Rating: 
Summary: Mario Bava's masterpiece--a prerequisite for horror buffs
Review: "In the 17th century, Satan was abroad on the Earth and great was the wrath against those monstrous beasts thirsty for human blood that traditions have given the name of vampires."Such is the opening narration of the Masks of Satan, or Black Sunday. Princess Asa is burned by the inquisition of the High Court of Moldavia, who have also executed her partner-in-crime, Igor Javutic. She curses the House of Vajda, and her face affixed with the mask of satan, a facial iron maiden. There is an effective closeup of her frightened face before the masked executioner slams a heavy wooden sledge onto the satanic mask! Ouch, that's really gotta hurt! She would've been burned at the stake and that would be the end of it, had it not been for a thunderstorm. Instead, she is interred in her crypt and Javutic buried in unconsecrated ground. Two centuries pass, say sometime in the 1840's. I say that due to the coachman's remark of having fought Napoleon's army, and estimating his age. Asa is accidentally awakened by Dr. Kruvayan, the older of two Russian doctors en route to a medical conference. Soon after, a slew of deaths involving anyone connected with the House of Vajda occur, and Princess Katya, who is a dead ringer for Asa, seems to be the prime target. She is helped by Andrei Gorobek, Kruvayan's younger colleague, who has taken a shine to her, and vows to get to the bottom of things ("We're in the presence of some unnatural mystery.") Barbara Steele is brilliant here as the gentle but frightened Katya, and as the strong and evil Asa, scoring better in the latter role, with lines such as "Don't you feel joy in the beauty of hating?" and "Come kiss me, my lips will transform you." The scars on her face from the mask are explicit for 1960. As for Igor Javutic, the painting of him resembles a painting of Vlad the Impaler I've seen in a book on Dracula, and Arturo Dominici is perfect realized as a live incarnation of said painting. Horror is not just madmen slashing away at nubile young women, but the tense atmosphere created by the dark forces at work. The resurrection of Javutic is just one example. And the scene where the Prince of Vajda notices the change in the painting and sees the mask appear in his hot toddy is accompanied by dramatic music, most of which is chilling. However, in scenes between Andrei and Katya, some romantic Rachmaninoff-sounding piano comes on cue. Black Sunday really set the stage for effective horror films. It's full of scary effects: eerie wind blowing, a thunderstorm with lightning, invisible forces at work, secret passages, vampires with claws, and realistic corpses. And its being shot in black-and-white gives a boost to the cinematography and lighting.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic Goth Guignol
Review: The incredibly photogenic original Goth queen, Barbara Steele, couldn't have asked for a better film debut than this atmospheric black-and-white classic by famed director Mario Bava. She gets to play both the innocent and beautiful ingenue Katya, and Katya's evil twin ancestor, the diabolical witch, Asa. Steele's performance is half the reason to watch this conventional black magic/ghost/vampire tale, the other half being Bava's cinematography and skillful direction. This is an especially violent film, opening on the execution of Asa and her evil manservant, Javuto, by the nailing of spiked devil masks to their faces (the original title of the film was Mask of Satan). The visuals in this, and all other, scenes in the film are archetypally perfect. The actual framing and composition of each shot is beautifully done, throughout. The scenery is lush, the makeups unsettling - especially the resurrected Asa, with the holes in her face from the mask - and many of the effects are equally disturbing, especially one in which Asa's naked ribcage is exposed. European horror cinema of the 1960s was the best the genre ever produced, and this was one of its premiere features. Highly recommended not only for horror fans, but for serious film students as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Italian Language!
Review: The Mask of Satan (Black Sunday) is one of the most stylish gothic films made. Unfortunately this dvd edition makes watching the film a snoozefest. Originally shot in Italy and with an Italian soundtrack, this new "restored" version hits you with disgustingly camp American dubbing totally out of sync with the lip movements. The soundtrack has both inspired moments of psycho-ish grue, and
embarrassing mills&boon slop, but as this appears to be the original, there's nothing to be done about it. The dialogue however is another story! If the same dvd company can put out other Bava discs with original Italian language and subtitles - why not with this one? This film deserves much better, and hopefully a truly "original" cut can appear. On a higher note, the visual transfer is perfect, which is another reason why the inept soundtrack frustrates.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Horror
Review: This is a must see if you are an avid horror movie fan. Another one to try if you liked this one is Horror Hotel with Christopher Lee (has much more witchcraft in it). Get them both and have a great horror fest!!
Rating:
Summary: based on the russian master of story teller Nikolaj Gogol.
Review: This film was made in 1961 which featured the british horror queen Barbara steel.. and the story was based on the short Vampire story from the classical russian author Nikolaj Gogol 19th century. The film told us that the story of the Witchmaster and his girl friend princess ASHA from Moldavian eastern europe were burned in the 16 th century but 300 years later they came back from the grave to revenge their death. Mario Brava was a very good italian director especially in the horror films during the 60's. Thats why I said that the old italian or british hammer horror films
were much much better than the hollywood cheap modern scray tales. I said well the old british and italian horror films are much better than the modern
hollywodd one, because the stories had a full classical literary meaning and the interpretation was absolutely excellent, which the modern Hollywood scarry
films are not interrested in it.
Rating:
Summary: Gothic Masterpiece
Review: Although there is a glitch or two in the DVD format, this movie is perhaps the best horror picture ever filmed. Thick, gothic atmosphere sets the scene for wonderful camera work that can only be effective in black and white. Barbara Steele is beautiful,yet spooky, as not only the monster but the victum as well. The garbage to come from hollywood in the last 20 years cannot compare to this horrific masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: One of the great horror films!!
Review: Mario Bava was a genius of light and shadow, and he loved to film the horror Queen Barbara Stelle, whose haunting face with pronounced cheekbones and huge eyes were perfect for his mastery. No one touches Bava for his Black and White horror films. Yeah, it's a little rough in dubbing, but the impact of this brilliantly conceived and executed film will soon make you forget. From the opening squence where the witch receives the Mask of Satan, to every cobweb,every spooky shadow, to the mesmerising Steele in the dual role of the witch and her current day descendent, this is one beautiful piece of work. If you love horror and have not discovered the pure talent of Bava and Steele, then this is a MUST!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Totally Delicious Movie (DVD)!
Review: Why watch color movies when you can watch glorious black + white? The picture on this DVD is incredible! I've always been a fan of and preferred black + white movies and this one fortifies that thinking. The picture is very clean with only bits of dust going by once in a while. It's hard to say what's better: the eerie sets and interior scenes or the lighting of the actors' faces. The DVD is simply amazing -- what a great purchase! I subtracted one star for a pure mono soundtrack. Yes, I realize that's all there was back then, but DVD's should be a totally superior visual and sound experience. It's easy to see now why there are so many Barbara Steele fans. She literally captures your heart and brings the screen to life. I'm not sure of her dimensions; sometimes she appears quite petite, but she has strong forearms and nice, long hands and fingers/thumbs. It's those kinds of sensual details that I like about the Bava films and crave in most modern movies. And of course there are a few scenes to make you smack your lips -- like when the doctor unbuttons her blouse! Superb black + white, widescreen presentation that is superior to those full-screen presentations, this is a delicious way to spend 87 minutes. YOU WILL be hooked on Barbara Steele after seeing this movie.
Rating:
Summary: A forgotten masterpiece of horror!
Review: This movie somehow doesn't seem quite as scary as when it first came out 40 years ago, yet still must rank as one of the best and scariest movies ever made. I first saw it as a child and have never forgotten it. It is unfortunate that this movie has been largely forgotten by the public (and movie critics). In the early part of the 19th century two medical doctors, one young, and the other his older mentor, pass through a remote part of Romania on their way to a medical convention in Russia and become involved in the machinations of an extremely evil witch who was destroyed two hundred years before and is seeking to return from the dead by stealing the life of her lookalike descendent. Many of the scenes have been copied in dozens of later movies but never as good as this original. The action includes vampires, spooky castles with secret passageways, weird portraits that change, eery coaches, scary graveyards, and more! This movie made Barbara Steele a star and the queen of horror throughout the sixties. The way that I heard it, at about 23 years old she had already been under contract to at least two major studios who felt that she had star potential but couldn't figure out how to use her. Then Mario Bavo cast her in this movie and made her a star.
Rating:
Summary: black sunday
Review: Chilling and compelling even after 40 years.
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