The brother says the witch Asa and her beloved Avatech to death. Before his death, Asa curses his family, then to her face nailed the metal mask, symbolizing devil worship. Two hundred years later two visitors the doctor find the crypt where Asa was buried, and accidentally bring her back to life. Immediately resurrected witch raises from the dead his beloved, and together they begin to take revenge on the descendants of her family, including beautiful Kate, like two drops of water similar to ABC.
Stephen king in his book “Dance of death” mentioned “Devil’s Mask” in the list of “100 most important paintings of the horror genre c 1950 to 1980”, and the creation of the famous Director Mario Basis very fair. The first film that the master of the genre took under his full directorial control (before that Bava had the chance to do is finish painting the other Directors), in the first frame, eloquently expresses a great future for its author. Yes, the same one, in a fit of self-irony called all his movies “suck” and are unlikely to appreciate his enormous contribution to world cinema.
The entourage surrounding characters in the film, immediately creates a very authentic Gothic atmosphere. Dry branches of trees, resembling thin arms, carpet creeping along the ground fog, the ubiquitous web and deaf to the howls of the wind act as its best features. The film even boasts of having very good by the standards of its time special effects. Pleased with the camera work, and disturbing music the composer on the technical side the picture is perfectly executed. Actors, in turn, is also remarkable accustomed to their images. The role of the witches and the Basics of girl Kate perfectly executed Barbara Steele, both beautiful and frightening.
A small flaw of the movie is still there. Connection with the work of Nikolai Gogol, mentioned in the credits, a very – apparently, Bava decided to simply pay homage to the classics, adding in a script invented for them and a similar situation, although everything that happens on the screen is small fits in Gogol’s Mirgorod stories. From the eyes of the audience especially vyhodceva not hide and “cranberry” – almost immediately after the word “Moscow” in the conversation of the characters POPs up the word “vodka”, which then again will be spoken in the frame as the main and side characters. In General, all the authors attempt to bring the film to the little Russian reality cause nothing more than a condescending smile. Much stronger than the influence of the classic vampire films – the characters are simply black coats, and the villain, Avatech lives in an ancient castle, and its appearance is clearly reminiscent of Vlad Tepes, the historic prototype of Dracula. But to judge a Director because of his love for the Russian classics is not worth it – better to focus on the merits of the film, and plenty of them.
“Mask of Satan” Mario Basis – is one of those films that don’t annoy the victim, but quite the contrary, encouraging canonicity and classic approach to the genre. This is a textbook, but a reference is brought to perfection a Gothic story, spiced with all the right ingredients and served in the best way that you can create. Of course, the creation of the master of the genre deserves its cult status.
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