source: Tales of Terror

Tales of Terror

I think this film is very underapreciated, but as I watched it for the fourth time last night i really enjoyed it. I tryed to focus on each segment individually-towards the end when I watch 'The M. Valdemar case' I felt that I was still thinking about the previous two segments. I really liked this film. I love it how Price plays a completely different character in each segment, in addition hid acting was very good even though you don't get to understand the character as throughly as in other full lenght films. I also like it how the stories cover a wide range of ideas. The cast is good also as there is Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone, some beautiful woman, and of course last but definitely not least Vincent Price.

Excellent horror movie, based on three Edgar Allan Poe stories. Great plots and scripts, but what do you expect from Edgar Allan Poe? Perfect pacing in all three, gradually building up to the gripping finale. Roger Corman's directing talents are on full display. Vincent Price stars in all three, and is superb. His presence generates the terror. Thrilling, fun, and in even funny (in the second story), this is what horror movies should be like.

This film's three segments are roughly based on Poe stories, with writer Richard Matheson adding subplots of adultery and jealousy. In "Morella," there's a dying father and daughter and a dead wife who decides to speed their demise (which Corman would cover again in his film "Tomb of Ligeia"). "The Black Cat" is an elaborated version of "The Cask of Amontilado" with the addition of adultery (and a funny guest part by Peter Lorre). "The Case of M. Valdemar" adds a lecherous hypnotist (Basil Rathbone) to the story of a hypnotized corpse. As in most AIP films, gore is minimal, and innocents rarely suffer (with the possible exception of the daugher in "Morella"). While not a major classic, it's enjoyable, with the charisma of the old cult film stars (Price, Lorre and Rathbone) one of the best elements.