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:

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

Galatea gave Mario Bava a lavish six weeks shooting schedule for this film beginning 28 March 1960. The typical Italian production during this period had only a three to four week shooting schedule.

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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 Sleepy Hollow (1999)

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.