This time around, it's a much earlier film (1960) that feels earlier still, this one looks and feels as though it could almost have been born of the 40's horror boom.
A prologue set in the 1600's sees an accused vampire witch havering 'The mask of Satan' nailed to her face, before being burned at the stake. She promises to have revenge on her accuser (who is also her brother) by 'living on' through his bloodline.
200 years later, a pair on doctors running late to a conference bribe their carriage driver to take a shortcut through some woods which locals claim are haunted by the witches ghost. Predictably enough one of the coach's wheels brakes (ye olde flat tire) and the doctors go off for a wonder while the coachman switches in the spare
Stumbling upon the witches crypt, the pair let themselves in and the older, a curious sort, removes the mask from her corpse in order to examine it, cutting himself and unknowingly revive her in the process.
Upon exiting the crypt they encounter the witch's lookalike descendent (with whom the younger doctor is immediately smitten) and decide to stay in town overnight.
After much panicking and jumping at shadows on the part of the lookalike and her father, the witch finally comes to life proper, and so begins her plot to drain the doctor who revived her (to get to full strength) and then her doppelgänger, as through her, the witch feels she will gain life immortal.
The movie looks great, full of shadows that perfectly compliment the gothic sets, and even though the movie has a very classic feel, there is just a hint of the gallio feel that Bava would go on to pioneer.
Sadly, the movie drags horribly in its second half; Once resurrected, the witch seems in no hurry whatsoever to act on her plan, and I found myself struggling not to reach for my phone and check Facebook or play a round of Candy Crush Saga... For a movie with such a promising opening, seeing it fall this far was very disappointing.
200 years later, a pair on doctors running late to a conference bribe their carriage driver to take a shortcut through some woods which locals claim are haunted by the witches ghost. Predictably enough one of the coach's wheels brakes (ye olde flat tire) and the doctors go off for a wonder while the coachman switches in the spare
Stumbling upon the witches crypt, the pair let themselves in and the older, a curious sort, removes the mask from her corpse in order to examine it, cutting himself and unknowingly revive her in the process.
Upon exiting the crypt they encounter the witch's lookalike descendent (with whom the younger doctor is immediately smitten) and decide to stay in town overnight.
After much panicking and jumping at shadows on the part of the lookalike and her father, the witch finally comes to life proper, and so begins her plot to drain the doctor who revived her (to get to full strength) and then her doppelgänger, as through her, the witch feels she will gain life immortal.
The movie looks great, full of shadows that perfectly compliment the gothic sets, and even though the movie has a very classic feel, there is just a hint of the gallio feel that Bava would go on to pioneer.
Sadly, the movie drags horribly in its second half; Once resurrected, the witch seems in no hurry whatsoever to act on her plan, and I found myself struggling not to reach for my phone and check Facebook or play a round of Candy Crush Saga... For a movie with such a promising opening, seeing it fall this far was very disappointing.
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