Black Sunday (1960)
"La maschera del demonio" (original title)

A vengeful witch and her fiendish servant return from the grave and begin a bloody campaign to possess the body of the witch's beautiful look-alike descendant. Only the girl's brother and a... See full summary »

Director:

Mario Bava

Writers:

Ennio De Concini (screenplay), Mario Serandrei (screenplay),

Stars:

Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Andrea Checchi

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Barbara Steele	...	Katia Vajda / Princess Asa Vajda
John Richardson	...	Dr. Andre Gorobec
Andrea Checchi	...	Dr. Thomas Kruvajan
Ivo Garrani	...	Prince Vajda
Arturo Dominici	...	Igor Javutich / Javuto
Enrico Olivieri	...	Prince Constantine Vajda
Antonio Pierfederici	...	Priest
Tino Bianchi	...	Ivan
Clara Bindi	...	Inn Keeper
Mario Passante	...	Nikita, the Coachman
Renato Terra	...	Boris
Germana Dominici	...	Sonya, the Innkeeper's Daughter

Storyline

A vengeful witch and her fiendish servant return from the grave and begin a bloody campaign to possess the body of the witch's beautiful look-alike descendant. Only the girl's brother and a handsome doctor stand in her way.

---

Plot Keywords:

witch | doctor | supernatural power | director also cinematographer | eye gouging | 

---

Taglines:

STARE INTO THESE EYES... discover deep within them the unspeakable terrifying secret of BLACK SUNDAY... it will paralyze you with fright!

---

Genres:

Horror

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

15 February 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Black Sunday

Filming Locations:

Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alta Vista Productions, Galatea Film, Jolly Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the Italian language version Princess Asa and Javutich are brother and sister which hinted at an incestuous relationship. This relationship is not part of either English language version.

---

Goofs

In the opening credits, Barbara Steele's name is misspelled as Barbara Steel.

---

Quotes

Dr. Thomas Kruvajan: More than a thousand years of conflicts, hates and loves - all reduced to dust in these tombs. Nothing remains of the ancient princes of Vieda, but the dead shadows of their former glory. The history of ancient Moldavia is carved in these stones.
Dr. Thomas Kruvajan: Andre! Come here!
[wipes the glass window of a sarcrophagus]
Dr. Thomas Kruvajan: This is the witch of the old legend! See this bronze mask? One was always placed over the face over a condemned witch, so she would wear for all eternity her true face: the face of Satan.
Dr. Andre Gorobec: Why ...
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

For "The Mask of Satan," the English language version prepared in Italy, Barbara Steele's name is listed as "Barbara Steel" on the trailer and on the credits of the film itself.

---

Connections

Referenced in Adam Hart i Sahara (1990)

User Reviews

Gothic brilliance

The screenplay is hackneyed ,the story has been told told and told again...

And however,Bava's film is a sparkling diamond.How come?The direction of course,the cinematography absolutely incredibly breath-taking,and Barbara Steele ,the par excellence Gothic heroine:her fans will rejoice for she plays two parts here! Bava has no match when it comes to use the light the settings and the soundtrack.It's a black and white work and had it been filmed in color it would not have been better.From the gloomy family vaults to the forest where danger awaits on the young peasant girl to the doomed castle where a family tries to fight against a mysterious curse.

The carriage which takes the doctor to the mansion and its coachman reminds me of Murnau's "Nosferatu" .No less.