63. THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM

63. THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
(1961)
Directed by Roger Corman

Roger Corman's Poe cycle consisted of seven films, beginning with "The Fall of the House of Usher" in 1960, continuing with "The Pit and the Pendulum"(1961),"The Premature Burial" (1961), "The Raven" (1963), "The Terror" (1963), and finally culminating in 1964 with the two that many horror fans regard as the best, "The Tomb of Ligeia" and "Masque of the Red Death". All of these have their merits but it's number two in the cycle that makes an appearance on this esteemed list, primarily because it offers horror fans the treat of seeing the reigning Prince of Horror, Vincent Price, alongside the rising Queen of Horror, Barbara Steele. Barbara had recently completed the Mario Bava directed "Black Sunday" and plays the role of an unfaithful and conniving spouse in "The Pit and the Pendulum" (a role that she would be cast in more than a few times in the following years). But Barbara is given very limited screen time and it's 'ol Vincent who steals the show. A sophisticated actor with that demented and somewhat queer voice, Vincent Price was a master at portraying a man touched by madness and spiraling into lunacy.