The original Demons (1985) has been a favorite of mine for many years. For a long time, I have attributed my love for it to Dario Argento. He certainly deserves some of that credit, but he didn’t tackle this project alone. His main collaborator and the director (Argento produced) was Lamberto Bava, son of the legendary Italian filmmaker Mario Bava. Having trained with two of the best, Lamberto Bava went on to have quite a career in film, directing nearly thirty films, shows, and mini-series.
In 1989, he took part in a project called Sabbath, which was six episodes (feature length) made for Spanish television, directed by six different artists. Bava would tackle The Mask of Satan aka Demons 5: The Devil’s Veil (1989). It’s a very loose retelling of his father’s film Black Sunday (1960) and, despite some minor flaws, manages to be an entertaining and unique entry in the genre.
Deep in the Alps, a group of skiers brushes off a warning from a helicopter pilot and plunges headfirst into danger, tumbling deep into an icy crevice. The injured group stumbles upon a masked figure frozen in the ice. One of the skiers stupidly removes the mask, unleashing the malevolent spirit of the witch Anibas (Eva Grimaldi), who instantly begins to corrupt the group and transforms them into her minions.
RELATED: ‘The Thing: Remastered’ Game Review: The (Mostly) Definitive Way to Play
Only Davide (Giovanni Guidelli) can resist her wicked influence as chaos ensues. Tensions rise when Davide’s girlfriend, Sabina (Debora Kinski), attempts to seduce him, leaving him to question if she’s possessed by the witch’s dark power. With the help of a mysterious priest (Stanko Molnar), Davide fights to ward off the evil force and save his friends from the witch’s sinister grasp.
The Mask of Satan has a gripping set-up and compelling finale with solid effects work, including some gags created by the legendary Sergio Stivaletti. The only real issue with the film is that it drags a bit in the middle. It’s not a deal breaker; it just could have used another pass in the editing bay.
Spanish television in the ’80s didn’t shy away from explicit content; this film is no different. But don’t expect it to go too far. To my knowledge, it had never been released in the States prior, and this release delivers a gorgeous transfer that was scanned in 2K from the original camera negative.
RELATED: ‘Return of the Living Dead’ (2025): Everything to Know
The Blu-ray from Severin Films has a small set of interesting bonus features that include interviews with Lamberto Bava and actresses Mary Sellers and Debora Caprioglio. It might not be much, but they offer insight into the film and their careers. If you order it soon enough, you can get it with a limited slipcase with exclusive new artwork.
It’s no masterpiece, but it does have an interesting story, great effects, and a rather satisfying final act. If you’re a fan of Italian horror cinema, then you won’t want to miss Lamberto Bava’s The Mask of Satan.
Check out the trailer on YouTube.
We’re hardworking geeks who love to geek out, but we can’t do it without you! If you enjoyed this article and want to see more like it, please consider tipping our writers. Also, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
