Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

Note des utilisateurs:

7.0/10   

Réalisateur:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Richard Matheson (writer)
Edgar Allan Poe (story)

Release Date:

12 août 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Accroche:

Until now no one has dared to film this ...... the most diabolical classic of all time!

Plot:

Francis Barnard goes to Spain, when he hears his sister Elizabeth has died. Her husband Nicholas Medina...

Plot Keywords:

Death | Castle | Spanish Inquisition | Buried Alive | Cult

Avis des utilisateurs:

One of the spookiest and most frightening of the Roger Corman Poe adaptations. A must see for all horror buffs.

Ensemble

Vincent Price	...	Nicholas / Sebastian Medina
John Kerr	...	Francis
Barbara Steele	...	Elizabeth
Luana Anders	...	Catherine
Antony Carbone	...	Doctor Leon
Patrick Westwood	...	Maximillian
Lynette Bernay	...	Maria
Larry Turner	...	Nicholas as a child
Mary Menzies	...	Isabella
Charles Victor	...	Bartolome

Autre(s) titre(s):

The Pit and the Pendulum (USA)
La chambre des tortures (France) [fr]
Le puits et le pendule (France) (informal literal title) [fr]

Durée:

80 min

Pays:

USA

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Couleur (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Son:

Mono

Classification:

USA:Approved (PCA #19988) | USA:Unrated (video release) | Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Norway:16 (1961) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:18 | UK:X (original rating)

Emplacements De Pelliculage:

Palos Verdes, California, USA

Company:

Alta Vista Productions

Anecdotes:

This was the second of Roger Corman's "Poe" films. He had intended to do "The Masque of the Red Death" but felt that it was too close to the content of Ingmar Bergman's recent Det sjunde inseglet (1957) (US title: "The Seventh Seal"). Several years later Corman would go to England to make The Masque of the Red Death (1964).

Goofs:

Continuity: The name plate on Elizabeth Medinas tomb goes from looking almost brand new to worn and rusty and back in several different shots.

Guillemet:

Doctor Leon: We will exhume Elizabeth.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Madhouse (1974)

One of the spookiest and most frightening of the Roger Corman Poe adaptations. A must see for all horror buffs.

'Pit And The Pendulum' sees b-grade legend Roger Corman ('Little Shop Of Horrors'), talented suspense writer Richard Matheson ('The Incredible Shrinking Man'), and horror master Vincent Price ('The Tingler') try and recreate the success of their first Poe adaptation 'House Of Usher'. And they do so admirably, '... Pendulum' being even better than the excellent '... Usher'. Matheson cleverly expands upon Poe's original tale by also mixing in elements from the earlier movie, 'The Premature Burial' and other Poe classics. John Kerr is the one weak link in this first rate thriller. An actor I'm not familiar with, he is dull and not all that good. Much better is Antony Carbone (who Corman fans will recognize from 'A Bucket Of Blood') as Price's doctor pal, and the underrated Luana Anders ('Dementia 13', 'Easy Rider') as Price's sister. Price himself is wonderful as usual as the tormented Don Medina, and an added bonus is the appearance of enduring cult figure, and one of the most beautiful actresses in movie history, Barbara Steele ('Black Sunday', 'Shivers'). Steele doesn't get as much screen time as one would wish but it's a joy to see her work alongside Price, sadly their only movie together. 'Pit And The Pendulum' is one of Corman's best horror movies, and one that will surprise many viewers today with just how atmospheric and creepy it still is. An extremely underrated film (as are Corman's other 60s Poe adaptations), and one that is a must see for all horror buffs. Highly recommended.