The Long Dark Marathon of the Soul '26: Black Sabbath (1963), directed by Mario Bava

 

The Trailer

and

The Appropriate Tune - "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath 

Fun fact: Originally I was considering doing Pumpkinhead II for today’s film, but it was so bad that I had to turn it off after a few minutes. Just an immediate, intense disinterest. So instead let’s do one from one of the old masters of Italy’s horror film scene.

In Black Sabbath, horror icon and Grinch narrator Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) is here to entertain us this evening with some scary stories. Tales of treasure hungry graverobbers getting their just desserts from the restless dead, terror by telephone, and vampires drawn to steal the blood of those they love. Tales of death and terror, all those things which get you in the mood for the Halloween season.

When it comes to that incredibly Italian style of horror known as giallo, Mario Bava was a predecessor of frequent blog subject Dario Argento, and we can see things in Black Sabbath that would later be taken to greater heights by later filmmakers. The gothic set design, the saturation of color, the emphasis on sexuality and extreme dramatics, and so on and on. Black Sabbath is certainly not as graphic as we would see in Argento’s film like Tenebrae or Suspiria, but it’s more that this film came out in 1963, rather than a difference in what constitutes giallo.

Of the three stories, the third and final one is given the most time. Makes sense, as it’s not only a period piece but is the one that features Boris Karloff, who is the most recognizable name of the cast. Karloff is suitably creepy as the disheveled, vampiric patriarch of a Russian family, and the audience has the time to let the dread sink in. I guess you’d call it best story, but that’s not to discount the other two segments, which manage to get in some quick and dirty frights.

I’ll give Black Sabbath the nod. Perhaps it’s not as frightening by modern standards, but it looks good beyond just the charm of older horror films. Pair it with another horror anthology film like Creepshow, or from another Italian director like Lucio Fulci or Joe D’Amato, get a double dose of Mediterranean flavor.

 

STATUS: RECOMMENDED