GL84 Centuries after being killed, a professor and his associates realize that they have inadvertently resurrected the bodies of a witch and her lover who are back to claim their revenge and forces the group to protect his girlfriend who is vital to her plans when they realize her connection to them.This is one of the creepiest films ever. One of it's biggest surprises is how well the film is photographed which is very beautifully filmed and angled for a film from this time. The inviting black & white colors draw on an even similar tone as they use the inherent creepiness it gives on viewers to meld together and create an atmosphere that decides to unnerve you with images that are creepier than anything else. The opening where the punishment ceremony is dolled out to the unfortunate victim complete with the torch-lit crowd and the appearance of the iconic mask being hammered into place over the screaming victim is legendary for its effectiveness, the discovery of the castle where they discover the tomb with the buried body being found is a chilling Gothic masterpiece of a sequence and the big sequence of the helpers' resurrection during a raging thunderstorm is a simply classic example which shows the moving and heaving Earth nearby and then the rocks part and a bony skeletal hand springs forth and hauls the body out of the ground. The black & white photography offers a different viewpoint as we are not sure what we are seeing as the film uses them to harness an atmosphere in such a way that only the early Universal films had managed to recreate. Even the scenes in their underground crypt are utterly effective and chilling even before the sequence of the coffin breaking open and seducing the assistant which is a great highlight. Leading into the stellar plot line about the historical connection is rather enjoyable with the film having her in a dual role which allows us to view the deadly aspects of the witch and the beauty of her human form makes for a stellar lead-in to the discovery of their connection. The painting that so intrigues her is a great inclusion as we have the important filmmaking technique of us knowing that they're related without being explicitly told is so rarely seen that it strikes a big chord during the reveal at the very end that the two of them are related as we are never told but yet have already known for a long time due to the painting. That, combined with the remarkable ending in which they're confronted by both forms and are about to kill the good one at the urging of the evil one, and just to make sure puts a cross to her head and it doesn't burn her head, is a chilling moment as we finally learn that the witch has been reborn is a great moment. True, the concept of a witch returning from the dead to claim vengeance is a pretty cliché story nowadays, and the special effects look incredibly dated with some rather sloppy work done to show the decay of human skin over the years but these are middling issues that don't really affect this one that much.Today's Rating-Unrated/PG-13: Violence.

trishaade "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.

sol- Inadvertently brought back to life two centuries after she was crucified, a seventeenth century witch tries to avenge her death and possess the body of a near identical descendant in this Gothic horror film starring Barbara Steele. The film is directed by Mario Bava and making his solo feature film debut, Bava does well directing the material. His camera almost never sits still, the sets are appropriate eerie and the lighting choices are excellent, with many effective stark black and white images throughout. This is especially true of the unsettling opening scene with point-of-view camera-work as a mask with spikes on the inside is nailed into Steele's face. On the minus side, the opening is easily the most horrific and memorable sequence in the film, with the rest of the film gradually losing momentum. The film also features too many dialogue-heavy scenes for its own good and the plot is overly complex with vampires as well as witches thrown into the mix. Flawed though 'Black Sunday' may be as a narrative, it is never less than an absolute triumph of atmosphere and style, and the film is worth watching for the imagery (and spooky sound effects) alone. Bava even manages to make the smallest of moments atmospheric through subtle techniques like using a tracking shot from the back of a carriage. Some regard this as Bava's finest film achievement. That might not be true, but the reputation is understandable.

gavin6942 A vengeful witch (Barbara Steele) and her fiendish servant return from the grave and begin a bloody campaign to possess the body of the witch's beautiful look-alike descendant (also Barbara Steele). Only the girl's brother and a handsome doctor stand in her way.For many years I kept putting off seeing this because I was not sure if i had seen it or not, getting it confused with "Black Sabbath" (which it really has nothing in common with). Now I have seen the Kino version that is on Netflix. From what I understand, there are two English versions and an Italian one. I am not sure which one of the English ones this is (though the dubbing is funny given that Steele does not speak Italian).Anyway, beautiful film with some good black and white photography. I definitely need to see it again in its various versions before really making any serious comments.