Beginning with House of Usher, from 1960, we have the tale of a man seeking to find out what has happened to his missing fiancée. Philip Winthrop (Mark Damon) shows up at the House in the title, which is surrounded by an eerie fog, demanding to know what has happened to Madeline (Myrna Fahey). There he finds her brother Roderick Usher (Price), who has inherited the family curse of oversensitivity to light, sound, not being able to taste anything but plain food, and not being able to wear anything but the softest material. But that’s not the only curse this family suffers from, it would seem. Roderick has persuaded Madeline that she is dying, as is he – a consequence of the evil things some of their ancestors have done. Needless to say, Philip is having none of this, and makes plans to take his true love back to Boston with him. However, when it appears that Madeline has died and is promptly interred in the family crypt, it seems that Roderick was right all along – or was he?
In The Pit And The Pendulum from the following year, we’re given another dysfunctional family situation in another old mansion, this time by the sea. Here Price plays Nicholas Medina, who has married Elizabeth (another horror icon, Barbara Steele from Mario Bava’s Black Sunday). When her brother (John Kerr) receives news of her death, he arrives to find out what happened. Apparently, Elizabeth became obsessed with Nicholas’ father, who was one of the Inquisition’s most ruthless torturers, and she used to wander down to the dungeon where a variety of his work implements are still present – one of them being that famous pit and pendulum. With Nicholas thinking he’s going insane, backed up by the shifty Dr Leon (Antony Carbone), it begins to look like Elizabeth’s death wasn’t accidental at all. But I doubt whether anyone will guess the real twist at the end – nor who will end up on the wrong end of the pendulum’s blade.
Finally, The Masque of Red Death (1964) rounds off the collection – taking us further into mind-bending 60s pyschodelia than even the dream sequence in Usher promised. We start with a hooded figure dressed in red – and talking in Christopher Lee’s voice – telling an old woman that the Red Death plague will soon be visiting her village. And so it does, killing people left, right and centre. Sadistic Satan worshiper Prince Prospero (Price) is eager to get back to the safety of his castle, a haven of hedonistic pleasures, but before he goes he takes with him a bit of totty, Francesca (Jane Asher – yes, she did have a career before cakes and Crossroads!), as well her father and the man she loves to play death games with. His wife Juliana (Hazel Court) is none too pleased that Francesca has caught his eye, so she makes her own pact with the devil to try and please her husband. Like he’s bothered. He’s more concerned with the party he’s going to throw as the villagers are wiped out – and the Red Death doesn’t have an invite. Or so he thinks…
I have to admit that age hasn’t really lessened these films’ power. Yes, they can be wordy and slow in places, if judged by modern standards, but when they get going they definitely pack a punch. The acting is of the scene-chewing kind, but that just adds to their charm, and the sumptuous cinemascope makes you long for the days of the huge single screen cinemas. Make no mistake, these movies are ‘inspired by’ more than faithful retellings of Poe’s original tales, but old Edgar Allan’s ghost still haunts every frame – and when you have a scriptwriter as good as Richard Matheson (who worked on Pit and Masque) you can’t really complain. My only gripes are about the lack of extras - just one theatrical trailer for Usher - and that two of my favourite Corman/Poe movies weren’t included: Tales of Terror and The Raven (the former boasting a splendid Peter Lorre turn in ‘The Black Cat’, and the latter featuring a fresh-faced Jack Nicholson). Perhaps they’ll be in a future boxed set? I, for one, hope so because I really enjoyed this nostalgic trip back to my childhood.
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Coming soon… New Kids on the Block – The Re-Match…
Hub - Issue 26 Page 3
