Film

The Long Hair of Death

Name: The Long Hair of Death
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Released: 1964
Cast: Barbara Steele, George Ardisson, Halina Zalewska, Umberto Raho, Laura Nucci

Horror

A 1964 Italian Gothic horror film about a woman executed for witchcraft in medieval times, with her daughter's dark discovery of the lord's true motives. Gorgeously shot in black and white, it's atmospheric and deliberately paced, mixing supernatural revenge with genuine period dread. For fans of stylish European horror who appreciate mood over jump scares.

TMDb rating

3.2

If you liked this

Black Sunday1960

Bava's masterpiece of Gothic atmosphere: a witch's curse across centuries, stunning cinematography, and Barbara Steele in her defining role. A direct spiritual predecessor to The Long Hair of Death with even more visual virtuosity.

But Deliberately slow-burn; the plot can feel secondary to the gorgeousness of each frame. Not for those who need constant plot momentum.

The Pit and the Pendulum1961

Corman's Poe adaptation shares that European Gothic sensibility—claustrophobic castles, psychological torment, vivid colour cinematography. Similar era, similar mood, similar commitment to style over realism.

But Campy in places where it intends to be serious. Roger Corman's theatrical flourishes won't appeal if you want restraint.

The Witch2016

A different era, but the same DNA: a woman accused of witchcraft, family destruction, period horror grounded in genuine theology and dread. Slow, hypnotic, visually exquisite.

But Aggressively bleak and depressing. No catharsis, no relief. Deliberately antagonistic to audience comfort.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Long Hair of Death

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Marketa Lazarová1967

Both use medieval European settings and accusations of witchcraft to explore family trauma and the displacement of sexual power. Both prioritize visual composition and mood over plot clarity. Both are formally ambitious period horror-adjacent films rarely discussed together.

A Czechoslovak medieval epic in black and white, almost Breughel-like in composition. Brutal, beautiful, and genuinely hallucinogenic—witchcraft and violence embedded in landscape and family curse rather than Gothic castle atmosphere.

But Completely unfamiliar grammar of cinema. Avant-garde editing, fragmented storytelling, no conventional narrative structure. Demands active watching and rewards patience abundantly.

Castle of Blood1964

Same year, same director (Sergio Tutino), same Barbara Steele. A man spends the night in a haunted castle; Gothic atmosphere and supernatural menace without the witch-trial setup.

But The plot is thin and somewhat ridiculous once you start thinking about it. Runs on mood and visual storytelling alone.

The Leopard1963

Not horror, but same Italian cinema moment, same commitment to sumptuous black-and-white cinematography, same sense of social upheaval and decay. Visually magnificent.

But Glacially paced historical drama. If you want the Gothic supernatural, this removes it entirely. Nearly three hours.

The Innocents1961

Another period ghost story in lustrous black and white. Ambiguity about what's supernatural and what's psychological; deeply unsettling without gore or explicit scares.

But Psychological ambiguity means it doesn't resolve neatly. Some find it frustrating rather than creepy.

Suspiria1977

Argento's giallo-horror masterpiece is more visceral and colourful, but shares the obsession with witchcraft, Gothic atmosphere, and prioritizing visual and sonic design over plot coherence.

But Extremely violent and graphic. The style is much more expressionistic and artificial than the period realism of The Long Hair of Death.

Dead Ringers1988

A psychologically twisted doubling narrative with Gothic atmosphere in a modern setting. Explores obsession, bodies, and transgression with unsettling precision and formal elegance.

But Cerebral and sexually disturbing. Not a horror film in the traditional sense, and quite body-horror focused.

The Skin I Live In2011

A Spanish psychological thriller with Gothic atmosphere, obsession, and body horror. Visually elegant, narratively intricate, with genuine shocks buried in character study.

But A major twist reshapes what you've been watching. Some find it clever; others feel manipulated. Requires rewatching to fully appreciate.

A Tale of Two Sisters2003

Both films use supernatural framing to externalize family trauma—the real horror is emotional and relational, not otherworldly. Both female-centred narratives about inherited pain and the cost of women's powerlessness.

A South Korean supernatural horror film that mirrors The Long Hair of Death's preoccupation with female trauma, family curse, and visual beauty masking psychological devastation. Gorgeously composed, genuinely creepy.

But The twist recontextualizes everything; some feel cheated by the revelation. The horror is rooted in grief rather than supernatural menace, which may feel like a bait-and-switch.

Häxan1922

Both interrogate witchcraft accusations from a perspective sympathetic to the accused. Both use visual spectacle to convey the gap between superstition and reality, making the accusation the true horror rather than any supernatural fact.

A Swedish documentary-essay-phantasmagoria about witchcraft beliefs across history. Silent, genuinely unsettling, wildly imaginative in its depictions of witch trials and demonic imagery. Surreal and scholarly at once.

But Silent film from 1922 with no conventional narrative. Long stretches of intertitle exposition about medieval theology. The pacing and structure will feel alien if you're used to story-driven cinema.