After the death of his sister Elizabeth (Barbara Steele), Francis Barnard (John Kerr) goes to Spain to find answers about her death. While there he meets his brother-in-law Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price) while strange things are going on in the castle.
Director: Roger Corman
Cast: Vincent Price, John Kerr, Luana Anders, Barbara Steele, Antony Carbone, Patrick Westwood
MPAA Rating: N/A
Run Time: 1hr 20min
Fun Fact: John Kerr was initially hesitant about the safety during the film’s climax. Roger Corman stood in to show Kerr that it would be perfectly safe.
On May 9, 2024 legendary film director Roger Corman passed away at the age of 98. I decided instead of writing a tribute article I would pay tribute in watching one of my favorite film’s from Corman and write this review. At the height of Corman’s career he did a series of films that were based off the works of famed author Edgar Allan Poe. This was the second film of that series that Corman did with Vincent Price, the first being The House of Usher.
I remember vividly seeing this film the first time when I was kid. Growing up in the 90’s I had the liberty every Halloween time getting to see AMC’s Monster Fest. During that era the weeks long horror fest would have a host. Roger Corman was a host one year and to celebrate the channel was airing some of his work. The Pit and the Pendulum was one of those works. My dad taped the film for me and one day. I was home sick from school and viewed the film that day for the first time.
Right away the film sucks you in with the opening credits. One thing that makes this film stand out is the unique technical aspects of the film. Throughout the film there are quite a bit of scenes that use different colors creatively. These colors come to life during some flashback sequences or in times of peril. It feels like you are in a nightmare and trying to wake out of it. Another effective use of colors are some beautiful matte paintings. We see these paintings in the beginning and ending of the film. It gives the viewer a sense of chills while seeing these paintings due to their realistic nature. Other amazing technical works are the costumes and set pieces. The sets were on sound stages and look amazing for the budget that they had to work with. The costumes on the other hand look authentic for the time period that it is based in.
To bring these amazing technical aspects to life you need good cinematography. Enter Floyd Crosby who shot the film in a widescreen format. Crosby’s camera work turns small spaces into vast and bigger spaces. His work at the film’s climax is legendary to me. Every time I view this film, I’m always in awe especially when it comes to the climax. When it comes to horror films, there really isn’t much mention on cinematography work so I want to mention it here. I highly suggest you see the film to really know what I’m talking about.
The Pit and the Pendulum features a fine cast and everyone brings their A game. Vincent Price is amazing as he always is. The way he portrays Nicholas Medina as a man that is borderline insane is just brilliant. It features a slow transition that when it finally happens you are in for a ride. John Kerr delivers a fine performance as well as Francis Barnard. Kerr had a short film career before he became an attorney, but fans of this film remember him well and he is one of favorite parts of the film. Barbara Steele brings a chilling presence on screen and Luana Anders shows nice ability showing Medina’s concerned sister.
To top it all off you have a fantastic script from Richard Matheson. He takes the source material from Edgar Allan Poe and makes a very suspenseful and chilling story out of it. While the film is different than the source material, it’s the climax that makes it all worth it. You see the words pit and pendulum in the title you expect something of that nature at some point. Saving those words for the climax is all you need to make the film worth it. While the film as a whole is great you will be satisfied with what you see in the end. I guarantee that.
Overall, The Pit and the Pendulum is one creatively crafted film. The different use of colors are used artistically throughout the film. We get amazing cinematography from Floyd Crosby is top notch as is the direction from Roger Corman. The cast all brings something to the table through their performances and once again Vincent Price steals the show. I’m always in awe when I see the film’s climax and I still feel the same way since the day I saw it. This is my favorite Roger Corman film and I think it’s the best of his directing career. While the other one’s are good this one will always stand out to me.
Verdict: Hit
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