Barbara Steele appears as Princess Asa Vajda in BLACK SUNDAY (1960), captured in this extraordinarily atmospheric theatrical publicity photograph from the climactic crypt sequence. Asa lies upon the massive stone slab as John Richardson, portraying Dr. Andrej Gorobec, looks toward her, with Antonio Pierfederici as the priest standing behind him in a dark hooded cloak. The ancient stonework, shadowed arches and enormous cobwebs create a remarkable example of the Gothic imagery that defines the film.

BARBARA STEELE BLACK SUNDAY (1960) Witch’s Crypt Mario Bava Gothic Horror Photo

Originally released in Italy as LA MASCHERA DEL DEMONIO, Mario Bava’s landmark directorial debut established an extraordinarily influential visual style for Italian Gothic horror and made Barbara Steele one of the genre’s defining screen icons. Loosely inspired by Nikolai Gogol’s “Viy,” the film follows the resurrection of the condemned witch Asa and her attempt to exact vengeance upon her descendants two centuries later.

Carefully restored and professionally printed from archival source material, this museum-quality photograph is a distinctive collectible for admirers of Barbara Steele, BLACK SUNDAY, Mario Bava, Italian Gothic horror, witchcraft cinema, and classic European horror.

Black Sunday had limited financial success upon its initial Italian release. It was acquired for distribution in the United States by Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson of American International Pictures (AIP), who oversaw numerous alterations to the film prior to its American release, including the removal of some scenes of violence and sexuality, re-dubbing the dialogue, and replacing Roberto Nicolosi's musical score with one by Les Baxter.

The film found greater success upon its American release in 1961 when it became the highest-grossing film to be released by AIP in its first five years of existence. The film was banned for several years in the United Kingdom and did not receive a wide release there until July 1968, when it was released by Border Films as Revenge of the Vampire.

The film received generally negative reviews in Italy but garnered far more positive reviews abroad in France and the United States, where it received favorable notices in Cahiers du Cinéma, New York Daily News, Time, and Variety. Retrospective reception of Black Sunday remains positive: it was placed at number 84 on a Time Out poll of the best horror films, while critic James Marriott praised the film as the "crowning achievement of Italian Gothic horror".

The film is now considered to be a pioneering work that set the standards for Italian horror films due to its juxtaposition of beautiful and horrific elements, with strong depictions of eroticism and graphic violence. These elements would be found in later Italian genres, such as the Spaghetti Western and the Giallo. The film turned Barbara Steele into a movie star in Italy, and led to her appearing in several horror film productions throughout the 1960s and 1970s.