Black Sunday: The U.S. Release Version

The first great Italian horror film—and directorial debut of Mario Bava—1960's Black Sunday became the inspiration for what would evolve into the stylish but violent giallo genre of the 1970s. Bava, who trained as a special effects artist, art director, and cinematographer, creates a rich atmosphere and gorgeous visual canvas for this adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's short story “Viy.” Barbara Steele plays a double role as the vengeful witch Asa Vajda, who's burned at the stake, and her guileless descendant, Katia Vajda, who 200 years later unwittingly resurrects her earlier self with a drop of blood. Bava employs gliding camerawork, dramatic lighting, striking compositions, and dark, moody sets cobbled together from limited resources, and his magnificent photography of the weirdly beautiful Steele turned her into an icon. Like many motion pictures of the era, Black Sunday appeared in alternate versions created for different countries. The uncut original is available in a fine edition on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino, complete with critical commentary by Bava historian Tim Lucas, and that version is highly recommended. This edition features the U.S. release, re-edited by distributor AIP to cut a few minutes of violence and horror, and set to a score by American composer Lex Baxter. Collectors and completists may be interested in this one, but libraries would be better served with the original Italian cut. Optional. (S. Axmaker)