Movielogr

Rating: 4 stars

All movies seen on 10/31/2011

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The Masque of the Red Death (1964)

Directed by Roger Corman

Horror

Most recently watched by sensoria, sleestakk, tylermager, Javitron, schofizzy

Overview

A European prince terrorizes the local peasantry while using his castle as a refuge against the “Red Death” plague that stalks the land.

Rated NR | Length 90 minutes

Actors

Vincent Price | Hazel Court | Jane Asher | David Weston | Nigel Green | Patrick Magee | Paul Whitsun-Jones | Robert Brown | Julian Burton | David Davies | Skip Martin | Gaye Brown | Verina Greenlaw | Doreen Dawn | Sarah Brackett | Brian Hewlett | Jenny Till | John Westbrook

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

I suspect there’s more to THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH than I understand at first blush, but I appreciate how Corman tried to put Edgar Allen Poe’s symbolism on screen, however difficult it may have been.

The 7 aspects of Death and the 7 rooms in the castle come across a bit too ‘60s in their dressing, but they’re a product of the time. However, the color palette of the film, whether due to specific choices, or Technicolor, or both, positively pops on screen, in contrast to what you’d expect for a macabre Poe story about a Satanist prince terrorizing his subjects; it was a real joy to watch.

Vincent Price takes a nice turn as Prince Prospero; he’s perfect for the role. I question Corman’s choice of a child to play Esmerelda, though. When she’s on-screen making the lovey dovey words with Hop-Frog it just comes across as creepy, and not in a good way.

The movie reads more as a stage production than a film, but I suspect that’s more a limit of the budget than choice. Nonetheless, Corman manages to deliver an enjoyable and somewhat creepy take on Poe’s tale that actually made me switch my brain on and think, and then want to go back and rewatch.

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