Rating: 
Summary: Looks better than it is
Review: Black Sunday is an eerie little horror movie about witchcraft and vampirism. In the 1600s, a witch and her lover are condemned to death, but before she perishes, she utters a curse on her brother/condemner. Exactly 200 years, a pair of travelers stumble on her crypt; one of them is accidentally injured and a few drops of his blood fall upon her corpse. This is enough to partially resurrect her, and she begins to seek her vengeance.
Although not really mobile herself, she is able to call her lover from the grave to act as her agent. Her goal is to kill the remains of her family (who live in the castle next to the crypt), except for the daughter who is her lookalike and will be the key to her restoration to full life.
This movie is often effectively creepy, with strange events happening in the shadows and the occasionally disgusting corpse (effects that may be a bit dated now but still work reasonably well). Unfortunately, it is also often rather boring, with the interesting moments spaced out between the tedium. In addition, as this is an Italian movie, there is dubbing, which can be annoying (I much prefer subtitles).
Is this a horror classic? Not really. Is it a good movie? Overall, yes, even with the slow spots, but just enough to rate a high three stars. This is not a waste of time, but if you miss it, you won't be much poorer for it.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the first Italian Horror movies by Mario Bava
Review: IFC on Halloween weekend did a special on Italian/Gallio showcase, showing some of the best Italian Horror directors, they
showcased Mario Bava and his hit movies.
Bava was a pioneer and an enthusiast for horror movies influencing guys like Dario Argento, John Carpenter and Joe
Dante. It doesnt surprise me that many so called movie advisors
have never uttered this man's name, true ignorance.
Bava has established a great formula for the modern day
horror flick and gallio (Slasher) movie.
His first movie Black Sunday showcases all his brilliance
in his first film. It's about a witch whose burned alive
(like the Salem Witches) only to come back from the dead
and torment her accusers.
Its not heavy on gore, but high on suspense , dialogue
and great twists.
This is a good movie that all so called movie horror fans should
see.
Rating:
Summary: Scary Movie 1
Review: When I was a kid and there were just three channels and educational TV, we used to stay up Friday and Saturday nights to watch old scary movies. Most of them were quite forgettable and, if seen today, would be funnier than scary. Few were scary at all and didn't seem to provide more than an excuse to stay up late. The scariest one that I recalled seeing was "Black Sunday". It had a believable plot; evil beings are put to their proper death only to emerge generations later to terrorize. Their reincarnation occurs when travelers stumble across the crypt of the witch. Each step of the movie seemed to feed on the previous one in a frightening series of escalading terror. Or at least that was what it felt like to watch it when I was a 10 year old.
I was so fascinated with the movie that I searched for years to find just WHAT book by Nickolai Gogol that the movie was based on. I read "Dead Souls" just on the chance that it might have been the one. It wasn't but I was better for the effort.
Alas, it seems a bit dated as I watch it this Halloween. It is still a lot better than the ones with the fake monsters or the ones in the 70's where the evil one never dies but keeps coming back for sequels. The movie is Italian and I always assumed that the movie was dubbed since the lips didn't quite match up to the words. However, my 12 year old pointed out that Barbara Steele IS speaking English but it still doesn't match up. Oh well, I rated it on my opinions at age 10 rather than at age 52.
Rating:
Summary: A great homage to classic Universal horror
Review: When I first saw this 1960 film it totally floored me. If you haven't seen the old, classic Universal horror flicks from the 1930's and 1940's then the film might not have the same effect. Bava does an amazing job of recreating the old Universal atmosphere and adding some slightly risque touches that probably wouldn't have past muster two decades earlier. Barbara Steele is the prototypical goth horror babe. She could also act and is at once beautiful and mysterious. The opening sequence with the spiked mask is great and the overall pace of the film is about right. I think the fight sequence toward the end could have been a little more eventful, but all of the scenes are shot in an artistic manner with a great amount of spooky details. Overall, one of my favorites of the horror genre, right up there with Psycho, The Exorcist, and Universal's triumvirate of Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man.
Rating:
Summary: The heavenly totality of Asa Vadya's eyes
Review: (...)This is certainly a minor stylistic masterpiece. It creates atmosphere that is thick, foreboding, and claustrophobic. The story, however, is not worthy of such a lush, lavish treatment. It just doesn't possess any emotional depth. The whole film is Barbara Steele's eyes. They possess power that the film as a whole simply does not. The fog the film is enveloped in is not pervasive enough to mask the bitter emptiness of the tale being conveyed. It is difficult to criticize the film on its cinematic qualities. Nevertheless, the story does not mesmerize, tantalize or excite beyond those moments when Asa is moaning in her blood ecstasy. Indeed, my grandest (futile) wish was for Asa to slaughter them all and then to hit the road looking for more victims to prey upon. Barbara Steele weeps, shrieks, sighs, faints, screams, moans, gasps, and is undeniably fascinating to watch. She is far more interesting as Asa. As Katia, she is a cipher. She's drained of life and hysterical to boot. Asa has activated her will (if the undead can even be said to possess a will--the will of Satan?). Katia is receptive, helpless and boring. She's just a lonely princess longing for her prince (yawn). It isn't Ms. Steele's fault--the character is simply dismal. She's the "good" girl--she doesn't have to do anything, except mope about in a perfectly awful hairdo. The rest of the cast are perfectly plastic--save for Arturo Dominici as Javutich. He's a fine match for Ms. Steele and wondefully terrible. He has presence that the others lack. Still, the film is simply gorgeous. The story might not be my glass of Absinthe, but the film is still visually stunning. It lacks emotion and depth--but it makes up for it somewhat in the sheer power of its images. Obvious films that clearly map out the binary opposites at play are just not that intriguing. When you know from the start that virtue will win and evil will be destroyed, it kind of takes the thrill out of the whole thing.
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