Koroshiya 1 (aka Ichi the Killer) (2001)
Yabu no naka no kuroneko (aka The Black Cat) (1968)
La maschera del demonio (aka The Mask of Satan, Black Sunday) (1960)
although Black Sunday is on the underrated list, it recently has gained notoriety since it was cited by Tim Burton as one of his favorite films. whether you trust Tim Burton or not (anymore), you can see the influence of Bava's masterpiece (in my opinion) written all over some of Burton's more famous films; from the semi-expressionist set design to the "fate is inescapable" themes.
this film is also notable because the beautiful, and legendary, Barbara Steele plays the dual roles of both heroine and villain with grace and style.
to me, this is a good example of why to watch foreign films. it is completely different than American film, with a heavy emphasis on style as well as substance (while American films mostly lack both, ha). Bava seems to have had no interest in making "Hollywood" movies and almost zero concern for reaching an American audience.
well worth owning if you can find it (the dvd is currently oop) and, at the very least, worth renting just to get a taste of what 1960s Italian horror was like before Fulci. -
knife_fight
Lady in White
Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973)
