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 (as Barbara Steel)
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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

The Most Frightening Motion Picture You Have Ever Seen!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

15 February 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Black Sunday

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Galatea Film, Jolly Film, Alta Vista Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Italian censorship certificate # 32584 delivered on 5 August 1960.

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Goofs

In the scene where Princess Asa pauses by her father's coffin, she is wearing black stockings and shoes under her dress. She then leaves the room to look for the others and is seen running down the hall barefoot and without stockings.

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Quotes

Dr. Thomas Kruvajan: You have no reason to fear the dead. They sleep very soundly.

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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.

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Connections

Referenced in Adam Hart i Sahara (1990)

User Reviews

Atmosphere so rich you can taste it

For some unknown reason, here recently I've been in the mood to watch a lot of vintage 1960s-70s Italian horror movies. Hardly any other film comes as highly recommended as Black Sunday and after viewing this incredibly moody effort, I can easily see why. It's by far one of the most beautifully photographed films I've seen of any genre. It's also one of the most atmospheric; a sense of horror and dread hang over every frame, and yet it is a film whose power does not lie entirely in the narrative. It's hidden somewhere, pretty much everywhere... in dark corners, in secret crypts, in fog, in shadows... The shots in this film are brilliantly composed. It is a true triumph for director and cinematographer Mario Bava, who provides such rich, dream-like technical depth that (pardon the cliché) this film truly does transport viewers somewhere else in time.

Even though this movie is best appreciated as an exercise in style and technique, the plot line (witch who is executed and returns centuries later to get revenge on the descendants of her executioners) is also enjoyable. So is Barbara Steele, who is ideally cast in a dual role as both the evil witch and the pure heroine. She's an actress who can switch from innocent and ravishing to hideous and horrific with the flick of an eyelash. No wonder she's considered the queen of horror. She deserves to be.