Official Score = 3 1/2 Devils[/caption]Before I became a fan of both the Horror and Science Fiction genres my father was the huge fan of both Horror and Science Fiction movies (and to some degree, books.)
As a matter of fact I would have to contribute my love of horror movies and Science Fiction movies to my father, and the times that we would watch horror movies and Science Fiction movies together (such films as the Alien movies series, some of the, 'A Nighbtmare On Elm Street' movies, etc...)
Anyway a couple of the scary stories that he told both me and my sister was the story of, 'The Crawiling Eye' and, 'The Pit And The Pendulum'.
Now the first time I heard these stories, I thought that they were just stories, (The Pit And The Pendulum as it turns out really was a story that had been written by Edgar Allan Poe, and had been turned in to a movie by American International Pictures), but the rest of these stories that my dad had told us actually had been movies that my Dad had seen when he was a kid!
And now that I have had a chance to see, Pit And The Pendulum (1961), I can understand why my Dad liked it so much!
Written by: Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) and Directed by: Roger Corman (Death Race 2000). Starring: Vincent Price (Madhouse), John Kerr (South Pacific), Luana Anders (Dementia 13), Anthony Carbone (A Bucket Of Blood), and Barbara Steele (Black Sunday).
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Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price) with Frances Barnard (John Kerr) as Nicholas is about to play a deadly game with his house guest![/caption]During the, 'Inquisition' people were being tortured as a regular practice, Pit And The Pendulum tells the tale of a post, 'Inquisition' family by the name of, 'Medina', (a family who's father, 'Sebastian' (Played by Vincent Price), used to torture people as a regular practice!)
Now this family has started getting past their horrible past, Sebastian's daughter, Donia Catherine (Anders) is living with her love in Barcelona, and Sebastian's son Nicholas has taken over the family home, and married an English noblewoman by the name of Elizabeth Barnard (Steele).
Now for the longest time, Nicholas and his wife are living a very happy and contented life as husband and wife, but when Elizabeth discovers the tragic past of her new family, she ends up killing herself in one of Sebastian's torture devices!
After her death though, various people start hearing Elizabeth's voice, hearing her play the harpsichord, etc, this happens to be slowly driving Nicholas insane (A role that Vincent Price played excellently!)
Anyway, after Doctor Charles Leon (Carbone), and Elizabeth's brother, 'Francis' shows up to investigate the death of his sister, these strange encounters start getting stronger and stronger and driving Nicholas worse and worse!
As these encounters start getting worse and worse, people begin to wonder if Nicholas has already lost his mind, or perhaps, has Elzabeth become one of the many ghosts that are sure to be haunting these tortured halls!
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Don Nicholas (Vincent Price), with his wife Donia Elizabeth (Barbara Steele) in, 'Pit And The Pendulum' (1961)![/caption]Now I have to say that everyone did a great job in this movie, but the truth is, is that besides the story, the best thing about this movie is Vincent Price!
I mean Vincent Price plays the role of, 'crazy' and, 'going crazy', perfectly! So much so that in my opinion, there is no one who has played these types of roles as well as Vincent Price did since!
So if your looking for a fun classic horror movie to really sink your teeth in to, then check t this one out as it is a fun one!
http://youtu.be/8xzdrffJ91E
