Damn, the full beauty of this photo is lost, but pay attention, loves. This is the opening scene of Mario Bava's 1960 horror classic "Black Sunday" (also released under the inferior title of "The Mask Of Satan"). You would think you are witnessing some ritual at an S and M club, but, then, what would I know about such things? The last time I was in anything closely resembling an S and M club had to be at least 20 years ago, and I was not interested in slapping anyone around, and, while there were a lot who were interested in slapping me, no one dared laid a hand on this bitch, as I was quick to let it be known!
How unusual that the image is so fitting, yet, during this time, in such places, I never heard the film discussed or mentioned. Obviously, I was not at a conference of film scholars; still, gay men do know their culture. And even though it helped established the stardom of She With The Horror Eyes--Barbara Steele--both she, and this film, seem almost forgotten.
So, let me fill you in!
In Moldavia, the year 1630, Princess Asa Vajda, (Barbara Steele) and her paramour, servant, Javuto (Arturo Dominici) are condemned for sorcery, witchcraft and vampirism, by Asa's own brother. They are tied to torture racks--hence, the S and M image--and eventually will be burned at the stake. But before that, a spiked mask is to be placed over the head of each, which will kill them instantly, so they will not feel the flames.
Before this can happen, the Vajda siblings repudiate one another--guess they were never taught to play nicely by their mother--and Asa delivers a curse on her descendants down through the generations, vowing she will come back in another life to exact revenge. Darlings, I know just how she feels.
I wonder if, among genuine S and M circles, this scene is discussed, or even run on a screen while other things take place? It would fit. And guess what; when Asa comes back in the twentieth century to menace her descendant, Katia, (also played by Barbara Steele), she gets found out, and tortured, and burned at the stake by a mob. So, the opening and closing of this film is very S and M!
Like "Horror Hotel," this film also has a less prosaic title--"The Mask Of Satan." Most editions, when the titles flash onto the screen, reveal that title!!!!!!!!!!!! But I like "Black Sunday" better.
Both of these films were being shot around the same time, albeit in different countries, and I wonder if anyone connected to one film had connections with anyone from the other? Because, when you look at the opening sequences back to back, you discover that, dramatically, at least, they are virtually the same!
Which witch do you like better, darlings?????????????????????
Oh, it caught on all right: they just didn't speak of it openly. Instead, they formed "Mario Bava Cults," pretended to be artsy horror film aficionados, and published rambling innuendo-filled essays in "Film Comment" and "Video Watchdog". For the longest time, "Black Sunday" was the cultiest horror movie ever made- I think it held that position up thru the '90s, until internet torrents offered up easy availability of limitless numbers of foreign horror films. As with many other things, the internet floods diluted the perceived cultural stock of once-exclusive cult flicks.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course my vote goes to Elizabeth Selwyn / Mrs. Newlys as baddest witch of them all. Never has another witch had such cold regard for humankind, so unashamedly. My benchmark for callousness in movies was when Mrs. Selwyn brutally murders Nan, then afterward tells her brother she "knows nothing of Nan's whereabouts: I entered her room this morning to find her bed unslept in and her bill unpaid," implying she expects him to pay that bill.
After she cut his sister's heart out with a letter opener in a musty graveyard? That's one stone-cold bitch. God, I love her!
ReplyDeleteI am not surprised, because when I saw it as an adult, the connotations leaped out at me.
This was my first awareness of horror films. I remember when it played in the neighborhood theater, and one of my older cousins saw it. Of course, I wanted to go, and was not allowed. In retrospect, it might have freaked me out. Though I know I would have been entranced by those Barbara Steel eyes.
But, yes, I just LOVE Elizabeth Selwyn. So evil, yet so elegant and classy. Did you know that the great Patricia Jessel, who playaed her, did "Witness For The Prosecution" on the Broadway stage? She was 40 when she played Elizabeth. She was also in the film version of 'Forum,' and I think she died not long after that. Too bad; one of those great British actresses--like Barbara Jefford!