Black Sunday

"You, too, can feel the joy and happiness of hating." 

This is a 1960 Italian horror film directed by Mario Bava, and the stars include Barbara Steele, John Richardson and Andrea Checchi. Originally called "La Maschera del demonio" (The Mask of the Devil). 

Centuries ago, a witch is condemned to death alongside her lover, and the executioner is her brother. Given masks to wear that are torture objects designed to kill, the bodies were then buried separately, with the witch held in a family crypt and her lover in a criminals graveyard. After hundreds of years, two doctors find themselves stranded in the area and accidentally disturb the resting place of the witch.

This is an Italian film with foreign stars, such as English actress Barbara Steele who plays the princess and the witch, she was unable to speak Italian and was afraid that she would be appearing nude. The film was purposely made in monochrome to create atmosphere and it does work. There are many gorgeous gothic sets and baroque furnishings to add to the mysterious spooky place. The film is based on the story Viy by Nikolay Gogol. 

I rate this epic masterpiece a 10/10

Blood Strawberry  

Blood and Lace

 

"Shock after shock as Desire drives a bargain with DEATH!"

"Blood and Lace" is a 1971 horror film directed by Philip Gilbert and stars Gloria Grahame, Melody Patterson and Milton Selzer.

A teenaged girl is orphaned and troublesome, and sent to a facility for other orphaned kids. On the surface it looks nice, but she hates the chores given to her and tries to cause trouble there until she finds sick kids in an infirmary, and a girl in the attic dying of thirst. The orphanage is run by a strange woman and a violent handyman with an obsession about hammers. There are much more gruesome things to discover and the girl is tormented with nightmares.

There's something terribly familiar about the story, as it seems to be quite similar to the fairy tale "Bluebeard" by Charles Perrault. However, this story has a twist. Originally it was given a PG rating despite horrible scenes, but it wasn't until 2015 that the film was rated with an "R". The film is also called "The Blood Secret".

I rate this film a bad smelling 2/10.

Blood Strawberry

Moondial

"Moondial" is a 1988 paranormal tv drama, originally released as mini series. It was directed by Colin Cant and stars Siri Neal, Arthur Hewlett and Jacqueline Pearce. 

The heroine of this is a teenaged girl named Minty, who stays with her godmother for a short while and she explores the village, only to find a mysterious sundial. It transports her through time and she encounters a boy who seems able to see her although no one else from his time can. There are ghost children in the old house, who might be in danger from a dark entity. 

This was made for children although it was creepy and touches on the occult. Revisiting my childhood watching this again. Today's youth may find it old fashioned. Filmed at Belton House in Lincolnshire. This was based on the novel "Moondial" by Helen Cresswell.  It was rereleased as a film for DVD in 2015. I give this nice gothic story a 6/10. The sundial itself is real and not a studio prop, it belongs to the manor house and all of it is protected as a listed building.  

Blood Strawberry 

Nightmare Castle

 

This 1965 film was originally called "Nightmare Castle" or officially "Amanti d'otretomba", but has since been renamed "The Faceless Monster". Directed by Mario Caiano, and stars Barbara Steele, Paul Muller and Helga Liné. 

A mad scientist murders his wife Muriel and her secret lover in a greenhouse, during a fit of jealous rage. He then uses his dead wife's blood to make eternal youth possible, that he gives to his elderly mother. There was a conspiracy between him and his mother all along to get at Muriel's castle and money, which seems to have worked but greed got better of them both, when he marries Jenny, the mad sister of Muriel. 

The same actress plays both Muriel and her sister Jenny. This is a ghost film with some atmosphere and tension, nice sets and gorgeous costumes. Really elegant style of horror that is mostly night time and shadowy. The director Mario Caiano was inspired to make this because of his love of all things gothic and especially after reading Edgar Allan Poe. 

I rate this classy horror film 8/10.   

Blood Strawberry