We're on a pretty good roll with our Horror Movies, wouldn't you say? We've discovered a lot of lesser known films this Halloween season, and tonight we continued in that vein with a picture called "Tales Of Terror" (1962), which was directed, lo and behold, by none other than Roger Corman. If you follow this blog, you're aware that I've trashed Corman on several occasions, using him as a punching bag to make various points about bad low budget directors. And make no mistake - when Corman's bad, he's really really bad - the worst of the bunch. He directed "The Terror", starring Jack Nicholson, and "Little Shop Of Horrors", "The Wild Angels" and "The Wasp Woman". I defy you to sit through any of those masterpieces, and those are only among the most famous of his 56 directorial efforts. Imagine trying to endure "Attack Of The Crab Monsters" or "Teenage Cave Man". Could you sit through either of those without suffering a breakdown?
I didn't think so. And despite what a lot of revisionist critics now say, Roger Corman generally specialised in bad movies. But in fairness, we must add that we've seen two of his films this year that turned out to be pretty good. One was the psychedelic adventure "The Trip", which examined the negative potentials of LSD use, and the other was tonight's feature, "Tales Of Terror", which starred Vincent Price in a trilogy of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations, written for the screen by the legendary Richard Matheson.
Corman must've been given a decent budget for this one, and maybe that's all he requires to make a watchable movie, who knows? At any rate, "Tales" was similar to last night's "Kill Baby, Kill" in that it looked great right from the start. The production design was fantastic, very Gothic once again, with liberal use of lurid coloring to bring out the grim grandeur. As mentioned, this is an anthology; there are three Tales, each starring Vincent Price. The first is a melodramatic yarn called "Morella". Price is a woebegone widower who spends his days drinking and wallowing in melancholy, much to his daughter's dismay. Her name is Lenora, she has only now returned from Boston after a lifetime away, and only because her father (Price) has called, claiming to be on his deathbed. She can't bear to be near him, nor he to her. Price says it's Lenora's fault her mother died. "You killed her in childbirth"!, he roars. What's worse, he's never gotten over losing his wife, and Holy Moley and Great Googley Moogeley! - he still keeps her corpse lying in state in a cobwebbed bedroom! C'mon, Vincent.....get a grip. Someone's gonna "get a grip", and it might be on someone else's throat. This particular Tale got the movie off to a gruesome (if maudlin) start.
The second Tale was based on two Poe stories that writer Matheson mashed together. One is "The Cask of Amontillado", the other is "The Black Cat", for which the Tale is named. Peter Lorre is the actual star of this one, Price's part being secondary. Lorre plays an alcoholic ne'er do well from whom his wife must hide their savings, lest he spend it all on wine. All he ever wants is a drink, and one day he heads out in frustration, penniless at the moment, and stumbles into a bar, hoping for the kindness of a stranger to buy him a glass. To his good fortune, a wine tasting exhibition is underway. The town's reigning Sommelier is holding court, correctly identifying vintage after vintage in a blind test, as the patrons look on in admiration. Lorre gets an idea that may net him some free drinks. "I can do what you're doing, and I've never even been trained for it"!, he announces in a slurred voice. Price finds this challenge amusing enough to take Lorre up on it. Soon they are trading sips (or gulps, on Lorre's part), and going toe to toe in their oneophilic analyses. Price is duly impressed, despite Lorre's vulgarian manner, and offers to walk him home when the contest has concluded. Soon the men become fast friends. But Lorre's wife takes a shine to Price also. What might happen if Price should return her attentions? Have you read "The Cask of Amontillado"? If so, then you are aware of the consequences. I wish I could say that I enjoyed this segment, and it was okay, but it could've been a lot better had Peter Lorre not played the whole thing for laughs. Maybe that was what Corman wanted, I don't know, but Lorre - who looked pretty beat up and was way past his expiration date here - had a "Jack Nicholson" effect on the Tale, turning it into a farce when it could've been truly sinister. It wasn't awful, but it would've been better with someone less blowsy in the lead role.
The third Tale is the best one of all. "The Facts In The Case of M.Valdemar" stars Price as an elderly gentleman in poor health who has agreed to let a Mesmerist, played by a cadaverous Basil Rathbone, hypnotise him just before the moment of death. This is to be an experiment of mind control, to see what will happen to a hypnotised subject whose body has passed away. Can he be brought back to life? His doctor, who is also present, is very much against this idea, which he rightly considers barbaric. But Price has agreed to it, and he asks the doctor to take care of his daughter (Debra Paget), should he not come out of the experiment alive. The doctor is horrified, but agrees to Price's request. However, Rathbone the Mesmerist also has designs on Paget, and I have to jump in here to say that you, I, or anyone else would have had a similar plan, for Debra Paget may have been the most beautiful woman ever to appear in motion pictures. She tries to stop the experiment by offering to marry Rathbone, even though he's ancient and she does not love him. Her father (Price) says "No, I want you to marry the doctor"! Lucky doctor...... :) Price is determined to proceed with the hypnosis which takes place as he breathes his dying breath. I shall tell you no more about this scary, spooky Tale, which has some terrifying ramifications for Price's soul, not to mention Basil Rathbone's finely tailored suit, which he's gonna need to take to the cleaners.
All in all, you have one very good Tale ("Morella"), one so-so ("The Black Cat") and one that is terrific in both the figurative and literal senses of the word : "(The Facts In The Case of M.Valdemar). For me, that constitutes a Solid Two Thumbs Up. Good on Roger Corman, also, for turning out a quality picture. Maybe I shouldn't automatically write him off anymore. /////
That is all for the moment. I must head over to West Valley Libe immediately because I need more Horror Movies! Thank goodness they are open on Sunday, hooray! I shall find something for us to watch this evening, and then I will right back here later at the Usual Time. See you then!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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