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Pit and the Pendulum (The Pit and the Pendulum) (1961)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.5/10
Reviews Counted: 15
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 3

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Release Date: Aug 12, 1961 Wide

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Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 8,002

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Movie Info

American-International's standing "haunted castle" set is exhibited to peak advantage in Roger Corman's Pit & the Pendulum. Save for the climax, Richard Matheson's script bears but little resemblance to the Edgar Allen Poe original, though there are pronounced echoes throughout of Poe's The Premature Burial. Vincent Price stars as Nicholas Medina, the son of a notorious Spanish Inquisition torturer. Nicholas' wife Elizabeth (Barbara Steele) has died under mysterious circumstances, prompting

Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.

Horror, Cult Movies

Directed By: Roger Corman

Written By: Richard Matheson

In Theaters: Aug 12, 1961 Wide

On DVD: Jun 5, 2001

American International Pictures (AIP)

Cast

Vincent Price
Nicholas Medina
John Kerr (II)
Francis Barnard
Barbara Steele
Elisabeth Barnard Medin...
Luana Anders
Catherine Medina
Anthony Carbone
Dr. Charles Leon
Patrick Westwood
Maximillian the Butler
Lynn Bernay
Maria
Larry Turner
Nicholas as a Child
Mary Menzies
Isabella
Charles Victor
Bartolome

Critic Reviews for Pit and the Pendulum (The Pit and the Pendulum)

All Critics (18) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (3) | DVD (7)

The film ends up being very nearly as good [as House of Usher], and better in some respects.

October 9, 2011 Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy

| Comment

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

The title calls out for lustrous Freudian hysteria, and Corman delivers

March 15, 2010 Full Review Source: CinePassion

| Comment

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

Vincent Price lording over a giant torture pendulum! Awesome.

March 10, 2007 Comment

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

It reminds us that flat, colorless character actors look really flat and colorless when sharing a scene with Price.

April 5, 2006 Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com

| Comment

Mark Bourne

DVDJournal.com

MGM's new DVD edition of The Pit and the Pendulum comes with an illuminating audio commentary by Roger Corman, whose extraordinary memory supplements any film school's how-to-direct syllabus.

April 5, 2006 Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com

| Comment

Mark Bourne

DVDJournal.com

Corman estabelece uma boa atmosfera de tens�o, sendo auxiliado na tarefa pela bela dire��o de arte e por um Vincent Price mais do que inspirado.

February 16, 2005 Comment

Pablo Villaca

Cinema em Cena

Typical Corman-Poe flick with a few unintended laughs thanks to Vinnie's campiness.

August 27, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

The best of the Roger Corman Poe films.

January 25, 2003 Comment

Gerry Shamray

Sun Newspapers of Cleveland

Even Vincent Price has little to do

May 28, 2001 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com

| Comment

Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Pit and the Pendulum (The Pit and the Pendulum)

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It was so great to get to see two of my favourite horror stars together for once: Price and Steele. This is one of my favourite of Corman's Poe series, and not just for that reason, the movie is really intense and exciting too. I really like it.

September 5, 2010

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

A very different adaptation of Poe's story; Corman is able to build a tense atmosphere with a firm direction, one great art direction and Price's magnetic performance.

October 22, 2009