Black Sunday/The Mask of Satan (1960)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Black Sunday/The Mask of Satan (1960) – M. Bava

Stunningly photographed in black and white and gothic, so gothic, with its remarkable castle and crypt sets, this is Mario Bava’s heralded cult classic.  The English-language version I saw was prepared in Italy with relatively terrible dubbing and perhaps containing more cruelty (if that can be imagined) than the edited American International Pictures version that was widely distributed in the U. S. in the 1960s. After we see a witch and her lover (or brother) executed in Moldavia at the start of the film, we flash forward 200 years to find her descendent (and spitting image) Barbara Steele thrust into horror when the witch is accidentally brought back to life.  Two travelling doctors get ensnared in the action and the younger man becomes our hero (after falling in love with non-witch Barbara).  An orthodox priest translates the text on the ancient icon found in the witch’s tomb and voila, the secret to ending the terror is found.  The images here are so chilling (and worthwhile) that next time I might just watch this with the sound turned off.