This 1963 Mario Bava film is a horror anthology. The episodes that make up the film are- ‘The Drop of Water’ which concerns how the theft of a ring from a corpse starts a string of supernatural occurances directed towards the thief, ‘The Telephone’ which is about a woman who is targetted by the malcious phone calls from an anonymous caller who knows all about her and ‘The Wurdulak’ which concerns a man who tells those around him that he has killed a legendary and much feared undead creature.

Black Sabbath works like a dream (or should that be nightmare). Expertly directed, beautifully photographed, and a use of Technicolour that has to be seen to be (dis)believed (I’m loving that purple lighting). I also love the fact that outdoor scenes look like they were shot on a soundstage with a smoke machine working overtime. This isn’t a criticism, as it lends these scenes a very unsettling feel, much like a horror-tinged stageplay would evoke.

Not only is each episode brilliantly told, but we also get none other than Boris Karloff introducing each tale.

For its American release, it was picked up by Roger Corman’s American International Pictures, dubbed and the stories placed in a different order. It was then named ‘Black Sabbath’ for its American release (its original Italian title was ‘I tre volti della paura’, which translates as The Three Faces of Fear).

Black Sabbath was also influential not just on film fans and other filmmakers but also on a certain Birmingham rock combo. Another reason to love this film.

The movie has gone on to be much beloved by horror fans and has even ranked in several polls of the best horror films ever made. And rightly so.

4.5 out of 5 stars