The Pit and The Pendulum [VHS]
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VHS Movie Reviews of The Pit and The Pendulum [VHS]
Movie Review: Best Film Of All Time
Summary: 5 Stars
In my opinion, Pit and the Pendulum is the greatest film of all time. The film is a masterpiece. The whole atmosphere is all very dark and creepy. It has a general tainted look about it. The film also extends into the area of psychology due to the fact of insanity. The whole film circulates round an old torture chamber. This is the basis of Vincent Price's growing insanity.
It's a great film... definately worth a watch.
Movie Review: One of the most memorable final shots in horror film history
Summary: 5 Stars
After the success of "House of Usher," American International asked director Roger Corman to "adapt" another Edgar Allen Poe work to the screen. "The Pit and the Pendulum" seemed the logical choice, although the story itself is essentially unfilmable. Fortunately, screenwriter Richard Matheson (who did some of his best work for Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone") simply reused the "House of Usher" story line and tacked on "The Pit and the Pendulum" as the climatic scene. As long as Vincent Price was engaged in his celebrated over the top performance as Nicholas Medina, neither horror fans nor American lit majors were going to notice in this 1961 film. The film is set in 16th century Spain as young Francis Barnard (John Kerr) arrives at the castle of Don Nicholas Medina (Price) to investigate the death of his sister, Elizabeth (Barbara Steele), the Don's wife. But all Francis gets from Nicholas is a...story about Elizabeth dying from "something in her blood." The young man investigates further and discovers that Nicholas had driven Elizabeth over the edge. It seems that Nicholas's father Sebastian was a leader of the Spanish Inquisition, had killed hundreds of people in the castle's crypts and had caught his wife in adultery with his brother. Young Nicholas watched his father bury his mother alive in a wall (sound familiar Poe fans?) and ended up scarred for life (you think?). Meanwhile, Nicholas is being haunted by ghostly going ons and becomes convinced he has buried his wife alive and she has returned to haunt him. When Elizabeth apparently rises from her tomb to confront him, Nicholas's mind snaps and he is driven into a homicidal dementia, which ends up with Francis being confronted with the title's instrument of torture as the film makes its way to the requisite
"The Pit and the Pendulum" improves slightly on the first film in the AIP Poe series. Certainly the visual elements by art director Daniel Haller are a vast improvement, from the eighteen-foot long one-ton pendulum to Medina's castle for which Haller gutted an entire soundstage and dressed all the way up to the roof to great effect. The Freudian implications beloved by Corman have to do with Nicholas's feelings for his mother instead of the brother-sister vibes we get in "House of Usher." Price is gloriously over the top but John Kerr does nothing with his role as Francis and for some reason Barbara Steele's performance is marred by the fact her voice has been redubbed. For me, what makes "The Pit and the Pendulum" memorable is the unforgettable final [scenes]. Irony can be both just and horrible at the same time.
Movie Review: Priceless Vincent Price
Summary: 4 Stars
Vincent Price portrays Nicholas Medina, a man tormented and haunted not only by his beloved wife's recent death but also because his father Sebastian operated a torture chamber and murdered Nicholas' mother. His brother-in-law Francis Barnard (John Kerr) comes to the forboding Medina castle to investigate his sister Elizabeth's death only to experience mysterious "happenings", which seem to suggest that Elizabeth might be alive after all. Vincent Price hams it up wonderfully, and the incredibly spooky atmosphere makes things pretty creepy as well. Hang in there during the first slow half, the second half makes it all worthwhile and Mr. Price swings a mean pendulum.Movie Review: "Price at his hammiest best"
Summary: 4 Stars
The second in the Corman/Poe/Price cycle and one of Vincent Price's best. John kerr turns up at Price's castle determined to discover how his sister Barbara Steele died. Unknown to all she has faked her own death in order to drive her husband Price mad so she can run off with her lover family friend Dr Leone (Anthony Carbone) . But their plot backfires when Price goes mad and thinks he is his late father a vicious torturer of the Spanish Inquistion. Wonderful gothic sets and genuine chills from director Roger Corman and a worthy follow up to 1960's "Fall Of The House Of Usher".Movie Review: Vincent Price in one of his most famous roles
Summary: 4 Stars
Where set in Spain has Francis Barnard, played by John Kerr has come to the home of his brother-in-law, Nicholas Medina, played by Vincent Price to investigate the mysterious death of his sister, Elizabeth. Nicholas' sister, Katherine, played by Luana Anders explains Elizabeth's death, but Francis is still suspicious and that when the fun begins. This movie is very good. Roger Corman did a very good job making this film and I recommend this for anybody who likes Vincent Price or Roger Corman.