Black Sabbath (1964): Cast, Ratings & Plot
Black Sabbath is a 1964 horror film directed by Mario Bava, starring Boris Karloff, Michèle Mercier and Lidia Alfonsi. It runs 1 hour 32 minutes. Critics gave it 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 82 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 32m (92 min)
- Director
- Mario Bava
- Genre
- Horror
- Original language
-
Italian - Studio
- Warner Bros.
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Black Sabbath About?
The premise of Black Sabbath without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
This eerie horror anthology presents three unsettling tales of terror, narrated by Boris Karloff. The first story explores the dark secrets of a haunted nurse, while the second follows a vulnerable call girl pursued by an unseen presence. Finally, a timeless curse is unleashed as a vampire relentlessly hunts his prey, creating a chilling and unforgettable experience.
Black Sabbath Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- lesbian subtext
- vampire
- ring
- cigarette smoking
- killing a dog
- nurse
- murder
- dog
- strangulation
- stalker
- corpse
- ghost
+38 more Show fewer
- giallo
- french giallo
- psychotronic film
- italian horror
- telephone
- telephone terror
- candy cinema
- giallo thriller
- period piece
- episodic structure
- telephone call
- omnibus film
- portmanteau film
- foreign language adaptation
- literature on screen
- european psychotronic film
- italian psychotronic film
- european horror
- talking to the camera
- breaking the fourth wall
- taking off shoes
- barefoot female
- undressing
- wrapped in a towel
- woman wrapped in a towel
- smoking in bed
- woman wears a nightgown
- female protagonist
- changing voice
- stalking
- damsel in distress
- hidden money
- crying
- camera shot of eyes
- close up of eyes
- eavesdropping
- note slid under a door
- sliding a note under a door
Black Sabbath Cast
Boris Karloff leads the cast, with Michèle Mercier and Lidia Alfonsi. Directed by Mario Bava; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Mario Bava
Also Starring in Black Sabbath
· 6 moreMore from Mario Bava
More films directed by Mario Bava: Rabid Dogs, The Venus of Ille, Shock and The House of Exorcism.
Black Sabbath Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Black Sabbath 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 82 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.
-
IMDb 7.0 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 89% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 75%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 82 Metascore
User score 8.5
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 72% User score
See on TMDB
Black Sabbath Plot Summary
What happens in Black Sabbath from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Note: This synopsis pertains to the original Italian release, highlighting the segments in a specific order.
In Three Faces of Fear, introduced by the iconic Boris Karloff, three chilling tales unfold, each steeped in horror and the supernatural.
THE TELEPHONE
Full summary
The whole story of Black Sabbath, scene by scene
Black Sabbath Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 featurette.
- Featurette Mick Garris on BLACK SABBATH
How Well Do You Know Black Sabbath?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the narrator of the film?
Black Sabbath Also Known As
17 alternative titles, including “The Three Faces of Fear” and “The Three Faces of Terror”.
- Also known as
-
- The Three Faces of Fear
- The Three Faces of Terror
- Las tres caras del miedo
- Die 3 Gesichter der Furcht
- Der Ring der Verdammten
- Les trois visages de la peur
- Drie Aangezichten van de Verschrikking
- ブラック・サバス 恐怖! 三つの顔
- Die drei Gesichter der Furcht
- A félelem három arca
- Czarne święto
- 블랙 사바스
+5 more Show fewer
- Черная суббота, или Три лица страха
- 黑色安息日
- ブラック・サバス／恐怖！三つの顔
- Τα Τρία Πρόσωπα του Σατανά
- I skräckens klor
Seen Black Sabbath?
Movies Like Black Sabbath
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Black Sunday, Spirits of the Dead and Tales of Terror.
Black Sabbath FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Black Sabbath, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Black Sabbath?
Black Sabbath runs 1 hour 32 minutes (92 minutes).
When was Black Sabbath released?
Black Sabbath was released on May 6, 1964.
Who directed Black Sabbath?
Black Sabbath was directed by Mario Bava.
More films by Mario Bava Who is in the cast of Black Sabbath?
Black Sabbath stars Boris Karloff, Michèle Mercier and Lidia Alfonsi, among 10 credited actors.
How is Black Sabbath rated?
Black Sabbath has 7.0/10 on IMDb, 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82 on Metacritic and 72% on TMDB.
Does Black Sabbath have a post-credit scene?
No. Black Sabbath has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Black Sabbath in?
The original language of Black Sabbath is Italian.
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