Monday, November 13, 2017

THE ROGER CORMAN EDGAR ALLAN POE MOVIES 1960-64

Today we check out the Edgar Allan Poe horror movies directed by Dungeon god, Roger Corman. What we like about Roger is that he was one hip guy who worked outside the typical Hollywood box. In 1960, his first Poe horror flick hit the big screen, it's possible that Eegah!! and I saw all eight of these when they came out...

Vincent Price stars in seven of the eight movies, and, for good reason. The first production is THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER in 1960, the story goes like this.. Upon entering his fiancée's family mansion, Philip Winthrop discovers an Usher family curse and fears that Roderick Usher has entombed his bride-to-be prematurely!

Oh boy, I remember seeing THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM with Ergah!! in 1961, it was an absolute horror and a half for us youngsters! Vinnie plays an awesome madman in this Poe story of deception and gruesome revenge!!

Next is THE PREMATURE BURIAL in 1962, in this one, Ray Milland plays artist Guy Carrell, he grows apart from his new wife as an irrational horror of premature burial consumes him!

TALES OF TERROR from 1962 was one fun trilogy of fright! The three tales involve a grieving man and the daughter he abandoned, a drunkard and his wife's black cat and a hypnotist who prolongs the moment of a man's death.

THE RAVEN from 1963 was nothing but fun, it's about a magician who has been turned into a raven and turns to a former sorcerer for help. Freakin' stars Vinnie, Peter, Boris and Jack!

Even though THE HAUNTED PALACE from 1963 is a Poe story, man, it sure seems like a Lovecraft tale, the faceless people, the thing in the basement... Anyway, it's great to see good old Lon in this one, had to play a mute.

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH from 1964 is one wild flick, in it, a European prince terrorizes the local peasantry while using his castle as a refuge against the "Red Death" plague that stalks the land! They go crazy with the colors in this tale Poe would be familiar with!

Vinnie stars in the last Poe story, THE TOMB OF LIGEIA in 1964. His obsession with his dead wife drives a wedge between him and his new bride. He looks pretty weird in that costume, and sans the 'stache!.. So, keep checking back for more cool stuff from The Dungeon Gang, where the fun just never ends!!

5 comments:

Randall Landers said...

Ray Milland just didn't work for me in his outing of these 8 films. Not saying Vincent Price would've been great, but hey, yeah, I am.

Grant said...

Maybe Ray Milland would've been a better choice as the villain of a Poe movie instead of the victim.
I say that because pretty soon he would start playing so many arrogant characters in movies and TV shows.

Lacey said...

I agree with Randal, but the story was not really a Vincent Price type story.
Ray Milland had a style that made Premature Burial work for me.

Loved Roger Corman's Poe series. He always seemed to get it right.

Timmy Crabcakes said...

I had a bit of a Corman-palooza last weekend and watched a few I'd never seen... including Premature Burial. Somehow I had the idea VP was in it, and kept my hopes up till halfway through.
Milland wasn't bad, he did his whole Lost Weekend schtick quite well... but he couldn't elevate that script or the weak ending.

Anonymous said...

My favorite of the group is probably PIT, because of Luana Anders (a major crush of mine for decades). USHER is my runner-up, thanks to the beautiful color photography. I think they put them together on a DVD double feature, didn't they? I have to get a copy if it's affordable on my non-income. lol

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