long hair of death

Movie stars are an endangered species. Especially those of the female persuasion, whose careers are often – unfairly – limited to how long they can remain visually appealing. And the brightest stars burn out the fastest. Case in point, Barbara Steele, the darkly luminous queen of Italian Gothic horror whose debut in Mario Bava’s Black Sunday led to a string of similar starring roles, including the latest to debut on Blu-ray: The Long Hair of Death (1964).

Cast in dual roles once again, Steele plays the daughter of woman falsely accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake by command of a morally corrupt royal family. Despite trading her body for her mother’s life, both women are murdered, leaving a younger sister, Lisabeth as the family’s sole survivor. Years later, Lisabeth is forced to marry the very man responsible for her situation, Baron Kurt Humboldt, a spoiled, lustful thug who drags her to the altar. But supernatural forces tip the scales of justice as a mystery woman (Steele again) arrives at the castle, seducing the Baron and setting him up for a poetic demise.

The plot often feels as complicated and melodramatic as a Mexican soap opera. But director Antonio Margheriti, working with Steele for the second time in a row after Castle of Blood) embraces all the tropes of the classic Gothic scenario with enthusiasm: hidden passageways, cobwebbed corridors, dusty mausoleums and dirty family secrets. The Long Hair of Death is actually quite light on typical macabre elements, but always gives the impression that something terrifying is just around the corner.

What makes those moments worth waiting for is Barbara Steele herself. Not a classic beauty - her skin seems pulled tight around facial features that are almost cruelly composed – there’s a pull to her icy stare that commands the camera’s attention. At one point, Margheriti pushes in for a close-up as the actress is lustfully ravaged off-screen, her eyes filling the frame with a quiet anguish more powerful than any words could convey.

In his video introduction and accompanying liner notes, Fangoria editor Chris Alexander calls the film a “secret handshake” for fans of Italian horror. Indeed there are much better examples of the genre to be had. But for those whose appreciation of Barbara Steele is unquenchable, The Long Hair of Death is one of her top five film appearances. And Raro Video’s Blu-ray is a nearly perfect presentation in every way except for a few instances of minor film damage. In fact, it looks superior to many of the recently remastered Bava films and includes interviews with Margheriti’s son and screenwriter Antonio Tentori.