Customer Reviews

The Tomb of Ligeia / An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

MGM supplies a double dose of Price and Poe with this Midnight Movies release of The Tomb of Ligeia (1965) and An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe (1970). The Tomb of Ligeia, directed by Roger Corman, was his last of the popular Poe series of films, and Corman certainly went out in style. Opting for shooting on location rather than use of soundstages, the production here is lavish and infinitely enjoyable.

The story centers on Verden Fell (Vincent Price), who lives in a run down abbey, with his wife, Ligeia, buried within the grounds. But is she actually dead? It was said her will was so strong, her desire to live so palpable, that maybe she didn't really pass. Elizabeth Sheppard also stars as Lady Rowena Trevanion, a woman who has a chance meeting with Verden, and soon finds herself enthralled with the man, despite his peculiarities, like his aversion to sunlight, his living in an abandoned abbey, etc. They are soon married, and then the weirdness really begins. Strange dreams, a black cat, Verden mysteriously disappearing in the night, and a sense that Verden's deceased wife, while not around in a physical sense, is somewhere in the abbey...maybe everywhere in the abbey, as her presence seems to permeated the structure, and it doesn't seem like she's too happy about Verden getting re-married...so what's the secret behind Verden's strange behavior? Is Ligeia really dead? What is the menacing presence lurking within the abbey, intent on haunting Lady Rowena?

As I've said, this is a really wonderful production full of rich, beautiful location shots. The decrepit abbey is provides a wonderful backdrop to this truly creepy story, and the minimal number of characters really helps to keep things tight and focused. Price, one of my favorite actors, does a wonderful job, and seeing him apply his craft is always a treat. Elizabeth Sheppard certainly manages to hold her own, sharing much screen time with price. What I found really interesting was the lack of physical horror within the film, and how the film avoided the luridness of some of the other Corman/Poe productions, seeming to stay more along the lines of the source material. Credit must be given to the write of the screenplay, Robert Towne, who later wrote the Nicholson/Polanski classic Chinatown (1974). A real nice adaptation with loads of atmosphere and a nice way for Corman to finish the Poe series with this eighth and final adaptation.

The second feature on this disc, An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe, isn't a theatrically released feature, but a made for TV movie starring Vincent Price. It's comprised of four vignettes, including the more popular Poe stories, The Tell Tale Heart, The Sphinx, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Pit and the Pendulum..Price is the only one throughout the entire feature, sometimes acting in a manner of relating a tale within character in the story, sometimes acting out the different characters within the stories. It's a very personal affair, and all tales follow the original stories very closely, something that wasn't necessarily true of the theatrical Poe features produced by Roger Corman starring Price. As far as I can tell, Corman had nothing to do with this production, but it was produced by American International, the same company that produced the Corman/Poe films. This feature runs 53 minutes. Since it was shot for television on video tape, the quality isn't all that great, but, if you are a fan of Price and/or Poe's works, then this will be a real treat for you. Price really sinks his teeth into the roles, relating each tale with flourish they so richly deserve.

The print provided for The Tomb of Ligeia looks really beautiful, presented in wide screen. The special features include two, separate audio commentary tracks, one with Roger Corman, and another with star Elizabeth Sheppard. There is also a theatrical trailer for the film. An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe is in full screen format since it was a feature made for television, and does have subtitles, which came in useful as the audio, while decent, was a bit weak at points.

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"The Tomb Of Ligeia" was the last time Roger Corman would direct Vincent Price in a movie adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe story. Vincent stars as Verden Fell, whose willful wife has just died. Her will to live was so strong that not even death could put an end to her. This moody movie is beautifully filmed, with the details of the decaying abbey and cemetery, as well as the vivid colors of the interior shots, benefiting greatly from the new DVD transfer. However, I found this costume horror film to be heavy on atmosphere and light on scares. The action didn't really pick up until the fiery climax.

"An Evening Of Edgar Allan Poe," originally shot on videotape for television in 1970, is officially released at last. Given the source material, the images are clear and the sound is good. Vincent Price delivers a powerful, one man performance of four Poe stories. "The Tell Tale Heart" starts the evening off on a strong note. Vincent gets more and more animated in relating how he planned to murder the old man he was looking after, how he dismembered the body in a tub to catch all the blood, and how he carefully hid the body parts. Of course, when the police come to investigate the complaint of hearing a scream in the night, Vincent loses his composure and reveals everything, because he hears the incessant beating of the old man's heart! "The Sphinx" is a comical piece, in which Vincent sees a gigantic monster in his telescope, which turns out to be a moth caught in a spider's web. "The Cask Of Amontillado" finds Vincent at his jovial best. He happily relates how he led his drunken friend through the dank catacombs to show him his latest wine purchase. Instead of sharing some drinks, he quickly chains his friend to the wall and then slowly seals him up alive, brick by brick. "The Pit And The Pendulum" features an amazing performance by Vincent Price. In the span of twenty minutes, Vincent relates the terrible tortures inflicted on him by the Spanish Inquisition with chilling detail and fiery conviction. For all fans of Vincent Price, this DVD is an essential purchase.

"The Tomb of Ligeia" was the last of Roger Corman's eight Edgar Allen Poe adaptations, and he went all out. Instead of the usual cheap studio setting (although these were used for all the interior scenes), this movie had breathtaking photography of the English countryside, as well as a creepy graveyard. I consider "The Tomb of Ligeia" to be one of Corman's very best, if not his finest, Poe adaptation. It has wonderful performances from the entire cast, great cinematography, and haunting music composed and conducted by Kenneth V. Jones.

Vincent Price is Verdan Fell, a depressed man who's wife Ligeia has recently died and been buried. But at the funeral he remembers her final words: "Man need not kneel before the angels, nor lie in death forever save for the weakness of his feeble will." She was so strongwilled, in fact, that her spirit still lives, and Verdan is still controlled by her. But when he meets beautiful Rowena (Elizabeth Shephard), his life is forever changed. She feels sorry for Verdan but also loves him and over time she teaches him how to smile and be happy again. They marry, but as soon as they arrive at his castle for the honeymoon, Rowena senses evil in the place.

Over time Verdan drifts further and further away from his new bride, as his dead wife's control over him becomes stronger and more frightening. Ligeia seems to manifest herself as a black cat which always seems to be attacking poor Rowena. Eventually, Rowena discovers a secret room in the castle and finds Ligeia's body, but she may already be too late to break her control over Verdan...

I didn't realize until the ending that Elizabeth Shephard actually had a dual role, playing both Ligeia and Rowena. Now that is talent! Once again, Vincent Price gave another outstanding performance, taking his character from depressed to happy and then to homicidal! If ever there was a Poe adaptation by Corman that would make Poe rise up from his grave an cheer, "The Tomb of Ligeia" is it. The dvd has a sharp and clear image quality and the sound quality is awesome. Bonus features include the original theatrical trailer and two commentaries, one by Corman and the other by Elizabeth Shephard.

On the other side of the dvd is "An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe", a made-for-tv movie where Vincent Price gives a one-man show, narrating and acting in four different adaptations (no other actors were involved!): "The Tell Tale Heart" (one of my favorites from Poe), "The Sphinx", "The Cask of Amontillado", and "The Pit and the Pendulum". Price was a bit stagey but you can tell he loved being the center of attention. Roger Corman had little or nothing to do with "An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe", and it shows. I think it'd be best enjoyed by "hardcore" fans of Edgar Allen Poe. No bonus features are included for "An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe" except for subtitles, which come in handy as the sound quality is rather poor. Overall, this dvd is highly recommended just for adding "The Tomb of Ligeia" to your collection.

"The Tomb of Ligeia" is, I'm sure, the draw of the two. Before I bought this DVD, I didn't know what was to be expected from something called "An Evening with Edgar Allen Poe", and Amazon offered no explanation. Well, get ready. This is a filming of Vincent Price's one-man show that went around the country, featuring his rendition of "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Sphinx", "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Pit and the Pendulum". It's intense and quite wonderful. As hammy as he's been in other films, there is a riveting conviction to present Poe as it should be. It's definitely worth a look. "The Tomb of Ligeia" is Corman's last Poe film, which he considers among his best. I found it to have a bit more center and plot than most of his other Poe adaptations. There's a fine, unsettling performance from Elizabeth Shepperd, playing dual roles. I'm a fan of early Poe films by Corman; here, he's developed style and intelligence. I thought the earlier mindless ones (Matheson script) were more fun. But this is definitely worth a look. Screenplay by Robert Towne ("Chinatown"). I was most impressed with Price's one-man show. It's pretty much of a one mood (crazy) presentation, but I can't really say that it's hammy. Imagine "The Pit and the Pendulum" done alone on stage... (with no props or set). It's quite frightening, and, here, Price was much in tune with his material. A real tour de force. It's a performance that is up there with Rathbone or Olivier.

THE TOMB OF LIGEIA is the definitive of Roger Corman's eight Edgar Allan Poe film adaptations. This is the best. The first thing that impresses the viewer is the innovative cinematography by Arthur Grant. It is stark yet hauntingly beautiful. The opening scene at Ligeia's burial is an impressive piece of filmmaking. It immediately draws the viewer into this tale of obsession where images are presented in such a way leaving one uncertain as to what was actually observed. Roger Corman directs these scenes with an emotional fervor entirely different from his other Poe tales juxtaposing quick editing, insightfully ambiguous dialog and penetrating camera movements creating a truly unique experience. There is something very erotic in a more mature sense about this whole film. There is no notion of carnal lust present in any of the images yet the viewer can feel a sense of stirring of the passionate emotions between the two principal characters, Verden Fell and Lady Rowena Trevanion. Vincent Price is truly brilliant as Verden Fell, husband of the late Lady Ligeia Fell. He plays this elusive and enigmatic character with complete conviction and confidence. Elizabeth Shepherd is equally brilliant as the curious and interested Lady Rowena as she exudes an aura of repressed burning sexuality. This is all conveyed by a mere hand gesture, a look or the ever-slightest touch or just the utterance of some seemingly unimportant words. Price tends to be oblivious to these very subtle advances in an almost asexual trance of consciousness yet he still conveys a sense of yearning for a passion perhaps lost or just lying dormant. Corman's directorial abilities are so acute in this film that the viewer really has no direct insight to where he is going with this intriguing and engaging story, yet when the tale concludes it all becomes apparent and quite logical. Equally important is Roger Corman, the producer. Robert Towne's screenplay is filled with incredibly intelligent, witty, amusing and crisp dialogue. Vincent Price and Elizabeth Shepherd did wonders with Towne's use of language making the characters' eccentricities and frailties startlingly real. Editor Alfred Cox made use of well timed and trimmed cuts to heighten and enhance certain plot elements putting the viewer off balance yet increasing the viewer's awareness of the narrative. Cinematographer Arthur Grant and art designer Colin Southcott combined to make indelible images that are so simple and economic in design yet convey a strange and beautifully haunting setting that entices the viewers' intellectual curiosity in an emotional response. Even composer Ken Jones' score is economical in its construction yet it is very effective. It just seems to flow with the images waiting for the viewer to make an intellectual connection that again elicits an emotional response. I waited patiently for a DVD widescreen version of THE TOMB OF LIGEIA and I was not disappointed. Roger Corman's audio commentary is a bit sparse but still insightful as to how he approached this film. AN EVENING OF EDGAR ALLEN POE, looking as though it was probably shot on videotape, is a tour de force for Vincent Price as he single handedly gives very dramatic and theatrical renditions of Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Cask of Amontillado," "The Pit and the Pendulum" and "The Sphinx." Vincent Price is riveting and demonstrates his unique presence and prowess for presenting these versions of Poe's stories with compelling histrionics. I had never seen AN EVENING OF EDGAR ALLEN POE and was quite surprised to see just how talented Vincent Price really was.

This review is for 'An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe.' If you're a Price fan, it will add to your collection, but if you're a Poe fan who felt that the Corman/Price movies failed to do the master justice, this is one gem that stands out as an exception. It's the only Poe-worthy adaptation I've seen. What a voice, what a presence! Price is associated with campy, tongue-in-cheek 'horror' movies that amuse more than frighten, but you can't watch this without wishing he could have done more serious work. This isn't satirical or or self-conscious, and doesn't poke fun at Poe's morbidity at all. It's a fantastic piece. I haven't watched the Tomb of Ligeia yet, but the DVD is worth the price for 'An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe' alone. The picture quality and sound are lacking--it obviously wasn't considered the main attraction, but it should have been. I've bought every Price/Poe movie on DVD that I know of, and this one was the best, without a doubt. It's the only one I felt strongly enough about to review.

You can't go too wrong with a pair of Vincent Price horror movies, especially based on Poe stories; as this double feature demonstrates, however, you may not do completely well either. This pair of movies is not bad, but is not overly impressive.

The Tomb of Ligeia is a rather standard entry in the Corman/Price/Poe series. Vincent Price is a man whose first wife has died but apparently come back in the form of a cat. Although rather morbid and occasionally violent, he somehow wins the heart of the local beauty and marries her; the spirit of his first wife, however still haunts his home and occasionally controls Price's mind.For a series often filled with good movies (such as the Raven or the Masque of the Red Death), this one only stands out in its averageness.

An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe, however, is more interesting. A showcase for Vincent Price, it has him telling four different Poe stories. Many viewers may be put off by the lack of action; this film is little more than Price on a stage by himself delivering monologues. Price, however, does a great job with his narrations. Reading Poe can often be difficult due to his dated language and style, but Price brings these stories to life.

As stated before, this is not a bad pair of movies, but it is just a high three-star feature at best. You will not be wasting your time watching them, but you will not be rushing to rewatch them either.

This DVD represents the most and least elaborate of the American International Poe series, but also two of its very best efforts. "The Tomb of Ligeia," the last of the classic series (meaning the teaming of Vincent Price with director Roger Corman) is also the most unusual. Shot in England, it capitalizes on exterior locations rather than the series' usual claustrophobic soundstage settings. It also features Price at his most Byronic, made up and bewigged to look as young and dashing as possible, and he responds by keeping his character's madness well controlled. Sultry-voiced Elizabeth Shepherd plays two of Price's wives, one dead and one alive, with the latter being threatened by possession by the former. Abetted by cinematographer Arthur Grant, a Hammer Films regular, Director Corman established a dream-like atmosphere from the first scene (which is spoiled somewhat by a redundant bona fide dream sequence). The literate script by Robert Towne fuses in elements of other Poe stories, such as "The Black Cat" and even "The Fall of the House of Usher." But the overall influence here seems not so much Poe as Hitchcock. If "The Masque of the Red Death," the Poe film that directly preceeded "Ligeia," is something of an homage to Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal," then this can be seen as Corman's take on "Vertigo." Even some of the individual shots, such as the one in which the alive Shepherd visits Price unnanounced, appearing to him as a vision stepping out of the light, are reminiscent of Hitchcock's masterpiece. Only the seemingly obligatory conflagration finale sends it straight back into typical Corman-land.

Also in this set is an hour-long television special called "An Evening With Edgar Allan Poe," which for years was something of a lost production, fondly remembered by those of us who first saw it in syndication, but seeming to exist nowhere on tape or disc. It features Vincent Price in solo recitations of four Poe tales -- "The Sphinx," "The Cask of Amantillado," "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Pit and the Pendulum." "The Sphinx" is one of Poe's rather whimsical short-short stories, and is treated by Price with the appropriate ironic humor, and "Amantillado" and "Heart" are good treatments of the stories. The real gem, though, is "Pendulum." In narrating the terrors of solitary confinement in complete darkness (this is the original Poe story, not the completely fabricated storyline of the 1961 film), Price works himself into such a state of intense terror that the result is electrifying. It may well be his best recorded performance, ever.

On the one side we have the superb "Tomb of Ligeia" and on the flip side there's the lackluster "Evening of Edgar Allan Poe". "Ligeia" is one of my favorite Poe/Price/Corman films and is presented letterbox in a beautiful print. Lushly filmed on location with marvelous photography, it tells of a reclusive baron (Price) with a weird eye problem that makes him ultrasensitive to light. He has recently buried his beautiful wife Ligeia who had a strange hold over him. He meets the Lady Rowena who is bizarrely smitten with him and they marry. Rowena soon discovers things are not what she hoped when the spirit of Ligeia makes herself very well known---particularly in the form of the late Ligeia's black cat. Elizabeth Shepherd is wonderful (and provides audio commentary on this disc) as both Rowena and Ligeia. She's probably the best female costar Price ever had (next to Hazel Court). Price is at his moody best as the baron so Shepherd had her hands full. The sets of "Ligeia" are something to behold. Expansive and foreboding, they seem to swallow the cast allowing the feeling of gloom and emptiness full range. But what is with the sound on these recent releases? I kept having to turn it up and down to hear a lot of the dialogue. And the dialogue (by Robert Towne) in "Ligeia" is important. Not only is it literate but it's written to provide a lot of clues as to what's going on. Nevertheless, "Ligeia" alone is worth the price of the DVD. Now, "Evening With EAP" is another matter. Done by AIP vets Samuel Z.Arkoff and James H.Nicholson, it's a one-man-show of Price doing four Poe tales first person. It's poorly reproduced in picture quality and tedious to sit through. But, if you're a diehard Price fan, it is a rare chance to see Price going solo in tour-de-force style. Plus it's only around 56 minutes in length and there's nothing wrong with the sound. Price is crystal clear and loud. He's probably the best interpreter of Poe there ever was. But my bet rests with "Ligeia". My Poe cycle on DVD is now complete.

Me being only fifteen years old, you would not expect I would be a fan of old movies. Well, I am. I'm a fan of almost everything from Lon Chaney in the Phantom of the Opera to these films: the Tomb of Ligeia and An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe.

I must voice how very well put together the Tomb of Ligeia was.
The film is about a man named Verden Fell (Vincent Price), whose wife Ligeia(Elizabeth Shepherd), passed away, but he feels her will to cling to life, even after she looses it. Some months later, he meets the Lady Rowena (Also played by Elizabeth Shepherd) after she meets with a riding accident. She breaks off her engagement with Christopher Gough (Played by John Westbrook), a prosecuting lawyer, and marries Verden. After their honeymoon around Europe, Rowena and Verden return home. Rowena feels the presence of Ligeia stalking her and seeking to destroy her, and Verden disappears at night with no explanation of where he had been... what is going on in Verden Fell's abbey. What hidden horrors await Rowena? Can she help her husband let go of the memory of his Ligeia? Or will Ligeia never set her husband free from her control?

I applaud Vincent in his performance as Verden Fell. Everyone in this movie was an English actor except for Vincent. I admire his ability to fit in with a bunch of English actors, which is something few American actors can do. I praise Elizabeth Shepherd for her ability to play both the parts of Lady Rowena Trevanion of Tremaine AND Ligeia, and her being so young (She was only twenty eight when she played this part! Holy crap!). Above all, I was extremely impressed by John Westbrook's performance as Christopher Gough. He's a freaking amazing actor! I feel I must include him for his brilliant acting, since hardly anyone has heard of him and notice his amazing ability to assume the character of the role he is playing. Plus, I love his deep, sensuous, mellifluous voice. It's sad that this was the biggest film role he was ever in. He deserved so many more roles in movies than he actually got. If you have seen Masque of the Red Death, he was the man in red, though not credited in his performance (Which I think he should have been!!!!). I fear I must stick John Westbrook at the very top of my list as one of my favorite actors of all time, Vincent Price being the second of my favorites. The rest of the actors I think were very well cast. I felt the scenery in the Tomb of Ligeia was absolutely beautiful, all filmed in southern England (I think...).

Now, An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe, I thought was very brilliantly put together. It must have taken Vincent hours to memorize those stories, but an actor of his ability I think can accomplish it. I loved the way he acted out every word he spoke, with such emotion, dread, fear, and despair, as in the case of the Pit and the Pendulum and the Tell Tale Heart.


Above all, both of these movies were amazing. I now have my favorite movie of all time decided: The Tomb of Ligeia. Yeah, that's right, I loved it that much.

Love,
Adrienne