The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) User Reviews (145)

Impressive Poe adaption from AIP

[Red-Barracuda · 7/10 · 27 July 2013]

Like most Edgar Allan Poe adaptions, The Pit and the Pendulum only barely resembles the original text. But if you have read any Poe you could hardly be surprised by this seeing as his stories were very short and had very limited plot-lines. They were more a case of a single horrible idea with a small amount of story surrounding it. In this case, the screenplay was adapted by Richard Matheson who was the writer famous for the novel 'I Am Legend'. He does a good job of fleshing out the story, adding more interesting detail while still incorporating the central idea. It's not until the excellent finale that we really see the material taken from the book but it's well worth the wait as the ending is very strong both in terms of suspense and visual artistry.

On the whole, for a low budget movie this looks quite sumptuous. It's consistently nice to look at with great use of colour, including some monochrome flash-back scenes. The sets, costumes and quality of actors are of a high standard. In this sense, it mimics the approach of the Hammer films, whose low budget Gothic horror films similarly had a very polished feel on a similarly low budget. I guess director/producer Roger Corman was intentionally aiming for this and he himself directed a further handful of Poe adaptions for his company AIP; all of which followed the same basic template and were equally impressive productions on a small budget. Of course, it is never going to hurt a film to have Vincent Price on board. He always delivers quality in my opinion and here is no different. He is especially good in the final third once he goes insane and believes himself to be a reincarnation of his infamous father, a notorious torturer from the Spanish Inquisition. Additionally, it can also never hurt a film to have Barbara Steele in it either. She was the queen of 60's Gothic horror and starred in a number of productions. In this one she only has a small role but it's very important and memorable.

It's probably a movie that is best defined by its excellent ending though. The first two-thirds build up the tension and intrigue but events spiral to a crescendo in the final third. It's really once we meet the terrifying wonder that is the pit and the pendulum that the movie moves into iconic status. Overall, this is certainly one of the best examples of 60's Gothic horror.

Another great Gothic horror!

[jluis1984 · 8/10 · 26 July 2006]

Right after the success of "House of Usher", director Roger Corman wanted to make another adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe's story, "The Masque of the Red Death", however, he felt that it was not the time for that project and decided to make the short story "Pit and the Pendulum". Reunited with Vincent Price and most of the crew of his previous film, Corman crafted another brilliant entry in the Gothic horror sub genre and a film that proved that the praise for "House of Usher" was well-deserved and not a mere lucky strike.

The plot follows Englishman Francis Barnard (John Kerr) on his trip to Spain as he has received news of the death of his beloved sister Elizabeth (Barbara Steele). At his arrival, he is informed by Elizabeth's widower, Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price), that she died of a strange blood disease, but strange events begin to happen and both men will discover the strange mystery hidden behind the walls of Medina's castle.

Written by frequent collaborator Richard Matheson, the film is not really a faithful adaptation, it is a cleverly written story that fuses many different Poe's short stories in one. The story unfolds nicely and as in the previous film, the characters are the film's soul. Matheson perfectly forms the bonds and relationships between them and none is left without a time to shine. The mystery of Elizabeth's death and Medina's castle is very well-handled and the unexpected climax is a classic horror moment. Once again Matheson delivers a terrific script that captures Poe's obsession with ancient buildings and Gothic settings.

Despite the low-budget, Roger Corman manage to surpass what he achieved in "House of Usher" taking care in every little detail, with the lavish sets and gorgeous cinematography making the film look as beautiful as a canvas. The films of the so-called "Poe cycle" are almost always labeled as his best and not without a reason, as they prove that Corman was not a mere director of low-grade cheap films. He was truly a daring and inventive artist and this film remains as one of his most powerful masterpieces.

The cast this time is superb, with Vincent Price taking the lead role with great talent and powerful presence. With ease he can go from melodrama to utter horror and his melancholic over-the-top melodrama was right at home in Poe's adaptations. John Kerr makes a terrific counterpart and his performance is very believable. As a stranger in a strange-land, his character brings balance to the film and Kerr makes the most of it. The beautiful ladies Barbara Steel and Luana Anders show off not only their beauty, but also their talent. Steel's aura of mystery suits perfectly the atmospheric horror of the film and Anders displays her talent for melodrama.

The film is near perfect and a great joy to watch. Never dull nor boring, the film captures the Gothic horror of Poe's stories and gives them homage in a grandiose way. A big improvement over the first of Corman's "Poe films", it's hard to find a flaw in it as nearly everything is its right place. From Price's on-screen presence to the wonderful sets, "Pit and the Pendulum" is a masterpiece of low-budget film-making, a movie that looks even better than most of the big studios productions.

"Pit and the Pendulum" proved to be up to its reputation and it quickly became a favorite of mine. Personally, the discovery of this gems has drastically changed my idea of Roger Corman's work, as this group of films prove that this man is a serious artist who knew how to make a movie that was an economic and a artistic success. This film is another great Gothic horror treasure. 8/10

A masterpiece of Gothic horror!

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 7/10 · 29 May 2003]

"The Pit and the Pendulum" is the second of Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe's adaptations with a screenplay by Richard Matheson.Vincent Price's performance is an obvious highlight of the film.Legendary horror actresses Luana Anders("Dementia 13")and Barbara Steele("Shivers","Silent Scream","Black Sunday")co-star in this extremely atmospheric chiller.To sum up,"The Pit and the Pendulum" is one of Roger Corman's finest offerings-it's creepy,unsettling and extremely entertaining.A masterpiece that easily gets 10 out of 10!

One of the spookiest and most frightening of the Roger Corman Poe adaptations. A must see for all horror buffs.

[Infofreak · 12 January 2003]

'Pit And The Pendulum' sees b-grade legend Roger Corman ('Little Shop Of Horrors'), talented suspense writer Richard Matheson ('The Incredible Shrinking Man'), and horror master Vincent Price ('The Tingler') try and recreate the success of their first Poe adaptation 'House Of Usher'. And they do so admirably, '... Pendulum' being even better than the excellent '... Usher'. Matheson cleverly expands upon Poe's original tale by also mixing in elements from the earlier movie, 'The Premature Burial' and other Poe classics. John Kerr is the one weak link in this first rate thriller. An actor I'm not familiar with, he is dull and not all that good. Much better is Antony Carbone (who Corman fans will recognize from 'A Bucket Of Blood') as Price's doctor pal, and the underrated Luana Anders ('Dementia 13', 'Easy Rider') as Price's sister. Price himself is wonderful as usual as the tormented Don Medina, and an added bonus is the appearance of enduring cult figure, and one of the most beautiful actresses in movie history, Barbara Steele ('Black Sunday', 'Shivers'). Steele doesn't get as much screen time as one would wish but it's a joy to see her work alongside Price, sadly their only movie together. 'Pit And The Pendulum' is one of Corman's best horror movies, and one that will surprise many viewers today with just how atmospheric and creepy it still is. An extremely underrated film (as are Corman's other 60s Poe adaptations), and one that is a must see for all horror buffs. Highly recommended.

The Pit and the Pendulum (7/10)

[skybrick736 · 7/10 · 30 April 2015]

Three legendary figures, one in writing, and one in film-making, and one in acting are responsible for bringing The Pit and the Pendulum to life. It's Edgar Allen Poe's story about a brother struggling to come to terms about how his sister's untimely death happened. He goes to the mansion of Nicholas Medina, played by the magnificent Vincent Price, to look for answers. The Pit and the Pendulum for a 60's movie is attention getting by how powerful and mystique the actors and actresses characters are, and the brilliant story and script that intertwines very nicely. Roger Corman direction was astounding as well, making me realize why he's so acclaimed by his film-making peers. The Pit and the Pendulum is a nice little horror flick that I watched with no expectations and had no regrets spending the time and money to watch it.

The finest of the Corman/Poe cycle

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 9 October 2016]

Much darker than I was expecting, this is the second in the Corman/Poe cycle, following on from the previous year's FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER. THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM is a chilling, extremely bleak tale involving murder, deception, adultery, and inherent madness. It's a film where Vincent Price is called to display a range of emotions, not from A to B but rather A to Z. It's a film where you can almost feel an air of dread and decay hanging in the air. I would definitely say this is one of the finest Poe adaptations I've seen, and which comes closest to the atmosphere of his stories. An atmosphere of regret, guilt, and the memory of dark deeds in the past hangs over this film, threatening to suffocate all involved.

This isn't a happy film, instead more of a tragedy. It's also got a pretty complex plot too, thanks to Richard Matheson who wrote the screenplay. The setting is an excellent one, an ancient castle complete with a crypt, lots of cobwebs, secret passages and the like. The Spanish setting also makes for some interesting, different costumes for our characters. The supporting cast are flawless in their roles, from Patrick Westwood as a loyal servant, to Luana Anders as the concerned sister of Price. Particularly good are John Kerr as the hotheaded brother of Steele, who uses aggression to discover the family secrets, Antony Carbone as the apparently kind-hearted doctor with a dark secret, and of course Barbara Steele herself. Steele appeared in this film after achieving worldwide fame in BLACK Sunday, and though her role here is small, it's a good one, well-suited to the actress.

Good although they may be, all of these actors and actresses cannot hold a candle to Vincent Price as the antihero. I consider this to be one of his finest and most moving performances. For the first hour he portrays a man blighted by nightmares, suffering from depression and guilt, and bordering on the verge of madness. You feel very sorry for his put-upon character, who is very human here, and free of the bizarre afflictions he had in other films in the series. At the hour mark, there's a totally unexpected twist in the tale (which resembles the one in HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL a lot), and Price's character turns into the scheming, hammy villain we all know and love.

The twenty minute finale is fantastic, ending with the classic scene of a man being tied to a slab while the pendulum of the title lowers towards him, swinging inexorably towards his doom. The suspense is built up incredibly here, in what has to be one of the classic scenes of the period and the Gothic genre as a whole. The ending is typically unnerving and tragic, as you would expect.

I'm not totally sure why, but something connected this film with me. I think it's by far the best of the Corman/Poe cycle. The elements of the series (the actors, the settings, the stories, and the incidents) all reach their peaks in this film, making it an influential masterpiece of the genre. Although the first hour may be slow-moving, it effectively builds up the tension and atmosphere to pave the way for the shocking denouement. THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM should be seen by all serious genre fans.

good solid Corman production

[christopher-underwood · 7/10 · 23 January 2017]

Watching this again after many years and with such a wonderfully clear print is a revelation. The story is slight but well told with stunning cinematography and a most impressive set, cleverly lit with colour tints, inspired perhaps by Mario Brava. Vincent Price has the time of his life, as impressive in close up as in medium. If he overdoes the old acting bit we love him for it because he does it so well. Certainly he makes most of the rest of the cast look a little wooden and we long for the arrival of Barbara Steele. Of course the wait is worth while but perhaps we could have had some flash backs early on in the film when we are gradually being let into the true horror of the situation. This is a very good solid Corman production, helped by decent script from Matheson but much reliant on the aforementioned, Price and Steele.

Vincent Price is wonderful!!

[oguer22656 · 10/10 · 30 December 1999]

I just recently "discovered" the "Pit and the Pendulum" after a friend recommended it. I watched the video on a dark and windy night and I was absolutely chilled! It was wonderfully atmospheric, beautifully filmed, and the suspense kept mounting right up until the climatic end. >

Vincent Price was terrific, bringing such sympathy to this role. I think any other actor would have easily been over the top, but Price keeps it in check. John Kerr was properly aggressive as the over wrought brother and the other actors were just as impressive.

This type of movie making just confirms to me that you don't need a shameless amount of blood and guts to be terrified. I know I'm going to have a grand old time checking out Price's other movies!

Ends on an upward swing.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 24 March 2017]

In the mid-16th century, Englishman Francis Barnard (John Kerr) travels to the Spanish castle of Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price) to try and uncover the details surrounding the sudden death of his sister Elizabeth (Barbara Steele), Nicholas's wife. Soon after arriving at the castle, Francis begins to suspect that Nicholas is hiding the truth, but what he eventually discovers is far more terrible than he could have imagined.

I'm not the greatest fan of the Roger Corman/Edgar Allen Poe cycle of films, finding their combination of creaky Gothic trappings, trite atmospherics and overwrought melodrama just a little too cheesy to be wholly effective; for much of the time, Pit and the Pendulum is just the same, with Price hamming it up and Corman laying on the eeriness with a trowel.

Thankfully, the film is short enough to prevent boredom kicking in and is saved somewhat by a great final act that provides one or two neat twists, some well handled excitement (the razor-sharp pendulum of the title finally making an appearance, swinging to and fro above a shackled Francis) and a befitting closing shot (I won't say what it is, but it's a corker).

One of the Best Roger Corman's Movies

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 6 February 2014]

After the mysterious death of Elizabeth Barnard Medina (Barbara Steele), her brother Francis Barnard (John Kerr) travels from London to Spain and without previous notice he arrives at the castle of her husband Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price). He is received by Nicholas' sister Catherine Medina (Luana Anders) that invites Francis to have dinner with her brother and her.

Francis learns that their father Sebastian Medina was a cruel torturer of the Spanish Inquisition and Nicholas is a traumatized man that has witnessed the murder of his uncle Bartolome (Charles Victor) and his adulterer mother Isabella (Mary Menzies) being tortured and killed by his father when he was a kid. During the dinner, the family's friend Doctor Charles Leon (Antony Carbone) unexpectedly arrives and Francis discovers that his sister died of heart attack after visiting the torture chamber in the dungeons. Soon the place is haunted by strange events and Nicholas suspects of his servants Maximillian (Patrick Westwood) and Maria (Lynette Bernay) but Francis is convinced that Nicholas is the responsible for the death of his sister.

"Pit and the Pendulum" is one of the best Roger Corman's movies despite the poor scenario that shakes in many scenes. The last time that I saw this movie was on 16 November 1999 on cable television and today I have just watched it again on DVD. The creepy story of Edgar Allan Poe is still engaging even when the viewer watches more than two times. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Mansão do Terror" ("The Manor of Horror")

It's The Pits! The Price Is Right In The End, Though!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 2 March 2009]

Boy, If I hadn't read another review beforehand which suggested hanging around for the end of this film, even if one gets bored early on, I might have given up on it. I'm glad I stayed with it. It's true; the last part is terrific.

Once again, Vincent Price, as billed, has the lead and deserves the recognition as he emotes as only he could. The surprise is that Price plays such a wimp in this movie, which is out of character for him in his horror films but then - bang! - his REAL personality comes out. Ole Vinny fooled us all. It's shocking and it's pure Price. You'll love it! Price plays, "Nicholas," a guy with a bad family tree. His father tortured people during the Spanish Inquisition and poor "Nicholas" saw his uncle and mother die, too, in the torture chambers of his father's castle (which is a pretty cool place, by the way)..

John Kerr, a horrible actor in this movie, plays a guy ("Francis") to comes to the castle to find out what happened to his sister who had recently died. Oh yeah, she was married to Nicholas. That guy just has no luck with relatives.

I won't say what happens but involves some neat twists and helps make up for the corny and somewhat-boring dialog of the first hour. Talk about torture, though. The first hour, especially the first 20 minutes, is torture to get through. Then a couple of cool all-blue flashback scenes spiced up things for a few minutes, and then it was snooze time until the last 20 minutes which were great!

That last quarter hour is really a hoot for horror fans, especially the last shot!

Magnificent Gothic horror masterpiece!

[The_Void · 9/10 · 31 December 2004]

From horror's premier team of Roger Corman, Vincent Price and, of course, Edgar Allen Poe comes this menacing, macabre and suspenseful tale of insanity, death and betrayal. This film is certainly one of, but maybe even 'the' finest Corman-Poe film. It's Poe at his most devilishly malicious as it deals with themes of torture, and the most frightening method of death known to man; being buried alive. As usual, Vincent Price takes the lead role as the tortured soul of the piece, this time playing Nicholas Medina; the son of the Spanish inquisition's most notorious torturer. All is not well for Nicholas, as his beloved bride, Elizabeth, has killed himself and the notion that she may have been buried alive has tortured the torturer's son to the brink of insanity. We enter the fray as Elizabeth's brother comes to the castle in search of answers to discover the fate of his sister...

Through a great Gothic atmosphere and gorgeous lavish sets, Roger Corman has created a macabre masterpiece from Poe's classic tale. Vincent Price is superb (again!) as the almost insane son of a madman. As usual, he captures the essence of his character and through his stark tone that was made for the horror genre; and he gets his portrayal spot on. Horror fans can thank god that Vincent Price decided to become an actor, as any other actor simply couldn't have pulled off this performance like Price did (as is the case with most of Price's resume). Price is joined by Barbara Steele (of Mario Bava's Black Sunday) and a small cast of unknowns. Steele, unfortunately, doesn't get a lot of screen time and it's a shame because seeing her and price on screen together more would have been a treat.

The theme of being buried alive is something that appears to have fascinated Edgar Allen Poe as it appears in a number of his stories and it fascinates me also. It's impossible to imagine the terror of being alone in an enclosed space with nobody or nothing to help you escape and that's what makes it so horrifying, and such a great springboard for a Gothic horror film. This film makes the best of that, with Price's brooding adding all the horror that the subject needs. Corman succeeds in making the subject dreadful as well, as he shows the tomb in which the unfortunate young lady was trapped in, and also through the castle's many corridors and steel doors; it gives the impression that there truly is no escape. The film's flagship sequence - the pendulum scene - is a true masterpiece of horror imagery. For the scene, Corman took out every other frame to give the impression that the pendulum was swinging faster than it actually was. The way the pendulum swings across and gets lower every time depicts another horrible way to die, and through his portrayal of the scene; Corman makes the best of it. The story itself is brilliant, soaked with irony and the bitterness of revenge; it truly is one of Poe's best.

I don't need to say it, but I will anyway; see this movie!

Classic Performance ( D+ Movie ) My Ratings 7/10

[THE-BEACON-OF-MOVIES-RAFA · 7/10 · 1 February 2020]

One of Roger Corman's best movies and a memorable performance by Price. It has all the atmosphere you would expect from a movie of this type from this era of filmmaking. There are some genuinely creepy moments, such as Elisabeth rising from her tomb. Worth checking out for fans of Vincent Price.

very old style horror

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 12 May 2016]

Francis Barnard arrives from England to see Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price) in Spain. His late sister Elizabeth Barnard Medina (Barbara Steele) was Nicholas' wife. He is met by Nicholas' sister Catherine Medina. He is shocked that she had died three months earlier. He is told that she was ill but he is suspicious. They are joined in the castle by Doctor Charles Leon. He reveals that Elizabeth died of fright. Nicholas shows Francis his father's torture chamber who was a notorious torturer for the Spanish Inquisition.

It's an American International Pictures directed by Roger Corman. Its B-movie status is unassailable. Its style is very old fashion. The Edgar Allan Poe short story could be interesting horror. This adaptation is less compelling. I don't care about Barnard and John Kerr is rather stiff. The acting is generally stiff or overwrought. This is more a mystery rather than horror. It's not actually scary. It's rather boring.

Matheson's medley

[dbdumonteil · 19 July 2002]

The movie adapted from Edgar Allan Poe is par excellence a movie made up of sketches:for instance ,"tre passi nel delirio"(Fellini,Malle,Vadim,1968) encompassed three short stories.

The problem with Edgar Poe's short stories lies in the fact that they are...short!Here Richard Matheson double-jumped his contemporaries by combining elements from several Poe stories in a single classy film. Some kind of" the writer's greatest hits " so to speak.

The beloved late wife subject directly comes from "Morella" which will be filmed by Corman in "tales of terror" the following year.The doomed house which is slowly sinking down recalls "the fall of the House of Usher"."Burried alive" or "premature burial" plays a prominent part in the plot too.The walled up character was present in "the black cat" and "the cask of Amontillado".As for "the pit and the pendulum",it provides the movie with its final,but it's only a small segment of the whole.

The actors are excellent ,the sets wonderfully Gothic,but there's something hollow in these Corman movies.Fellini was able to transcend Poe (eg segment "Tobby Dammit" in "tre passi nel delirio") ,Corman remains a respectful director,and one sees little of the madness which emanates from Poe's best works.The same goes for such works as "premature burial" or "tales of terror".Outside technically,it does not show any improvement on,for instance Jean Epstein's (helped by Luis Bunuel)"chute de la maison Usher" a silent movie from 1928.

Note to self:

[MichaelWrotchbirns · 6/10 · 1 November 2020]

Raise Pendulum FIRST THEN stop it swinging.

....not the other way around.

Poe knows best

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 29 October 2021]

As Corman says himself on the audio commentary, the movie really holds up. You have to cut it some slack of course and you'll probably see the "matte" effects for example. And then there is the wonderful Vincent Price - plus a story by Edgar Allan Poe. The latter is probably something you are aware of anyway. And while I have seen a few adaptations, I've never read the story itself. Of course Roger Corman added some things story wise - some things may not seem to make much sense, but that can also be the beauty of it.

Also Corman deliberately chose to make the movie/story seem out of this world. The acting overall (even more so by Price - by choice) is borderline theatrical. And I don't mean that in a bad sense at all. You may have to wait for the thing you are watching this for ... but when it comes it is quite well done. A spooky story with a neat twist, that is not over explained, even though it may be a bit flawed if you actually think about it. But it doesn't really matter. Costumes and set design are top notch, so there things that really elevate this.

In the world of Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe, beauty is evil.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 6 October 2014]

With "The Fall of the House of Usher", American International went into the world of macabre through the Gothic world of Edgar Allan Poe, and continued with perhaps his eeriest story. Some of Poe's stories were so short that to make a movie version out of them meant altering the original tale a great deal, and that meant pretty much adding background and characters not included prior. The horrific "The Pit and the Pendulum" starts off slowly, but like a symphony, gains power as it develops. Vincent Price is a seemly moody, if kindly baron, the son of a man obsessed with torture. As a child, Price witnessed his father kill his own mother and brother by horrific, torturous means, and has desperately tried to destroy that legacy even though the "Dante's Inferno" like torture chamber remains. He broods over the memory of his late wife (Barbara Steele), a darkly beautiful woman who started off as a loving spouse but slowly changed as the secrets of the castle began to take over her spirit.

With his long face and somewhat tired looking eyes, Price was destined to play horrific roles as he got older. Undesputibly the king of horror after starring in "House of Wax", Price found his niche when Roger Corman cast him in the string of "Poe" films. Many of his characters are indistinguishable other than their names and hair color. They all start off as moody rather than obviously evil, but half way through the movie have transformed into a human monster, a bit perverse and possibly sadomasochistic. They are also surrounded by women with ulterior motives, and in this case, the ulterior motive of supposedly deceased wife Steele is to drive her "widowed" husband mad so she can be with her lover and take over the estate herself.

With her dark, steely eyes, Barbara Steele had the look of an evil woman, and nobody could glare with deadly intentions better than her. This was made right after she exploded on the screen in the Italian horror classic "Black Sunday", and while her on-screen time here is limited, she makes the most out of it, whether delightedly kissing her lover right in front of the passed out Price, verbally telling him afterwords of how she plotted this from the beginning, and finally, the delightful punishment she gets which is one of the eeriest film endings since Bela Lugosi got his come-uppance in the original "The Raven". Of course, there's a less fiendish romantic couple here, Steele's brother (John Kerr) and Price's sister (Luana Anders), but they are not nearly as interesting as the evil characters.

American International's horror films dominated the 1960s along with the British Hammer films as the spookiest films since the early days of talkies. They are even more Gothic with the eerie looking color photography than the classics directed by Tod Browning and James Whale, and certainly better than low-budget Universal films which lacked the underlying mystery of the earlier classics and these grand guignol that hold up very well today and have obviously influenced the generation of horror movie directors who came along years after these films were released.

An effective and eerie adaptation

[cricketbat · 8/10 · 21 September 2018]

Even though it's not strictly faithful to Poe's original short story, The Pit and the Pendulum is still an effective and eerie adaptation. Vincent Price plays his part well, and the supporting cast is strong, too. This movie is able to create a suspenseful sense of fear and dread that you don't get from many horror films today. Well done, Roger Corman.

Nice Poe follow-up to "House of Usher"...Price is terrific...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 10 August 2007]

Once again VINCENT PRICE is harboring a dark secret about a torture dungeon, a father who sadistically used it during the Inquisition, and a wife who has died mysteriously. JOHN KERR is a young man from England who comes to Spain to find out what happened to his sister.

When the story of the Spanish nobleman's boyhood is related to Kerr, you can understand why Price is about to go insane, haunted as he is by witnessing the death of his mother and uncle in the chamber. The plot thickens when it turns out that two of his loyal friends are at the heart of a cruel deception.

All the Gothic elements are here in all their clichéd glory: the hidden passageways, the steep stairways, the cobwebs and spiders, the handsome castle interiors and all of the interiors beautifully photographed. Les Baxter's music provides an appropriately chilling background score. Roger Corman's direction is a major asset and BARBARA STEELE does nicely as the adulterous wife.

Kerr is adequate as the young man inquiring into the death of his sister, but it's Price's show all the way. His mad scene at the end is extremely well handled, a bit over-the-top in many ways, but still effective. The pendulum scene is a nail biter.

Summing up: Top rate Gothic mystery makes good combination of Poe, Corman and Price once again.

Perhaps the finest Corman & Price collaboration.

[Snake-666 · 9/10 · 24 December 2005]

Following the sudden death of his sister, Francis Barnard (John Kerr) travels to Spain to question her husband, Don Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price), son of a notoriously barbaric Inquisitor. Medina openly mourns the death of his wife but Barnard is unconvinced by his story and is determined to discover the truth.

Proceeding from 'The Fall of the House of Usher' (1960), director Roger Corman's second film in his now-famous cycle of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations was this delightfully lurid and lavish offering that can at once be both repugnant and resplendent. 'Pit and the Pendulum' is a uniquely and profoundly visual experience. Dazzling colour and abhorrent darkness coalesce to invoke the most unpleasant aura of trepidation. The luxuriant cinematography of Floyd D. Crosby coupled with the artistic eye of Corman merge eminently, ensuring that mood and atmosphere remain constant and that the viewer feels the agony of the events depicted on-screen. Furthermore, Richard Matheson's screenplay is both intelligent and eloquent and Corman makes full use of what he is gifted here. The pacing of the film is superb, constantly moving onwards, never lingering too long and remaining thoroughly enthralling throughout. Truly this film is perfect in presentation and direction.

Sadly, there are imperfections in the performances of the cast, most notably John Kerr whose continually wooden, dull and tepid acting is too explicit for a leading role. Similarly, while the linguistical talents of Vincent Price lend themselves to an almost Shakespearean delivery of his lines, he occasionally allows himself to sink into ham-acting which detracts somewhat from the more serious nature of the film. However, minus these minor distractions, the performances of the cast are more than adequate to support what is in essence a strongly visceral experience. Luanne Anders and Anthony Carbone offer masterful performances in their supporting roles and cult-favourite, Barbara Steele, makes short appearances as Medina's deceased wife.

If the Corman/Price collaborations are to horror what the Scorsese/De Niro collaborations be to drama then this may well be Corman's 'Goodfellas'. A sublime entry into the genre that offers numerous thrills and chills, inherent beauty and one of the strongest screenplays to grace Sixties horror cinema. What few flaws that there are cannot truly undermine the hard work that went into making this magnificent horror film.

cool horror story with some interesting twists and turns.

[quaseprovisorio · 7/10 · 26 July 2020]

Now, this movie is pretty much what you would expect from corman. maybe a bit above from its usual budget since it was made right after "house of usher", but still is kind of a ghost story in a fortress set in spain. obviously the tone is scary, the music, the waves breaking the set pieces inside the palace.

francis bernard comes to check his dead sister and discover the misterious circumstances of her death. the movie starts with small hints something was wrong, until it becomes more intensified by some noises and voices they start hearing until the ending...that i actually thought it was good and engaging.

price does a bit of the overacting i think we love. i do completely. he's the husband of the guy's dead sister and his family has a dark past. the characters aren't exactly an example of huge complexity and density but at the same time they're not just pawns. there is some richness in the characters even in an 80 minute low budget film.

i did like the scenarios even though they were cheap: but they still worked. i wasn't exactly scared but i was entertained and wanting to know what was happening there. at the end of the day, that's the most important: the movie being able for the public to invest in it. it's a good hauting story with some twists and turns, a vicent price that was having fun, and a film that knows how to build tension until it explodes on us. if you like these type of stuff i definitely think you should check it.

i need to see films with price and karloff together...

Vincent Price and Barbara Steele/What Fun

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 13 December 2016]

We will start out by saying that Edgar Allen Poe's story has nothing to do with this movie. All that connects it is the giant killer pendulum. A man comes to a castle to find out what happened to his now dead sister. Vincent Price is in the middle of all this, having been involved in her death, but realizing the there are some weird circumstances. As the story progresses, Price gets more and more weird and unhinged. We are led on a merry chase by the resurfacing Ms. Steele. Of course, the old torture chamber is going to come into play at some point. I need to mention that the final scene of this film has stayed with me for decades. Thank you Roger Corman. I think this may be your crowning moment.

"One Of Price's Best!"

[gwnightscream · 7/10 · 12 October 2014]

Vincent Price, John Kerr, Barbara Steele, Luana Anders and Antony Carbone star in Roger Corman's 1961 horror film based on Edgar Allan Poe's novel. Kerr plays Francis Barnard, a man who comes to Spain to visit his sister, Elizabeth (Steele). He arrives at the Medina Mansion owned by her husband, Nicholas Medina (Price) and learns she passed months before due to a blood clot. Francis also meets Nicholas' sister, Catherine (Anders) and friend, Charles Leon who is a doctor. Francis also learns of the torture chamber in the Medina house where Nicholas' father, Sebastian (Also played by Price) inflicted pain and suffering. Soon, Nicholas is haunted by a voice sounding like Elizabeth's and suspects she's still alive. This is definitely one of Price's best with a good cast and eerie atmosphere I highly recommend.

Awful

[Yxklyx · 2/10 · 13 October 2007]

I watched House of Usher earlier in the day. I don't understand how these are both rated the same. House of Usher (7/10) is decent - it has good atmosphere (even with garish color), a very good supporting cast, the Mark Damon character being the weak point there and satisfactory dialogue.

Pit and the Pendulum is just plain awful which is odd since it came out the next year. The dialogue is very poor (can't believe this was written by Matheson) and the acting awful - even from the generally reliable Price. There's no atmosphere at all in this one. The last sequence of scenes is fairly good for the most part but you have to watch 70 minutes of drek before you get there.