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

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Quotes

Princess Asa Vajda: You will never escape my vengeance, or of Satan's! My revenge will seek you out, and with the blood of your sons, and of their sons, and their sons, I will continue to live forever! They will restore me to life you now rob from me!

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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 Urban Gothic (2002)

User Reviews

Full of Atmosphere

La Maschera Del Demonio/The Mask of Satan(1960) is the film that introduced audiences around the world to the cinema of Mario Bava. After years as Assistent Director and Director of Photography, Bava was rewarded with his first full directorial assignment and the results are impressive. He didn't direct full time until he was in his late 40's. Its interesting to note that two other directors named Lucio Fulci and Terence Fisher didn't get international recognization until their big breaks(Zombie[1979] + Curse of Frankenstein[1957]) when they were in their early to mid 50's. Its about a dead witch who returns from the dead with her lover to terrorize the descendents of their executioners. It was done due to the success of Horror of Dracula(1958).

The opening scene of the execution of Asa is a stunning combination of atmosphere and violent imagery. The Mask of Satan(1960) is based on a short story by Nikolai Gogol. Gogol is a writer that would play together with Edgar Allen Poe as a major influence in Bava's Supernatural tales. Its one of the best horror films of the last fifty years. Asa is resurrected when the blood of a doctor is accidently dropped on her corpse(this is played homage to in Lamberto Bava's Demons 2{1986}). Tim Burton has cited this movie as one of his favorites.

The film was pratically butchered in the states when first released, but has since been released on Home Video in uncut form(longest print in existence). This is an item that many aspiring Horror Filmmakers should watch in order to see how a great horror film should be done. The Mask of Satan(1960) isn't interested in plot and story as much as atmosphere and painting style visuals. Barbara Steele emerges as the first horror queen of the modern era. Barbara Steele has a macabre beauty that bewitches the viewer and gives her presence. Barbara Steele along with Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Vincent Price were some of the greatest icons in 1960's-1970's horror films.

Barbara Steele does outstanding work as the witch Asa and her descendent Katia. Mario Bava's direction has the look of a great artist. Bava also contributes to the great cinematography. La Maschera Del Demonio is a well made mixture of the Universal Horror features of the 30's-40's and the violence of Hammer Horror of the 50's-60's. The fact that Mario Bava did this based on the success of Horror of Dracula(1958) must have influenced Terence Fisher to respond by directing Dracula:Prince of Darkness(1965). One theme that is present in The Mask of Satan(1960) is the decay and decline of a once happy and powerful family(more fully explored in Bava's later films of Black Sabbath{1963}, The Whip & the Body{1964}, Lisa and the Devil{1974}, and Shock{1977}).