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Plot Synopsis
Taglines:
The Most Frightening Motion Picture You Have Ever Seen!
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Mario Bava was a big fan of
Nikolai Gogol's short story, "Viy," on which this film's plot and characters are based. Bava recounted that he often used to read the story to his children and that the tale scared them so much that they insisted on sleeping in bed with their father. Bava so admired the horror elements of "Viy" that when was given the chance to choose the material for a film he was to direct, he immediately selected Gogol's story in order to make this film.
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Goofs
When Katya runs down the passage after finding Ivan's body she knocks over a suit of armor. When Alex runs down the same hall a little later, the armor is back on its stand.
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Quotes
Princess Asa Vajda:
You will never escape my vengeance, or of Satan's! My revenge will seek you out, and with the blood of your sons, and of their sons, and their sons, I will continue to live forever! They will restore me to life you now rob from me!
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Crazy Credits
For "The Mask of Satan," the English language version prepared in Italy, Barbara Steele's name is listed as "Barbara Steel" on the trailer and on the credits of the film itself.
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Connections
Referenced in
Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005)
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BLACK SUNDAY is not merely equal to the best of Murnau, Whale, Freund and the Universal Pictures canon but surpasses all contenders with M.C. Escheresque visuals informed with the dark poetry of stylish sadism. Barbara Steele imbues her portrayal of the vampire/witch with a demonic majesty never before brought to the screen. Indeed, her visage a landscape of puncture wounds bearing forth wild, burning eyes and thick, cruel lips (promising the joys of eternal Hell) evokes the very standard of Italian fantascienza of the Sixties. The genius of Mario Bava is celebrated in highest form in this flagship effort, his directorial debut. This film enshrines Italian horror at its best, and Arturo Dominici's performance as vampire/sorcerer is nothing less than stellar. A chiaroscuro Black Mass.