Review: Black Sunday

In 17th Century Russia, a princess (Barbara Steele) is accused and convicted of vampirism and witchcraft. She is subsequently befitted with a spiked iron mask and burned at the stake. Cut to the 19th Century professor Andrea Checchi and doctor John Richardson happen upon the chapel where the coffin holding the deceased princess is located. They accidentally revive her whilst one of them is tussling with a bat. Now the revived witch sets her sights on her descendant, Katya (also Steele).

 

One of the most important and influential Italian horror films ever made, this 1960 witchcraft story is also the best-remembered film in the career of Mario Bava (“Danger Diabolik”, “Seven Dolls for an August Moon”). Personally, I slightly prefer his “Kill, Baby…Kill” and “Black Sabbath”, but this film is nonetheless an undeniable classic. Bava was his own cinematographer, and he’s created a foggy, Gothic B&W work of art here. It’s probably Tim Burton’s idea of a wet dream, and whenever I’m seeing fog, shots through tree branches, and hearing howling winds etc, I’m in cinematic heaven. The film is full of superstitious atmosphere. The resurrection scene in particular is expertly done on all fronts. Meanwhile, as much as I’m a Hammer guy, I couldn’t help but think that company could’ve taken note of one great use of shadow here that helps make a bat look more creepy and monstrous than it otherwise would. Speaking of Hammer, a brief bit with a carriage moving slowly into the fog which then turns into a thunderous ride is nightmarish, Hammer Dracula stuff. It’s awesome. Also awesome is the classic iconography of Barbara Steele’s face damaged by the spikes from the iron mask.

 

A masterwork in mood, atmosphere, imagery and shot composition. I may prefer other Bava works, but this is a deserved classic which seems to get better with every re-watch. (Very) loosely based on a Nikolay Gogol (“Taras Bulba”) story, the screenplay is by Ennio De Concini (“Bluebeard”, Bava’s “The Evil Eye”) and Mario Serandrei (who was much more prolific as an editor), with uncredited contributions by Marcello Coscia (“Dorian Gray”), Dino De Palma (“He Who Hesitates is Lost”), and Bava himself.

 

Rating: B+

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