- Was offered the opportunity to direct L'Enfer des zombies (1979), but was not keen on directing a horror film and asked for a budget which the producers considered unrealistic. They then gave Lucio Fulci the opportunity to direct it. After the film's success, the same producers approached Castellari to direct La mort au large (1981), a low budget horror movie about a shark attack. The movie did well at the box office (it made $18 million in the U.S.A.), but was successfully sued for plagiarizing Les Dents de la mer (1975) and subsequently pulled from theaters.
- Director Martin Koolhoven called him 'The Poor Man's Peckinpah'.
- Brother of Ennio Girolami.
- Father of Stefania Girolami Goodwin and Andrea Girolami.
- Son of Marino Girolami.
- Nephew of Romolo Guerrieri.
- Cousin of Massimo Vanni.
- Writer/Director Martin Koolhoven named his son after him.
- His first work in the industry was assisting with various jobs on sets of his father's films.
- Often worked with the actor Franco Nero.
- In October 2014, Castellari received an award at the Almería Western Film Festival.
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