Steve D
None of the tales are especially effective.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
07/20/23
Full Review
Elvis D
Una fascinante antología de la literatura de Edgar Allan Poe, pero que no deja de ser uno de los peculiares filmes de Roger Corman. A diferencia de las películas anteriores de Corman, este tiene una cierta elegancia que sirvió de conducto para que Corman pudiera traer a la pantalla otras adaptaciones de Poe que tienen un buen encanto. Sin duda lo mejor que esta película tiene es Vicent Price que cumple su rol como icono del terror de la época. Bueno, el maquillaje de Price en el último segmento es demasiado obvio, al igual que los demás efectos que se usaron en la película, pero bueno, no existía mejores efectos en aquel momento. Por más que la película está bien y es decente, la forma en los relatos fueron adaptados hacen que difieran un poco de los textos originales, especialmente el de El Gato Negro, ya que tiene una historia muy diferente a la del texto y es más una comedia de humor negro que una historia de suspenso. La película no cumple muy exactamente su rol como película de terror por como se ejecutó, pero el film disfrutable para los que aman las películas viejas o para aquellos que son fans de Roger Corman o Vincent Price. Una película que vale la pena ver en ese aspecto y por eso la califico con un 8/10.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/13/23
Full Review
deke p
Another classic of the Poe, Vincent Price, Roger Corman variety. It's actual 3 separate Poe stories: Based on "The Black Cat," "The Cask of Amontillado," "Morella" and "The Case of M. Valdemar."
It was on the tv set 7.2.22.
Some other big names in cast: Debra Paget, Peter Lorre, , Basil Rathbone.
note to self: next time watch more carefully the parts A-Z
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The fourth of Roger Corman's Poe films — which includes House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Premature Burial, The Raven, The Haunted Palace, The Masque of the Red Death and The Tomb of Ligeia — Tales of Terror was released on a double bill with Panic in the Year Zero!
Each of the three stories is narrated by Vincent Price, who also appears in all three parts of this anthology.
In "Morella," Poe's story forms the basics of the story but this take on the story is near-apocalyptic. Lenora Locke has come to visit her father (Price), who refuses her company as he believes that she killed her mother Morella in childbirth. That's when the daughter discovers that her mother is rotten in her father's ancient home, father learns that the daughter is dying and the mother comes back for everyone.
"The Black Cat" has Montresor Herringbone (Peter Lorre) discovering that his wife Annebelle is cuckolding him with the world's foremost wine taster, Fortunato Luchresi (Vincent Price). So he does what any of us would: entomb them inside a wall along with his wife's black cat. Obviously, this story also has elements of another Poe story, The Cask of Amontillado. If you enjoyed this story, it was also filmed by Lucio Fulci as The Black Cat and Dario Argento within the Poe double feature Two Evil Eyes.
In the last story, "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar," finds hypnotist Mr. Carmichael (Basil Rathbone) helping to stop the suffering of the dying M. Valdemar (Vincent Price). However, Carmichael places him in a trance between life and death, taking control of his entire life and even trying to take his wife. This story features Price's face literally melting away, which is really horrifying for a 1962 movie.
Roger Corman and Richard Matheson were really working together quite well here. I'm a sucker for a good anthology and these stories move quick and pack a punch.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
matthew d
A triple feature of Edgar Allan Poe stories within one horror movie!
Roger Corman directs his horror mysteries in Tales of Terror (1962) with a penchant for the visually imaginative and optical illusions all over. His divine direction is ever steadfast with atmospheric mood, garnered by smoke machines, infinite cobwebs, live animals, spooky music, odd angles, and slow crawling camera pans. Corman adapts America's dark poet Edgar Allan Poe's misery short stories Morella, The Black Cat, and The Cast of M. Valdemar, which Corman frames as about after death, before death, and the moment of death. It's a fascinating way to film Poe's foreboding writing about doomed relationships and the dearly departed. Corman builds tension with rising fear leading to ultimate terror in the unknown farewells entombed within death. Richard Matheson's writing succinctly brings Poe to life in this must not miss horror picture Tales of Terror!
Vincent Price pulls off three outstanding leading man performances as the mourning husband Locke, the lustful wine taster Fortunato, and the dying ill husband Valdemar. His clear joy at adapting more Edgar Allan Poe works is evident in Price's despondent, delirious, and dreadful performances. I stand by my assertion that Vincent Price has never made a bad movie and Tales of Terror gives us three more excellent character acting roles from the master of the macabre: Vincent Price.
Then, Peter Lorre hams it up as a drunken husband Montresor with a hateful jealousy, while Basil Rathbone is fiendish in his refined ambition as the seedy gentleman hypnotist Carmichael. These men each deliver exquisite acting in their respective horror stories herein Tales of Terror.
Similarly, Debra Paget is fearsome as Vincent Price's Valdemar's concerned wife Helene. Paget is breathtaking in The Case of M. Valdemar with her deep blue eyes, displaying constant fear over her dying husband, while having conflicting feelings over David Frankham's loving suitor Dr. James and Basil Rathbone's loathsome manipulator hypnotist suitor Carmichael. Debra Paget was fantastic in Roger Corman's The Haunted Palace with Vincent Price and Tales of Terror alike.
Similarly, Joyce Jameson is very endearing as Annabel, the poor abused wife to Peter Lorre's alcoholic money leech during The Black Cat story. She is very beautiful and sympathetic as you witness Lorre shaking her down for money and accusing her constantly.
By the same quality, Maggie Pierce's Lenora is lovely and sweet as Vincent Price's Locke's tragically abandoned daughter in Morella. I found her immediately charming and endearing with a genuine pain on her face and in her voice at her father's lovelessness of Lenora. Maggie Pierce is wonderful in Tales of Terror. I wish she was in more movies in general. Leona Gage is seriously scary with her intense eyes and smirks as Morella for the Morella sequence in Tales of Terror. She has this ethereal quality to her that works well as the ghost of Morella.
Anthony Carras's editing swiftly transitions from story to story with psychedelic cutting choices for a brisk 89 minutes. Floyd Crosby's cinematography is beautiful for Tales of Terror with careful close-ups and seductive panning shots and peculiar perspectives that linger just long enough to invoke dread in the viewer. Daniel Haller's production design and art direction look like every one of Roger Corman's horror masterpieces with a distinguished classical feel. Harry Reif's set decoration would fit in any great period drama, let alone one of Corman fierce horror pieces.
Ray Mercer's visual effects make him more magician than visual effects supervisor on Tales of Terror. His use of colors, warbly frames, and sudden bursts of creative illusions are spectacular. Les Baxter's haunting scores add a cold atmosphere, but also pounding orchestral damnations to each story. Lou LaCava's make-up is innovative for the ghostly pale stuff as well as the melting face plasma look. All the regular make-ups look gorgeous on each lady with nicely chosen colors. Every costume in Tales of Terror is a dreamy dress or a tailored suit.
Overall, Tales of Terror is another classic horror film from Roger Corman. If you're a fan of Vincent Price or looking for some gripping Edgar Allan Poe adaptations, then look no further than Tales of Terror!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
dave s
Of Roger Corman's numerous Edgar Allen Poe adaptions, Tales of Terror is, by a wide margin, the weakest of the franchise. Consisting of three short stories culled from the Poe catalogue, the first tale, Morella, establishes a great atmosphere with plenty of cobwebs, withered trees, creaking doors and winding staircases. Unfortunately, the segment is ruined by an absurdly nonsensical climax. The Black Cat, one of Poe's most horrifying tales, is ruined by ridiculous comedic overtones. The final segment, The Case of M Valdemar, is superior to its predecessors, but is marred by another silly ending. For those interested in the Corman/Poe library, do not start with this film.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
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