Black Sunday

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La Maschera del Demonio (Black Sunday)

June 15th 2010 04:18

Mario Bava’s seminal tale of vampirism and witchcraft, La Maschera del Demonio (1960) AKA Black Sunday - not to be confused with the US terrorist thriller of the same name from the late 70s - screened as part of the "Immortal Seduction – The Vampire Movie" mini-program retrospective of cult classics at this year’s Sydney Film Festival. What a treat it was to see this glorious shadowy flicker of a ghoul dancing across the big screen in a 35mm print. Barbara commanded a theatre of blood with her steely gaze playing a dual role of bloodthirsty Middle Ages witch and her innocent 19th Century aristocratic ancestor.

Princess Asa is branded a witch

The restored print which screened was titled The Mask of Satan, and was the original English-language dub (it was always intended for a broad appeal), despite it being an entirely Italian production, and typical of Italo cinema the entire soundtrack was post-synch. Unfortunately Barbara Steele has re-voiced by another unknown actor (as was often the case, it was cheaper to utilise English-speaking voice actors from a local company).

Barbara Steele as Princess Asa

The screenplay was written by Ennio De Concini, Mario Serandrei and Marcello Coscia based on a short story called The Viy by Nikolai Gogol. Director Bava also contributed, but was uncredited. It concerns the vengeance wreaked by the fiendish witch Princess Asa Vadja (Steele) after she and her vampire lover Javutich (Arturo Dominici) are burnt at the cross by Asa’s estranged brother Prince Constantine Vadja (Enrico Olivieri), but not before a wooden mask with inverted spikes is hammered onto the Princess’s face. Ouch!

Black Sunday Andrea Checchi and John Richardson

Kruvejan (Andrea Checchi) and Gorovek (John Richardson) inspect the tomb ...

200 years pass, and it is the year 1830. Doctors are traveling by coach to a medical conference. They stop near a crypt and whilst the carriage wheel is repaired they enter and discover the tomb of Asa, a glass window allowing the icon of the cross to bear down upon her masked remains in order to keep her evil soul pinned. Of course Kruvejan happens to accidentally break the glass and prick his finger, thus spilling precious life-blood down onto the wicked visage within. Soon, the witch will be revived and licking her lips with diabolical intent.

... and the mask gazes back up at them

Barbara Steele as Katia Vadja

Black Sunday, as it's most commonly known, was Mario Bava’s first official feature movie, having been hired to complete several other films but receiving no credit. Bava was originally an accomplished cinematographer and continued to light almost all the movies he directed including Twitch of the Death Nerve (1971), which laid the bloodied blueprint for the slasher sub-genre. However almost all the features he was director of photography on after 1963 he received no official credit.

The castle fireplace holds secrets

Javutich the ghoul (Arturo Dominici) peers over Katia

Bava’s monochromatic lighting on Black Sunday is absolutely superb, as is his compositions, especially in the opening pre-title credit sequence where the witch is condemned, tortured with a nasty branding, and then killed via the horror mask and subsequent burning. The other stand-out is the art direction, set design and the real castle locations. Roman Polanksi would utilise a similar approach with his Dance of the Vampires (1967), AKA The Fearless Vampire Killers, using a combination of sound stages, real locations, and rear projection to create a pantomime effect.

Hell hath no fury like a Princess spiked

Black Sunday is a most macabre and stylish movie with an unintentional camp quality that only enhances the film’s dreamy atmosphere. It’s also a very sensual movie, with Barbara Steele’s unique and charismatic beauty; those high cheekbones, impressive bosom, magnificent huge eyes and piercing gaze penetrating even the most jaded viewer. She captures beautifully the juxtaposed characters of the evil witch and her pure ancestor. There was even a clever split-screen where she appears as both characters in the same shot. I can only imagine the deliciously nightmarish effect this movie would have had on audiences back in 1960.

Black Sunday is a devilishly good time, full of ominous designs, creepy turns, and dripping with high contrast atmospherics. This is a dark fairie tale for adults keen to indulge in the exotic horror flavours of pioneering Euro fare.

Here's the unintentionally hilarious, original extended UK trailer (as The Mask of Satan):

And here's the equally amusing original US trailer (as Black Sunday):

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

6 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by David O'Connell

June 15th 2010 13:34

20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic

That's another tasty treat for you on the big screen Bryn. I saw this ages ago on late night SBS and had some fun with it.

How did the Festival fare in general from your perspective? Can we expect an overview post with all your ratings and a comprehensive dissection?

Comment by Bryn

June 15th 2010 23:41

Horrorphile

David, yes, I'm working on a Horrorphile highlights post to be delivered later today or tomorrow.
Overall the festival was very good. I saw close to thirty movies, missed some good ones unfortunately, but luckily only saw two I really could've missed, so hit/miss ratio was pretty darn good.

Comment by Catherine Stebbins

June 16th 2010 00:48

Thoughts from a Cinephile
Thoughts from a TV Watcher

I have never seen a Bava film. Sad I know. I will be sure to start with this though unless you think there is another worth being seen first!

Comment by David O'Connell

June 16th 2010 02:52

20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic

30 films? Bryn, that's brilliant work mate. No matter how fanatical we are about film it still takes incredible stamina to continually battle the Festival crowds and keep going back for more.
Look forward to seeing your wrap. Will be able to use it as a good guide to many films at MIFF hopefully!

Comment by Bryn

June 16th 2010 05:16

Horrorphile

Catherine, start with Black Sunday, it was his first, make it yours too.

David, yeah, at the risk of sounding like a film snob hypocrite, much of the festival scene irritates me; having to listen to wankers waffle on about a movie in close proximity to me, but worst of all are the grumpy blue rinse brigade who camp out at the State theatre watching every single movie and complaining/snoring/rustling/ smelling and generally annoying the pants of me.

Comment by JohnDoe

June 16th 2010 20:57

Film & TV on DVD

Nice dedication Bryn,

A true must for horror fans and telling how Bava delivers sinful joy right from his first effort. Some are just born with skill, others need to work at it

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