Customer Reviews

Tales of Terror [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Directed by the venerable king of quality low-budget filmmaking, Roger Corman, and scripted by the prolific and popular SF and horror writer Richard Matheson, TALES OF TERROR is comprised of three vignettes based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe. The incomparable Vincent Price stars in all three, with Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone each co-starring (separately, alas) in one of the others. Any knowledgeable horror fans should be nearly euphoric after reading the credentials behind this flick--and they won't be disappointed!

The first story is based on Poe's "Morella," but Corman and Matheson take great liberties to make the tale darker and scarier than the original. Unfortunately, the altered plot and its resolution (?) are a bit hard to follow, and it is therefore the weaker of the three plays.

The second--and best!--vignette, "The Black Cat" is actually a composite of Poe's story of the same name and his "The Cask of Amontillado." Peter Lorre hilariously hams it up as the cuckolded Montresor Herringbone, and Vincent Price is also a riot as Herringbone's nemesis, Fortunato. In spite of the humor, however, there are still plenty of chills when Lorre builds a wall around his "problems."

The final vignette, based on Poe's "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar," features the wonderful Basil Rathbone as the hypnotist who uses his powers to put the titular character, Valdemar (portrayed by Price), in a sort of limbo between life and death. Again, Corman and Matheson have taken liberties with the original story (e.g., making the hypnotist malevolent and self-serving), but this time it's to great effect, as Rathbone makes a delightfully devilish villain. The make-up job on Price in the final scene is pretty creepy, too, in spite of the film's low-budget effects. Good old-fashioned frights in this one.

The DVD edition of TALES OF TERROR is short on extras (trailer only)--it would've been great to have a Corman commentary on this one, which many of the other MGM releases of Corman's films DO have--but seeing this film in widescreen makes it well worth the reasonable cost. A worthy addition to any fan of classic horror.

Being a fan of Vincent Price and Peter Lorre for that matter, this was just priceless (no pun intended). Aside from Peter Lorre not aging well at all, this just makes his "tale" all the more realistic.
The first tale is called Morella where Vincent Price blames his visiting daughter for the death of his wife. Yet there is a twist to the story regarding the daughter. Really well done.

The second tale is The Black Cat with Peter Lorre as the main character here in one of the best parts I've seen him play.
He puts pathetic, mean and humorous into one role and is hysterical doing the classic wine testing scene with Vincent Price. I was truly laughing out loud. The facial expressions that Price has in this one when acting with Lorre are worth this DVD alone.

The third and last tale is the scariest in my view. It is called the Case of M. Valdemar where Basil Rathbone plays a man who tries to gain control over a dying Vincent Price. This is a pretty scary one, and Rathbone completes his role nicely.

The ladies in these tales (Maggie Pierce, Joyce Jameson and Debra Paget) are all absolutely stunning. You just can't compare the beauty of that day with today.

Get this DVD, especially if you like Price and Lorre....not to mention Poe. I promise you it is something you will watch over and over again.

Roger Corman directs this trilogy of terror starring Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone. Corman blends weird color schemes with a wide variety of visual effects and startling closeups to make the most of a limited budget. The script was written by Richard Matheson based on Poe's tales. With this cast, there is no reason to mention the acting other than to point out that Price is featured prominently in all three shorts and given a chance to explore his acting talent. He measures up to the task 100%, especially in the humorous drinking scenes. Lorre and Rathbone are consumate professionals who at this point in their careers were comfortable with this type of role.

The DVD itself features a crisp transfer that maintains all the bright colors and visual effects, however the only extra is the trailer. There are no audio commentaries from Corman or anyone else involved, but this is probably because the DVD is priced for sell thru.

The image of Debra Paget laying dead for twenty-five years in her bed is now immortal thanks to Famous Monsters Magazine.

Highly recommended.

This may be just about the best DVD in my collection. It's certainly one of my favorites. I saw this movie when I was about nine years old in the local Rialto Theater; a special Halloween weekend showing. They did things up special that night, with spiders and skeletons hanging from the ceiling, and theater attendents running around in rubber masks.

The theater was old, and elegant, and dignified, and they tore her down for a parking lot. But my fond memories of seeing this fun movie in that theater are still strong with me. And this DVD transfer is superior in quality.

Tales is presented in its original wide-wide screen ratio. The colors, images and sounds of this digital transfer are incredibly crip and vivid. This movie is indeed a treasure to Vincent Price/Roger Corman fans. The cast is without a doubt the finest, with Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone, and the ever sexy and competent Joyce Jameson (she would the following year (1963) play the same demure, wounded wife with Price, Lorre, and Rathbone in A Comedy of Terrors, available in VHS).

The only extra is the original Theatrical Trailer, but don't let that stop you. Extras are fine, but it's really the movie, presented in the best possible manner, that a collector should be after. A movie can be watched time and time again, but extras get boring after two or three viewings.

This movie is like a living, breathing Halloween party you can watch all year round, with not-too-spooky chills, and tongue in cheek horror. There are plenty of laughs, and a good dose of horror.

Vincent Price leads an all-star cast in this horror film. Price appears in all three segments. In the first, he plays a man named "Locke" who blames the death of his wife on his daughter who's just came back after 26 years. This is great, verbal horror sort of like a throwback to "Night Gallery" or other dramatic anthology shows, where the horror is in the character's personality and not in the graphics. only the final minutes does the story turn into what AIP movie goers expect. The second story, as has been voted by mostly all on here, is the stand-out. Peter Lorre and Joyce Jameson team up with Vincent in a re-telling of "Cask of Amontillado" but re-titled "The Black Cat". If you've heard or read the story, you pretty much know what's going to happen...the wine tasting scene is hilarious. The final segment offers Basil Rathbone and Vincent although Rathbone has the most action as Price's character, Valdemar, is bed-ridden. Rathbone plays an evil mesmerist who mentally tortures Valdemar's wife and keeps Valdemar in suspended animation you could say in an effort to kill him and run off with the wife! The segment ends with a memorable scene that isn't really sick...but it's not for the squeamish, either! It's one of Rathbone's finest roles, aside from Sherlock Holmes and the hilarious nut-case character in "Comedy of Terrors". This film came along in 1962. At 85 minutes in length, it's short for a feature-length film...but the material and the first-rate acting by everyone make it seem even SHORTER!!

Vincent Price stars in three shorts all based on Edgar Allen Poe stories. This was the first of the Roger Corman - Poe films I ever saw and it left an impact on me. Morella is the opening story and I feel it is the best and the one that is most like the rest of Corman's Poe films. Price is good at riding on the edge insanity while livng in a cob web covered house with his dead wife louning in a back room waiting to rise. Peter Lorre shows up in the Black Cat which is a combination of that story and the Cask of Amontillado. This entry is one of those horror - comedies that is very similiar to Corman's Raven. Price and Lorre both have some fine moments in this film including the dream sequence where Lorre's head is being tossed around like a ball. The Case of M.Valdemar comes last and this one has Basil Rathbone doing scientific experiments with Vincent Price with the expected ghastly results. Price has to were some gooey make-up in this one that was hot when they put it on. Price does great at playing a victim in these three different stories and there are some good people in the supporting cast. This one has the standards you expect in one of Corman's - Poe films, we have castles, corpses and killings.

Do you like stories of the macabre? Enjoy reading Edgar Allen Poe while a storm vents its fury outside your window? Like watching Vincent Price do what he does best?

If you answered yes to any of these, you'll want to own this trio of tales based on the works of EAP.

Price is a 'priceless' actor when it comes to films of gothic horror. Somehow, he can dramatise horror and revultion as no other can -- truly he is a master of the macabre.

The film itself consists of three spooky tales which will enthral the watcher (assuming this is your sort of chosen entertainment). There is virtually no bloodletting in these tales, but they strike a deeper note than Freddy ever has.

Not for younger children unless you want to sit up with them all night for their dreams, mature audiences should find this trilogy great for an evenings diversion.

** Recommended **

Classic Corman at its finest.Tales is a three story flick with horror master Vincent Price starring in all three.The first is called "Morella" & I feel is the best of the lot. Next "The Black Cat" adds some humor with Peter Lorre.All in all a fun fright feast!

Really enjoyed this film version of the Poe trilogy as a teenager...Had to add it to my collection...Price,Lorre and Rathbone are 3 of the best actors for this genre!!!

What else can be said about classic horror films from the early 60's?
There was a time when anything Vincent Price appeared in I had to see. This is one of the better outings, not because of the many stars involved, but is good, clean fun! Yes, fun!
Watching Vincent act with two other legends is a treat, with Peter Lorre doing what he does best (ad lib).
Including 3 stories which are separate, but have the same mood, the violence is minimal, but the atmosphere makes up the shortage of gore in abundance.
American International Pictures, one of the better Independant film companies who seemed to touch the pulse of what kids wanted to see during the late 50's and early 60's , who during the 70's almost went major, should be thanked for releasing these types of films. Films that were exploitative in essence, but entertaining to the upmost.