Born in Rome, De Martino started as a child actor and later returned to the cinema where worked as a screenwriter, director and dubbing supervisor.
[1] The Antichrist capitalized on the box-office appeal of The Exorcist (1973) and in its first week in the United States earned a greater box office than Jaws.
[1] Martino returned to a career in cinema working as an editor, screenwriter and as an assistant director.
[1] Martino stated he was encouraged to be a director by Federico Fellini for whom he supervised the dubbing for La Dolce Vita.
[2][3] In 1980, De Martino nearly lost his home when his film The Pumaman failed at the box office.