Vous voulez voir cette page en français ? Cliquez ici.

CDN$ 34.98 + CDN$ 3.49 shipping
In Stock. Sold by thebookcommunity_ca

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
More Buying Choices
M and N Media Canada Add to Cart
CDN$ 51.59
Have one to sell? Sell yours here

Pit and the Pendulum (Widescreen)

Vincent Price (Actor), Barbara Steele (Actor), Roger Corman (Director) | Rated: Unrated | Format: DVD
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
Price: CDN$ 34.98
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Only 1 left in stock.
Ships from and sold by thebookcommunity_ca.

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

› Explore similar items

Product Details

Product Description

Amazon.ca

The Fall of the House of Usher's success in 1960 spurred American International Pictures to quickly launch another production based on an Edgar Allan Poe story. While producer-director Roger Corman had hoped to next adapt "The Masque of the Red Death" (which wasn't produced until 1964), Pit and the Pendulum (the onscreen title) became the second in AIP's long-running Poe series. Set in post-Inquisition Spain, the film stars John Kerr as a young Englishman who travels to the seaside castle of his brother-in-law (Vincent Price) to uncover the circumstances behind the death of his sister (a dubbed Barbara Steele). Price is tormented by memories of his mother's premature burial by his inquisitor father (also Price) and fears that this sadistic legacy has contributed to Steele's demise. Furthermore, he believes that Steele was also buried alive--a belief compounded by the mysterious destruction of her room, and the sound of her harpsichord playing in the night...

Structured almost identically to Usher, Richard Matheson's script fleshes out the brief original text with a fast-paced and twist-filled plot that never loses sight of the psychological themes of Poe's work. It also provides Price with the richest of his many AIP/Poe roles, a sympathetic, deeply emotional man who is unhinged by the sins of his father. Corman's direction is equally driven and fluid, and features some impressive quasi-psychedelic visuals in the tense climax. Also noteworthy is art director's Daniel Haller's impressive design of the title set piece. MGM's widescreen DVD features commentary by Corman, which focuses primarily on the film's technical aspects. Also included is the original trailer and a prologue (shot by Norma Rae producer Tamara Asseyev) featuring costar Luana Anders, which was added to fill out the film's 1968 television broadcast. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars After House on Haunted Hill, my favorite Price movie. May 3 2004
By Arthur Pace
Format:DVD
After House on Haunted Hill, the Pit and the Pendulum is my favorite Price movie. The best 50's and 60's Horror/Sci-Fi movies are all about atmosphere, and thats what I love about Pit. Great gothic atmosphere, eerie music, and georgously vivid and horrific set pieces. I especially liked Price's and Ander's performances. If you are like me and like best the eerie, moody, 50s and 60s horror pics, which along with great stories, really emphasize the eerie atmosphere, this has to be at the top of your list.
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
5.0 out of 5 stars Vincent's Finest Hour? I Think It Might Be! May 24 2004
By David Von Pein
Format:DVD
"Pit And The Pendulum" is definitely one of those "watch it late at night with the lights out during a thunderstorm" kind of motion pictures. All the elements are present here to elicit the appropriate "scary movie" emotions from the viewer -- Shock, terror, suspense, fright, uneasiness, and fear. (And maybe a few others as well.)

The setting of this 1961 film couldn't have been better presented on screen if they had tried. And Vincent Price, who was 50 years of age when the film was first released, gives a lively performance as "Don Nicholas Medina", a man who is slowly but surely going out of his mind.

The climactic scene in the "Pit" is simply astonishing. One of the best scenes in any horror film ever made!

This MGM DVD contains a Widescreen version of this color film (2.35:1 ratio). And, although not an Anamorphic (enhanced for 16x9 TV sets) disc, this DVD still offers up better-than-average video quality. The audio is Dolby Digital Mono (English and French tracks). Plus: this cover art is exceptional.

A few bonus items are on the disc, including a fun audio commentary by Director Roger Corman. The Original Theatrical Trailer and an "Original Theatrical Prologue" are also included here.

Before his death on October 25, 1993 (at age 82), Vincent Price appeared in 127 feature films (plus hundreds and hundreds of TV shows and radio plays) --- with "Pit And The Pendulum" being one of his very best, in my view.

If you like scary, atmospheric motion pictures, you have no choice but to be entranced when watching this DVD of "Pit And The Pendulum".

Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE THE PIT AND THE PENALUM Mar 28 2004
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape
You just can't go wrong with Vincent Price. He really gave his all in this movie along with John Kerr. The film is (..)worth watching with being buried alive and almost being sliced up by the pendalum. The end is the best part,but you relly have to watch the whole thing to understand it. (...) A powerful cast with a great film
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
Want to see more reviews on this item?
Most recent customer reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Nowhere near as good as the video version
If you're thinking of buying this widescreen DVD to replace your pan and scan video version, take my advice. Don't bother. Read more
Published on Jan 23 2004 by Mr. Db Rayner
4.0 out of 5 stars Corman's best
A great gothic horror film. Worthy of any Hammer Horror film.
Published on Jan 17 2004 by Eugene
3.0 out of 5 stars "... what sweet rest there must be in the grave."
Vincent Price is at his best in this creepy horror tale, loosely based on the Edgar Allan Poe story. Read more
Published on Oct 27 2003 by Cody
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Horror
The Pit and the Pendulum is one of my all-time favorite horror classics. The Edgar Allan Poe story has been wonderfully brought to life with its mystifiying and intriguing plot... Read more
Published on Oct 17 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars Secrets down below
The Pit and the Pendulum. One of the most popular supense/horror films of all time comes back in a completely restored edition on DVD. Read more
Published on Oct 12 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars THE PENDULUM SWINGS......
The second of the Corman/Price/Poe films is a masterwork of Gothic horror and features one of Vincent Price's most outre' performances. Read more
Published on Sep 23 2003 by Mark Norvell
5.0 out of 5 stars John Kerr plays gay again
John Kerr plays Francis Barnard, a 16th century English nobleman who comes to a brooding castle in Spain to investigate the death of his sister. Read more
Published on Aug 7 2003 by Nysocboy
4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Price & classic gothic
Not one of my top 10, but worthy to be in my collection. It's very much all about mood and atomosphere. Read more
Published on Jan 4 2003 by Minneserenity
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Corman
This is a movie I remember from the early 60's in a theater packed with kids screaming during the scary parts. Read more
Published on Oct 19 2002
5.0 out of 5 stars Poor Don Medina
Vincent Price did it again. Even though it is not the real version of Pit & the Pendulum, the story was quite interesting. Read more
Published on Oct 1 2002 by Daniel Alberto Malo Payan
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

    Your Shopping Cart is empty.

    Give it purpose—fill it with books, DVDs, clothes, electronics, and more.

    If you already have an account, sign in.

    View Cart (0 items)

      Listmania!

      Create a Listmania! list

      Look for similar items by category

      Feedback

      Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

      thebookcommunity_ca Privacy Statement thebookcommunity_ca Shipping Information thebookcommunity_ca Returns & Exchanges