The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

When Francis Barard ( John Kerr) hears about the death of his sister Elizabeth Barard Medina( Barbara Steel) he travels to Spain. When he arrived at Nicholas Medina's ( Vincent Price) castle, he is met by Nicholas sister; Catherine Medina ( Luana Anders). She is there to comfort her brother during his time of need, also there is a Maximilian. Maximilian his a servant of some kind, who sees to Nicholas's needs. During dinner Nicholas's good friend Dr. Charles Leon ( Leon Carbone), comes in. Dr. Leon was there when Elizabeth died. When Francis hears two different stories on the death of his sister, he gets upset. Nicholas tells him one thing while Dr. Leon tells him another. Francis talks to Catherine about her brother and his behavior. Catherine tells Francis about the time her brother was a child. Nicholas was hiding in the torture chamber, when he saw his father Sebastian Medina( Price) torture his mother to death. He saw both this mother and uncle tortured due to an affair. Catherine tells Francis, that Nicolas has never been the same since. One day everyone hears a harpsichord playing, Nicholas believes his Elizabeth's ghost is back. There are several other strange things that occur. Strange voices are heard, the possibility that Elizabeth was buried alive. Then the accusation that Nicholas could be doing these this without knowing it.The truth is Elizabeth and Dr. Leon were having an affair. It is out that Elizabeth is alive and well, living with Dr. Leon. Elizabeth is in the house and Nicholas finds her. Leon told her to wait, but she couldn't wait to get it out in the open. When the two of them follow Nicholas into the torture chamber, he falls down the stairs. Elizabeth thinking Nicholas is dead tells him about the Medina Adulterous history. Then Nicolas begins to laugh, and she gets the surprise of her life. Nicolas has snapped and believes he his Sebastian Medina. When this occurs he puts Elizabeth in a torture device, and then goes after Leon. Leon runs and falls to his death into the Pit and Pendulum chamber. Francis is captured and taken to the Pit chamber. When Catherine and Maximilian hear the device start they run toward it. When there Nicholas believes they are Isabella and Barthemu. His mother and uncle, a fight ensues between Maximilian and Nicholas. In the end, Nicholas falls to his death; and Catherine closes the torture chamber for good. At the very end you see Elizabeth still locked into the torture device. This is a classic Gothic tale that still gives me chills, I highly recommend it.

Fine Gothic horror based on a story of maestro Edgar Allan Poe and a classic and masterpiece of Roger Corman and the great Vincent Price. The plot is also a classic - madness is spreading between the last members of a haunted family. Other must-see by the duo Corman/Price: House of Usher, Tales of Terror, The Raven, The Haunted Palace, The Masque of the Red Death and The Tomb of Ligeia. All made between 1960 and 1964.

We will start out by saying that Edgar Allen Poe's story has nothing to do with this movie. All that connects it is the giant killer pendulum. A man comes to a castle to find out what happened to his now dead sister. Vincent Price is in the middle of all this, having been involved in her death, but realizing the there are some weird circumstances. As the story progresses, Price gets more and more weird and unhinged. We are led on a merry chase by the resurfacing Ms. Steele. Of course, the old torture chamber is going to come into play at some point. I need to mention that the final scene of this film has stayed with me for decades. Thank you Roger Corman. I think this may be your crowning moment.

The second of Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe adaptations stars Vincent Price(again superb) as Nicholas Medina, tormented son of an infamous Spanish Inquisitor who is visited by his brother-in-law Francis Barnard(John Kerr) who demands to see his sister Elizabeth(played by Barbara Steele) He is informed that she has died of a blood disease, but refuses to believe this, and investigates matters himself with distressing consequences...Equally good follow-up to "House Of Usher" is once again atmospherically directed by Roger Corman and written by Richard Matheson, who create a moody and ultimately tragic tale of fate and madness, with fine production design and a memorable climax and end.