Review of Black Sabbath (1963) by Kevin N — 30 Oct 2008

Black Sabbath is a trio of short horror tales all centering around the supernatural directed by Italian master Mario Bava (who brought us Black Sunday, Kill Baby... Kill and Twitch of the Death Nerve). After a nice and campy opening from Boris Karloff (from Frankenstein fame) this movie is a non-stop feast for the senses. With lush visuals, an eerie atmosphere (thanks to Bava's excellent cinematography) and great use of music to suit the different segments.

The first segment is the short Giallo like thriller The Telephone. The Telephone is simple, yet effective and always interesting and tense, considering most of the story is based around one apartment. The story flows nicely and the ending is incredibly ironic and is a smart way to end the opening tale. The Giallo undertones are all here: the beautiful women in silky nightdresses and the use of constant music throughout.

The second, and longest, segment is the Gothic horror The Wardulak. Boris Karloff is the lead here as a "Wardulak" trying to drink the blood of his loved ones. This tale strongly reminded me of Dracula, Frankenstein and Bava's own film, Black Sunday. The use of dark, foggy nights and old trees brings this story to life. The excellent use of lighting creates an almost beautiful and chilling atmosphere. The finale is a downer but it was an excellent way to end this segment.

The third segment happens to be my favourite and the scariest of the lot. It's called A Drop of Water and it is a tale of revenge beyond the grave (corny, I know...). It focuses on a young nurse who steals a ring from a dead elderly women who happened to be a medium who died during a seance. This tale is creepy, mainly due to the excellent use of lighting. The nurse's apartment is eerily lit up by a blue, watery looking light throughout the film and creates a general sense of dread. The corpse of the old lady is also very creepy and provides the major scares.

So far this is my favourite Mario Bava film and is also among my favourite horror films of all time. It is so well made and the use of lighting and camera is pretty much perfect. Look no further if you want to find Bava's ultimate film.

5/5.