Black Sabbath
by Mario Bava
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DVD details
Actor: Boris Karloff, Jacqueline Pierreux, Mark Damon, Michèle MercierDirector: Mario Bava
Brand: Fox
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); Italian (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.77:1
Running Time: 86 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-10-23
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
DVD Reviews of Black Sabbath
DVD Review: The best horror anthology out there, but.....
Summary: 4 Stars
First of all, let me tell you that this is not the definitive release I'd have hoped for. Had the original Italian version been included, this would be a five star review and then some. The original, un-fu#*ed-with version is out of print and I'd have hoped that a two DVD set with both versions and a slew of bonus features would have been the way to go for this new release. There is a commentary track and interview along with the usual trailers and stills, but I expect better for such an underrated classic. That is the only thing stopping me from giving this movie the five stars it so richly deserves. Now that that's out of the way, I do have fond memories of this English-language version, which shows the three short films in a different order and edits them a little bit because that's just what we did with foreign films back then. The dubbing is top notch, however, and any way you cut it, "Black Sabbath" is still among the greatest horror anthologies ever made. At least in this version you get to hear Boris Karloff's real voice, right?
"The Drop of Water" is largely considered to be the best of the three vignettes that make up "Black Sabbath". The story is about a woman who steals a ring off of a dead woman's hand and then begins experiencing odd phenomena, most notably a constant drip of water that reappears elsewhere in her home as fast as she can tighten the leaky faucets. It is certainly the most atmospheric of the three and the climax is indeed terrifying, even if the special effects aren't what they once were.
"The Telephone" is the weakest of the three and the one that suffers the most from the editing. In fact, the entire premise of the story itself is changed through manipulation of the dubbed dialogue and the ommission of a few key shots. What remains is a straightforward story of a woman being stalked via phone by her psychotic ex-lover, recently escaped from prison. The Italian version was an extremely ironic tale of a jilted lesbian lover that censors must have thought would either offend American audiences (Oh no, it's the gays, hide!) or fly over their heads. What remains is still an engaging little film that probably inspired Scream (Dimension Collector's Series).
Last in this cavalcade of the macabre -and my personal favorite- is "The Wurdalak", a chilling vampire story that stars Karloff himself in the title role. A wurdalak is an corpse come to life that seeks the blood of those he loved most. It opens with a family awaiting the return of their father, who has left strict orders to kill him if he is gone for longer than three days. After the stroke of midnight on the third day, the dog begins to howl and Boris Karloff, looking every bit the part of the ghoul, slowly shuffles home to his terrified family. It's an awesome scene and the story only gets better from there, but I won't spoil the rest.
If you've never seen this film and you're a fan of classic horror do not hesitate, pick it up ASAP. Mario Bava never was a fan of gore, but that doesn't mean he didn't know how to scare an audience. Each of the three short films that make up this feature are more than worth your while and at least two of them are stone classics as far as I'm concerned. If you can't secure the Italian version, this one is more than adequate, although the original version of "The Telephone" is far superior. I'll finish this review with a bit of music trivia. This is the film that inspired four men in Birmingham, England to create a new, dark style of music designed to frighten people the way this movie frightened them. The name of the band? Guess.
Description of Black Sabbath
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