Pit And The Pendulum (1961) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_557" align="alignright" width="307"] 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).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] 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!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] 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

Abraham Lincoln Vs. Zombies (2012) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

A little over a year ago I first came to discover that Producers had been making horror movies surrounding specific elements in history.... What I mean by that for example is the movie, Shock Waves (1977)... Now this movie is a pretty awesome movie that told the story of how a group of people wound up on an Island that is not just home to a former Nazi, but a Scientist from Nazi Germany that had actually created true to form Nazi Zombies!

I have to admit that after seeing that movie I found that the concept of Nazi Zombies in horror movies were pretty awesome and have since tried to find similar movies to enjoy! Since then I have also come to see the movie Bloodstorm (2012)...

Definitely a lesser addition to the concept of the Nazi Zombie movies, but I also came to discover a different type of horror movie that has elements of history in it, that is movies having to do with Abraham Lincoln going to war with the supernatural originally just in the movie, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)...

Now I haven't seen it yet, but it does appear to be a rather fascinating movie... I mean you can't go wrong with Abraham Lincoln kicking Vampire butt! The reason that I mention all of this is because I just recently saw a movie that incorporates what I have mentioned in an awesomely B Movie sort of way called, Abraham Lincoln Vs. Zombies (2012).

Written by: Karl T. Hirsch (Green), J. Lauren Proctor (Gen) and Directed by: Richard Schenkman (The Man From Earth). Starring: Bill Oberst Jr. (Take This Lollipop), Jason Vail (Gut), Jason Hughley (Broken Angel), Eric Galloway (Distraction), Ronald Ogden (Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell), Shane Gray (Savannah), Christopher Marrone (The Escapist), Don McGraw (Coma), Baby Norman (The Miracle), Hannah Bryan (Where Strippers Go To Die) and Canon Kuipers (Blood Of Man).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Abraham Lincoln (Bill Oberst Jr.) and his secret service detail as they are heading off to fight against the Zombie Apocalypse![/caption]

Now the truth is, is if you are looking for an A list horror movie, then you are looking in the wrong place... I mean it is almost impossible to make a historic epic as a horror movie... Never the less this movie is pretty awesome and tells the story of how a young Abraham Lincoln is tasked with taking care of a Zombie that had effectively killed his father... When he grows up and becomes President of the United States, and toward the tale end of the Civil War, Lincoln, (Oberst) gets a report from one of his Soldiers, that a special mission that he had sent 30 Soldiers on had not only failed, but the man that had made it back actually had come back claiming that his men had been killed by the dead...

Lincoln went to check it out, and came face to face with a Zombie... After killing the Zombie though, he gets a Secret Service detail and sets off for the Fort where the mission that brought back the man who had fought off the Zombie horde had original been sent! Once Lincoln and his men arrive though, they will be faced to face with a battle of epic proportions that will bring together some of histories most well remembered men, (including: Teddy Roosevelt (Kuipers), Pat Garrett (Marrone), General Stonewall Jackson (McGraw), and John Wilkes Booth (Vail).) If these historical legends can't win the day, then this 19th Century Zombie apocalypse may destroy the world!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Ole honest Abe as he is fighting off the Zombie Apocalypse![/caption]

In the end, it is true, if you are not a fan of B Movies, then chances are that you probably won't like it... I mean this movie has all of the great cheesy one liners of a B Movie. It also had some great B Movie talent, but the one thing above all else that I am really happy to see, is that this movie has what I would consider to be some A list special effects! So if you are a fan of B Movies (that have A list movie potential), or would just like to see historical figures kicking Zombie butt, than I think you might like this one... I did!