The Pit and the Pendulum

 

The Pit and the Pendulum

1961

Director- Roger Corman

Cast- Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, John Kerr, Luana Anders, Antony Carbone

            

   The story begins with a nobleman, Francis (John Kerr) visiting the castle of Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price) and his sister, Elizabeth (Luana Anders). Nicholas was married to Francis’ sister (Barbara Steele) and she died under mysterious circumstances. Francis has come to find out the truth.

            

    Nicholas, however, is reluctant to tell Francis the truth because he himself has a dark secret. His father was a torturer for the Inquisition and carried out his trade in the castle. Nicholas’ father, suspecting that his wife was having an affair with his brother, tortured his brother to death and entombed his wife, alive, within the castle walls.

            

    The family doctor (Carbone) visits the castle and relates that Francis’ sister died of fright. He says the castle has a gloomy presence and that she had become obsessed with it. One day she ventured into the torture chamber and saw something that scared her to death. Meanwhile, Nicholas, because of what happened to his mother, lives under the paranoid delusion that his wife was also buried alive and that now her spirit haunts him. As Francis continues to investigate , we are treated to twists and suprises until finally the terrible truth is revealed.

       

     

      Poe fans that are hoping for a faithful adaptation will be sorely disappointed as the Poe story only serves as an inspiration. If, on the other hand, you want a well put together, creepy, gothic, psychological thriller then you’ll be very satisfied. The screenplay was by horror great Richard Matheson, author of I am Legend. The film is a follow up to the previous year’s House of Usher, which teamed up a Matheson script with director Roger Croman and actor Vincent Price. In many ways, it is a remake in that it explores similar themes; an outsider visiting a cursed family, an enmeshed brother and sister, premature burial etc.

            

     This was a very successful and influential film. Many more Poe influenced stories followed. That of course, could be cynically viewed as Hollywood cashing in on a formula. But its influence was felt far beyond Hollywood and could be seen in many of the Italian gothic horror movies of the next ten years. In particular, its theme of unravelling sanity would be visited many times by the genre. The only complaint I have is that there isn’t enough Barbara Steel. Interestingly, this filmed premiered 1 year and a day after Steele’s most famous work, BlackSunday.