Friday, January 31, 2014

The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)

Director: Roger Corman

Writers: Edgar Allan Poe, Richard Matheson

Composer: Les Baxter

Starring: Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey, Harry Ellerbe, David Andar, Bill Borzage, Mike Jordan, Eleanor LeFaber, Nadajan, Ruth Oklander, George Paul, Geraldine Paulette, Phil Sulvestre, John Zimeas

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Edgar Allan Poe's overwhelming tale of EVIL & TORMENT

Plot: A man, upon entering his fiance's family mansion, discovers a savage family curse and fears that his future brother-in-law has entombed her prematurely.



My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Maybe.

I absolutely LOVE the atmosphere in this picture.  The sets are warm and inviting, Les Baxter's score and everything else.  The cast is fine, too.  The only thing that bugs me is the pacing.  This is an incredibly slow film.  Even at an hour and 19 minutes, it's too long.  It feels like it should be about an hour but that's not necessarily a deal killer.  In some ways, the drawn out pacing feels rather comfortable, like something you'd find yourself quietly watching on a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon and fall asleep in your recliner.  It's one of those kinds of film.  I dig it more than the last time I saw it probably twenty years ago so I think I'll give it another chance someday. 

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