House Of Usher

House of Usher (1960)

Runtime: 79 minutes

Directed by: Roger Corman

Starring: Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey, Harry Ellerbee

From: AIP

What a confluence of talent: Edgar Allan Poe, Richard Matheson, Roger Corman & Vincent Price. Matheson adapted Poe's legendary short story The Fall of the House of Usher for a movie directed by Corman and starring Price. This was the first of the eight Poe adaptations that Corman did; judging by this, the others should be tracked down by me.

Those familiar with the short story will find few surprises with what was presented on screen. Price and Myrna Fahey play siblings who are trapped in a house they believe is haunted and they cannot escape; the fact that he also believes the entire bloodline is cursed doesn't help the situation. Mark Damon's character Philip wishes to take his woman away but brother steadfastly refuses. A death occurs, along with a whole lot of spookiness. Now, this started off on a nice note as not only was there was a sweet matte painting of the titular house (which were just as nice as the paintings that hang in the house of the Ushers of previous generations) but the opening credits are colored plumes of smoke, which actually reference a scene from the back half of this movie.

Philip is usually over the top-sometimes amazingly so-and a few shots were actually out of focus yet overall I can say this was a pretty good time. Practically all of the movie is set in one house and the only other character is Harry Ellerbee's Bristol, a butler; the movie stays interesting for its 79 minute runtime as the sets are lavish for the low budget and set the chilling mood. The quartet of actors are all at least fine but naturally it is Price (w/ light blonde hair) who is the standout. This ends differently from Poe's story... yet it is for certain memorable and ends this Gothic tale on a nice note. Viewing this late last night when it was on Turner Classic Movies was a prudent decision.