The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

Synopsis: In 16th-century Spain, Francis Bonnard (John Kerr) visits the gloomy castle of his late sister's husband, Nicholas (Vincent Price), in order to discern the reason for her death. It seems Nicholas is terrified that wife Elizabeth... In 16th-century Spain, Francis Bonnard (John Kerr) visits the gloomy castle of his late sister's husband, Nicholas (Vincent Price), in order to discern the reason for her death. It seems Nicholas is terrified that wife Elizabeth (Barbara Steele) is not really dead and that her spirit wanders the halls at night. It turns out Nicholas's father was a feared leader of the Spanish Inquisition, and as a child he saw him torture his mother and then bury her alive. He's now convinced Elizabeth has suffered a similar fate, even though his doctor (Antony Carbone) disagrees. Meanwhile, his father's torture chamber is still down in the basement, just waiting to get back into service. There are twisted twists and gristly surprises aplenty in this, the second in a series of color Edgar Allan Poe adaptations made by Roger Corman in the 1960s. Benefits include a mournfully eerie, atonal score by Les Baxter, the presence of European horror star Steele, and Price at his most floridly hammy. Nice costumes, atmospheric cinematography, and good dialogue from screenwriter Richard Matheson make this one of the best of the series, as well as one of the most disturbing. Luana Anders costars as Nicholas's concerned sister. [More]

Starring: Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, John Kerr, Luana Anders

Starring: Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, John Kerr, Luana Anders, Anthony Carbone

Director: Roger Corman

Director: Roger Corman
Screenwriter: Richard Matheson
Composer: Les Baxter

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