One of the greatest directorial debuts of all time is not just incredibly frightening, but it's a tour-de-force by Mario Bava. The cinematography and direction is spectacular few movies in history have ever had such immaculate shot compositions. Horror movies today decide to scare us by having the bad guy jump out at us or by drenching the film in blood, providing the audience with a moment of shock. Bava uses the sets and the atmosphere to generate a feeling of terror that lasts throughout the entire movie. This idea succeeds because of Bava's direction, not because of the story or the acting, which seem a little bit silly and contrived. Certainly not flawless, but amazing in so many ways that it is worthy of its reputation. One of the most influential horror films of all time its influence can be seen on films ranging from Brian De Palma's to Dario Argento's.
Review of Black Sunday
