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Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Lack of good storyline.

As Good As It Gets

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

"Black Sunday" is one of my all time favorite horror movies - definitely in my top 10. Considered to be a cult classic, it undeniably deserves that honor. The story concerns a witch/vampire who is executed (quite the nasty little scene for the '60s) who vows revenge on the descendants of her persecutors. Due to a mishap, she gets the opportunity to do just that 200 years later and goes after folks with a vengeance, especially her descendant Katia.This film was my introduction to Barbara Steele who plays duel roles as both the vampire/witch and her contemporary counterpart. The fact that she is able to play two characters - one embodying evil, the other innocence - and play them both very well gives you an idea of her range. One of the things I've loved about her from the very beginning is that she uses her whole body to express herself in the parts that she plays. It is quite effective. One thing to keep in mind if you haven't seen it is that the film was originally done in Italian, so the English version is dubbed. For me personally, I was so mesmerized that I really didn't notice. It was also shot in black and white and made in 1960, so you are not going to see the over the top special effects and the fast pace that are so common in horror these days. For the time it was made, I thought the little gore the movie has, the effects and the makeup were quite well done.From what I understand, "Black Sunday* was banned in Great Britain for a while and some versions of it are censored - I apparently had the good luck to see a mostly uncensored version (without the "special" relationship between Asa and her brother). Try to find one of those if you can.The film slows down just a bit in the middle as the family and some folks in town realize something is amiss. Even so, it is truly worth the watch. It is unbelievably eerie and beautifully shot - if nothing else, it should be seen for those reasons alone. Is this movie going to keep you up at night or make you keep your lights on for a couple days? Probably not if you are watching current horror. It is, however, an excellent movie for it's time and unquestionably a must see for fans of classic Gothic horror. I absolutely loved it.

BLACK Sunday is a fantasy horror which through a Gothic atmosphere and a fairy-tale story reminds on the famous horror films from the early thirties of the last century.Once upon a time in Moldavia, a beautiful witch and her lover are sentenced to death for sorcery by her brother. Before her death, she vows revenge and puts a curse on her brother's descendants. Several centuries later, two doctors are traveling through Moldavia to a medical conference. They accidentally discover a witch's grave in an ancient crypt. One of the doctors, by accident, breaks a plate on her grave. He removes "a death mask" from her face. On that occasion, he cuts his hand on a broken glass and some of his blood drips onto her dead face. The witch is brought back to life by doctor's blood. It's time for revenge...Almost all elements in this horror are too grotesque. The film, by his structure, irresistibly reminds on "Dracula" from 1931. A terrifying tale about a revenge of bloodthirsty creatures becomes boring in the second part of the film. A pretty cold and creepy scenery deserves compliments. Cobwebs, vampires, crypts and a spooky castle may do not look convincing, but they increase the horror atmosphere.The acting is pretty solid. Barbara Steele as Katia Vajda/Princess Asa Vajda is a kind of link between the living and the dead character. Her face leaves a very strong impression. She was a quite successful, considering the fact that one character is a primordial good and other is an extreme evil, in that dual role. John Richardson as Dr. Andre Gorobec is inconclusive as some sort of John Harker.This movie has definitely shaken fans of Gothic horror.

A tad too graphic for its time, Mario Bava's Black Sunday is an incessantly Gothic, chilling & eerie example of horror filmmaking that is now counted amongst the greatest examples of its genre, and although it was deemed too extreme for the filmgoing audience during its time of release, its lasting influence on horror cinema cannot be downplayed.The story of Black Sunday concerns a witch who was condemned to death for sorcery by her very own brother but, in her final words, vows revenge and puts a curse on him & his descendants. Her resurrection is triggered when two doctors inadvertently awaken her two centuries later, following which she attempts to possess the body of a lookalike descendant.Directed by Mario Bava in what's his directional debut, Black Sunday remains his most revered film to date and despite being over half a century older, it is still capable of startling a few viewers. The prologue alone contains imagery that's gonna evoke visceral reaction from its audience, and Bava's direction is commendable, for this Gothic chiller is crafted with passion.Shot in black-n-white, the images are sharp, crisp & finely detailed. Camera-work is expertly carried out with Bava making use of different styles & techniques to amplify the effect of a given segment. The Gothic vibe is consistently maintained and its 87 minutes runtime is splendidly paced but there were a few moments that felt unnecessary plus its background score isn't seamless either.Coming to the performances, the cast comprises of Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Ivo Garrani & Arturo Dominici, with Steele impressing the most. Playing both the witch & the descendant, Steele pretty much nails it in the role of the former while as latter, there are few instances when she goes overboard, possibly because her character is written that way. Nevertheless, she is well supported by the rest of the cast.On an overall scale, Black Sunday is a masterwork of expressionist horror that's not just notable for launching the careers of Bava & Steele but is also notorious for pushing the boundaries of what's acceptable on the film screen. Technically accomplished & narratively engaging, Mario Bava's labour of love retains much of its potency after all these years, and the aura of its meticulously constructed sets are so rich & dense that it will keep the viewers hexed throughout its runtime. Highly recommended.

A loose adaptation of the Nikolai Gogol short story "Viy", director Mario Bavas' film version "Black Sunday" a.k.a. "The Mask of Satan" is quite simply old school horror filmmaking at its finest. Shot in beautiful black & white by Bava himself, it spins a yarn of an aristocratic Russian family haunted by the two hundred year old curses of a witch named Asa (Barbara Steele). Two doctors impulsively enter the tomb that houses Asas' body, and one of them just happens to put into motion the means of resurrecting her from the dead. Asa then does the same for her associate, Javutich (Arturo Dominici) and they begin to terrorize the locals.Extremely well crafted, Bavas' film is noteworthy for some incredibly potent atmosphere. It truly lives up to the word "horror", with some genuinely skin crawling moments. The sets and the visuals are breathtaking, and the screenplay is very literate. Genre fans know that they will be in for a good time with the opening three minutes, as the unrepentant Asa is punished for her crimes and made to wear a mask that will penetrate the skin of her face. Bava might have done better not to zoom in on visual surprises in the fame, but that would be a very minor complaint.The performances are all sincere and right on the money. Steele kick started a great career with her dual role as the evil Asa and her look alike descendant, a princess named Katia. John Richardson is engaging in the leading male role of Dr. Andre Gorobec, who unsurprisingly falls in love with Katia. Andrea Checchi is superb in the tragic role of Andres' colleague Dr. Thomas Kruvajan. Ivo Garrani is excellent as the frightened Prince Vajda, Katias' father who's all too aware of the history of their family. And Dominici has a truly great and memorable face, perfect for the part of the intimidating Javutich.This is ideal viewing for those people looking for classic shockers. Even seeing it in a dubbed version does not rob it of its power.Eight out of 10.