Mario Bava is beyond a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest personalities in horror film history.  He may not have made your favorite horror film himself, but there is a strong possibility that his works directly influenced it, and at the very least, influenced the filmmaker responsible.  Through a career that spanned through the better part of five decades, Bava has worn nearly every hat possible for someone behind the camera: director, cinematographer, writer, camera crew, editor, visual and special effects and even producer!  He grew up in a film family, lived and breathed filmmaking his entire life and gave to horror fans like you and I a catalog of wonderfully delirious genre works; five of which are included here in the well deserved Mario Bava Collection: Volume 1.

In a time when names like Rob Zombie (Devil’s Rejects), Eli Roth (Cabin Fever), Alex Aja (Haute Tension), and Neil Marshall (Descent) are on every horror fan’s tongue and guys like John Carpenter, Wes Craven, George Romero or Dario Argento are referred to as “old timers”...well, lets just say that an understated master such as Bava could slip into obscurity.  While this would be a complete shame in regards to his works and a tragedy for those who appreciate the genre, it has already happened once and would not be a total surprise if it occurred again.  When Bava passed in April of 1980, his fans and critics alike began to slowly hold his genius up to the eyes of the world, but in a tragic twist of fate his legacy was overshadowed for all time.  Just four days after Bava’s fatal heart attack, the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock also passed away; all but sweeping the lifelong works of another master under the carpet.

If it weren’t for tribute sets like this one, so many great masterpieces would run the risk of fading into obscurity; however, even these sets don’t always get it right.  When the copyrights of certain films makes there inclusion impossible, these sets can often get thrown together with...well, lets just say the “not-so-great” examples.  It is such a great relief to see that Anchor Bay has apparently had no troubles getting not only some great Bava material...but quite possibly the five greatest films Bava ever made!  To include all of these revolutionary films, some featuring new transfers and European versions, for under $50 is absolutely astounding and a no-brainer for any fans of the Italian horror maestro.  Let’s take a look at what makes up this set...

When Bava twice stepped in to finish the films of overwhelmed director Riccardo Frida, he was given the opportunity by the studio to make any film he wished.  That dream film and directorial debut was La Maschera Del Demonio, aka Mask Of Satan...or as it is known here and by most Western horror fans, Black Sunday.  It is the cinematography and unforgettable visuals which mark Black Sunday as a film to be remembered; however the gorgeous Barbara Steele does her part to burn this film into your memory!  An evil witch promises her revenge at the moment of being put to death for her heresy, and sure enough she comes back to enter the body of her descendant.  All manner of macabre and sinister mayhem ensues, including demonic worship, vampirism and torture; every piece of which is handled with a flair for the dramatic that would soon emanate through Bava’s entire career.  Widely considered to be one of the most important horror films of all time, Black Sunday is not only the epitome of Bava’s genius, but also the jewel of this set.

Black Sabbath was originally titled I Tre Volti Della Paura (The Three Faces Of Fear) as it is actually an anthology of three individual tales.  This inclusion is noteworthy in that it shows in one condensed format, three faces of this amazing filmmaker.  In the most basic of terms, these tales deal with vampires, restless spirits and jealous murderers; but in a much more deep analysis we find that these stories are visits into the realms of psychological horror, violence and its link to sexual deviancy and arousal, and of course a straightforward tale of corrupt relationships.  Bava stretched his wings when assembling this film, and the results are evident in his further films.  Also of note is the appearance of Boris Karloff as our host of the three tales.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (La Ragazza Che Sapeva Troppo) is Bava’s last film shot in black and white, but also holds the notoriety of being his first step towards inventing two huge genres of horror film.  It has been said that this film about a girl who witnesses a serial killers latest murder and intends to investigate it herself is one part slasher and one part thriller...I prefer to think of it more as one part slasher film and one part giallo...an Italian genre which has now become one of my favorites and which Bava himself set the standard for in a later work.  American audiences have long been tortured with a horrid dubbed and re-edited version of this film, but to see it now as its original uncut self is simply eye-opening.  Without a doubt, the originator of the giallo movement and the progenitor of the first complete giallo, his own Six Women For The Murderer.

Bava worked in several genres outside of horror, including soft-core and spaghetti westerns, and perhaps most notably in peplum films (sword and sandal Herculean epics).  Not many however remember him for his work in the medieval action film Knives Of The Avenger (I Coltelli Del Vendicatore).  Two parts slash and hack and three parts emotional drama, Knives is probably my least favorite entry into this set, however it is an imperative look at the skill Mario Bava actually possessed in turning any tale into a work of art.  Think of the late American westerns and their reliance on the lone gunman and his emotional distance from the enamored and endangered widow and you’ll get a good feel for how this period piece is handled...only Bava does it better.

We spoke earlier of Bava’s influence on the genre and those who work within it, and perhaps none of his films have influenced more filmmakers than Bay Of Blood (the first true slasher and starting point for Friday The 13^th, the Scream series, and just about all other “body count” films).  But if there was to be a challenger to that film it would be Kill, Baby...Kill! (Operazione Paura).  Touted by the likes of Dario Argento, John Carpenter, Martin Scorsese and David Lynch as being a major point of reference, this film about the haunting spirit of a dead little girl may have reached far beyond those who will admit it. 

In today’s horror market, it seems that Western filmmakers are all trying to capitalize on something we have seen as strictly Japanese...the young dead girl who appears and brings with her the promise of torment until a mystery is solved.  But it appears that this transition has already been handled...and handled very well...a long time ago by a brilliant man named Mario Bava.  The completely phantasmagoric visual display, gut-wrenching morose tone and manner in which Bava holds his audience rapt and directs them to places they may not even want to go is the stuff which M. Night Shyamalan is now held in such regard for.  Kill, Baby...Kill! is a chilling tale of revenge served cold, and proves that to be a master of horror a filmmaker should be able to both shock AND scare their audience.

At this point it goes without saying that these are five extraordinary examples of both the filmmakers craft and Mario Bava’s particular genius.  I cannot tell you how satisfying it is to have these five masterworks collected together and offered in as close a manner to the original format as is possible.  Given the importance of this director and these films in particular, you should be sold on this set already...toss in the fact that there are some great interviews and commentary included and this is an insane treat for true horror buffs.  I honestly have a harder time choosing which has thrilled me more...the fact that I can call this set my own, or the fact that it is labeled Volume One as an indication of more Bava collections to come!  These are the films that will counter balance all the teenie horror crap on your shelves and add some quality into your quantity!

-aaron-