapted from the novel Ripley's Game by Patricia Highsmith. The film is of the neo-noir genre, and features Dennis Hopper as career criminal Tom Ripley and Bruno Ganz as Jonathan Zimmermann, a terminally ill picture framer whom Ripley...
: Rodolphe - 1977 : Pigs Have WingsPigs Have Wings (film)Pigs Have Wings is a 1977 Italian drama film directed by Paolo Pietrangeli and based on the book of the same name by Lidia Ravera and Marco Lombardo Radice. It was entered into the 27th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Franco Bianchi...
- 1978 : Couleur chair
- 1985 : Treasure IslandTreasure Island (1985 film)Treasure Island is a 1985 Chilean-French adventure film directed by Raúl Ruiz. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Melvil Poupaud - Jim Hawkins* Martin Landau - Old Captain...
- 1986 : Hôtel du ParadisHôtel du ParadisHôtel du Paradis is a 1986 French drama film directed by Jana Boková. It was screened out of competition at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Carola Regnier – Sarah* Fernando Rey – Joseph* Marika Rivera – Marika* Artus de Penguern – Patric...
- 1987 : Rorret
- 1993 : La Naissance de l'amour
- 1996 : Irma VepIrma VepIrma Vep is a 1996 film directed by the French director Olivier Assayas, starring Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung in a story about the disasters that ensue as a middle-aged French film director attempts to remake Louis Feuillade's classic silent film serial Les vampires...
- 1998 : Louise (Take 2)Louise (Take 2)Louise is a 1998 French drama film directed by Siegfried. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Élodie Bouchez - Louise* Roschdy Zem - Rémi* Gérald Thomassin - Yaya* Antoine du Merle - Gaby...
- 2001 : ClémentClément (film)Clément is a 2001 French drama film directed by Emmanuelle Bercot. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Olivier Guéritée - Clément* Emmanuelle Bercot - Marion* Kevin Goffette - Benoît...
- 2007 : Medea MiracleMedea MiracleMedea Miracle is a 2007 French-Italian drama film directed by Tonino De Bernardi and starring Isabelle Huppert.-Cast:* Julia Camps - Girl* Eugenia Capizzano - Medea employed* Lou Castel - Creo* Rossella Dassu - Louise* Giulietta De Bernardi - Martha...