Starring Ray Milland, Hazel Court, Richard Ney, Heather Angel, Alan Napier
Directed by Roger Corman
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A man becomes obsessed with the fear that he will be buried alive, and leads a sheltered existence consumed by that fear, ignoring the pleas of his wife and his friends to seek help.
Corman delivers another Edgar Allan Poe adaptation for American International Pictures, with many of his usual cast and crew contributing, but this one's missing his familiar star, Vincent Price. Although the screenplay (fleshing out Poe's short story) is written with the same beats and elements as Corman's primary Poe productions, and Price certainly could have played the part rather comfortably, Milland is more than acceptable and makes the role his own. Sumptuous color is a hallmark of the film, with deep reds highlighted above all in the interior production design, the costumes, and Court's makeup, and it looks beautiful. The exteriors, composed of endless green vegetation and encroaching white fog set off the interior design, creating two distinct worlds in an interesting contrast. I do think it's regrettable that screenwriters Charles Beaumont and Ray Russell chose to echo what Corman had done before in their climax to the film, rather than try something new, but with Milland's presence and a unique look for the castle and grounds, it feels like a different film, which I found a welcome approach. It might not be one of Corman's best Poe adaptations, but it's certainly very striking and watchable.
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