House of Long Shadows (1983)

  

After a couple of days of work taking a chunk out of my evening, it was time to get back into the swing of things. My movie selection for the evening, 1983s House of Long Shadows.

Plot/ An American writer goes to a remote Welsh manor on a $20,000 bet: can he write a classic novel like "Wuthering Heights" in twenty-four hours? Upon his arrival, however, the writer discovers that the manor, thought empty, actually has several, rather odd, inhabitants.

What a treat, four great horror actors, Peter Cushing, John Carradine, Christopher Lee and Vincent Price, come together and create an awesome film. Yes, it is far from perfect; suffering from bad pacing, soma bad acting (Desi Arnaz Jr.), and an ending that definitely leaves an unresolved feeling. However, just seeing the four great work and mesh together is more than enough to carry the flick. While not a masterpiece, it is definitely worth watching!

The Raven (1963)

After a long day, I decided to turn to something reliable to put a smile on my face. What is that? The combination of Roger Corman, Vincent Price and Edgar Allan Poe, in 1963s The Raven.

Plot/ A magician who has been turned into a raven turns to a former sorcerer for help in this film loosely based on the Edgar Allen Poe poem.

While this Roger Corman adaptation of Poe’s The Raven is far from a horror flick, it is definitely a must see for horror fans. Yes, there is not much linking the film to Poe other than the title, but what Richard Matheson’s scripting created is one of the best Corman trips into the world of Poe. Littered with comedy, the fusing of Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff (with a young Jack Nicholson), really works within the confines of this often overlooked Corman masterpiece. The special effects are decent (especially on the budget), the sets are tremendous and the script is amazing. Yes, there are flaws (as there are in all of Corman’s low-budget flicks), but they are easily overlooked. Check this out, you will not be disappointed.

Tales of Terror (1962)

As I was thinking of what to do for Vincent Price Day, I couldn’t help but think of his great work in the 1950s and 1960s with Roger Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. So, in honor of Vincent, my review todays is Tales of Terror from 1962.

Plot/ Three stories adapted from the work of Edgar Allan Poe. A man and his daughter are reunited, but the blame for the death of his wife hangs over them, unresolved. A derelict challenges the local wine-tasting champion to a competition, but finds the man's attention to his wife worthy of more dramatic action. A man dying and in great pain agrees to be hypnotized at the moment of death, with unexpected consequences.

This entry of the Corman/Price/Poe adaptations features small variations of the tales, Morella, The Black Cat and The (Facts in the) Case of M. Valdemar. While these very short versions of each lack the feel of the earlier Price/Corman collaborations, feeling uneven and unpaced at times, they do remain as a quality anthology of Poe’s works. There are liberties taken, as all of Poe’s works are difficult to get onto the screen as written, but that is to be expected. Price, who stars in all three segments, does a masterful job playing three diverse characters with the flair and camp humor only he could master. The film also features some tremendous special effects that really added to the development and direction of the movie. Yes, at times the mood lightens a bit too much and it seems too happy of a tone, but it is a movie that is worth watching and a definite must see for fans of Poe, Price and Corman!

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

As my celebration of Vincent Price comes to an end, I decided it was time to jump into his Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. For those that do not know, Poe is my favorite author of all time and have even dressed up as Poe for Halloween. My choice tonight was one of my favorites, The Pit and the Pendulum from 1961.

Plot/ Francis Barnard goes to Spain, when he hears his sister Elizabeth has died. Her husband Nicholas Medina, the son of the most renowned torturer’s of the Spanish Inquisition, tells him she has died of a blood disease, but Francis finds this hard to believe. After some investigating he finds out that it was extreme fear that was fatal to his sister and that she may have been buried alive! Strange things then start to happen in the Medina castle.

This may be one of my favorite performances of Price, He is absolutely terrific, providing this character with tremendous depth and sympathy. As a huge Poe fan, this adaptation written by Richard Matheson, is not really a faithful adaptation, it is a cleverly written story that fuses many different Poe's short stories in one. Yet, the movie comes across with such a chill and eeriness within the beautiful atmosphere created by Roger Corman, who did a masterful job at continually mounting the suspense until the climatic end. This is a great movie and another must for all Price fans to see.

House of Wax (1953)

While going through my Vincent Price collection this week, I have really taken a trip down memory lane. I grew up on his movies and they truly were my introduction into the horror genre. Looking back, I believe one of the first Price films that caught my imagination was House of Wax, a movie seemed to just stay with me and I could not wait to grab it when it came out on DVD.

Plot/ A sculptor of wax figures for a museum is horrified when his partner proposes setting fire to the unpopular museum in order to collect the insurance money. As the wax figures melt amid the blaze, the two men have a fight. The sculptor is knocked out in the scuffle and left to "perish" among the flames. He resurfaces many years later for the launch of his own wax museum. The opening coincides with the sudden disappearance of some dead bodies from the city morgue. His assistant begins to suspect his boss of foul play, especially after the deranged wizard of wax begins eyeing his assistant's lovely friend as a model for a waxed figure of Marie Antoinette.

House of Wax has a great and solid storyline, and is definitely one of the few 3D releases that does not have to rely on the special effects for it to be popular. While I do not believe this is Price’s greatest moment as an actor, it may be one of his most important and defining roles. This film started his path into horror history and is the foundation of his icon status (not to mention the influence left on the viewers). Complete with a very stylish and artistic feel, some creepy effects and some of the best early make-up, this movie is a classic and towers over the modern remake.

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

After spending the early part of the week going through some of the movies Vincent Price made famous in the 1970s, I felt it was time to take a step back. My choice for tonight was the 1959 Price classic House on Haunted Hill for my incarnation of Vincent Price Week on the Ringmaster’s Realm.

Plot/ Millionaire Fredrick Loren invites five strangers to a party in the House On Haunted Hill. The house has a past of brutal murders. Mr. Loren's fourth wife, Annabelle, warns the guests that her husband is insane and plans something that night. That is when everyone begins to suspect something is going on with Mr. Loren. At midnight, the doors are locked and there is no way to get out. Then when a game of murder begins and no one knows who is doing what there is no way to call for help.

To me, this classic version of the film is by far the best. Director William Castle does a great job in creating one of the most entertaining examples of the low-budget, black-and-white horror films that many of us were raised on. The low budget classic has a nice combination of thrills and chills and follows a very entertaining story while maintain great pace. As usual, Price does a masterful job at bringing his character to life, and is really at the top of his game taking advantage of all of the elements that the setting allows. In the end, this is truly a Price classic and very entertaining film, if you have not seen it pick it up now!

Madhouse (1974)

As I move into day four of Vincent Price Week, I decided to watch and review his 1974 entry Madhouse. While this is not my favorite Price film, it definitely seems to grow on me more every time I watch it.

Plot/ Paul Toombes made himself a Hollywood star by playing the role of Dr. Death in a series of successful horror films written by his friend, Herbert Flay. Now, after years in a mental institution following the murder of his fiancée, Ellen - a murder that many, and even he himself, believe he committed - he wants nothing to do with the homicidal character. Herbert, who is writing a new TV series about Dr. Death, persuades him to return to the role. Paul soon regrets the decision when the producer of the series turns out to be the former maker of porn movies in which Ellen starred. Worse, his new female lead is arrogant and incompetent. Meanwhile, he discovers that he is not the only guest in Herbert's home. There's also Faye, his former co-star, who has gone mad after being deformed in a car explosion. But none of this unpleasantness compares to the horror of Dr. Death himself. It seems the character has a will of his own - a will to commit murder.

This is definitely more of a mystery, rather than pure horror (cheaply made horror film at that) that manages to add a small tinge of creepiness. Boast icons Price and Peter Cushing, it is a shame that this film, based on the novel Devilday by Angus Hall, seems to miss more than it hits. The script as many holes and despite some brilliant flashbacks to some of Price’s best roles from earlier film, the movie does not keep its momentum throughout. However, the film does have a campy feel with some nice visual elements sprinkled throughout. With that in mind, while this is not the best movie of his career, Madhouse is at least good fun (especially for Price fans).