Starring Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone, Maggie Pierce, Joyce Jameson
Directed by Roger Corman
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A trio of Edgar Allan Poe stories is presented, featuring tales of a young woman visiting her estranged father, an alcoholic seeking revenge on his unfaithful wife, and a sinister hypnotist preying on a dying man.
This time around, instead of extending an Edgar Allan Poe story to feature length, Corman and screenwriter Matheson adapt three of them in individual vignettes, an approach I wish they had committed to for future Poe features. That's not to say the later Poe films by Corman and crew weren't of quality, but this production afforded Price the opportunity to play three different roles with skill and style, as well as offering meaty roles to Lorre and Rathbone who excelled in them. The first tale, "Morella," I found to be the least of the three, with Price as a bitter father who eventually forgives his estranged daughter for the death of his wife, while the spirit of that woman does not. It's not one of Price's more memorable portrayals, but think he does his best with the material. However, his role in "The Black Cat," (which Matheson adds elements from "The Cask Of Amontillado" to) is very memorable, playing a celebrated wine taster with a vivacious flair. Lorre, who takes center stage in the comical tale, is a hoot, and it's easy to see why Corman would bring him back for more light-hearted moments in his adaptation of The Raven. The final tale, "The Case Of M. Valdemar," offers both Price in a rare elderly makeup, and Rathbone at his most sinister, along with a quality story featuring a fascinating glimpse into the world of the dead. It's not a perfect film, but it remains among my favorites of Price and Corman's filmography.
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