We sadly mark the passing of exploitation giant, Roger Corman: a tireless, budget minded producer/director who was creatively involved in some very memorable science fiction, horror, western and action genre pictures. Many of these movies have become classics and provide a blueprint of how to manufacture films quickly and cheaply without sacrificing all quality. I will reference “A Bucket of Blood” (1959) as being one such example of a low budgeted, though engaging story of a homicidal “artist” who finally runs out of luck. A very engaging movie.

It was in the 1960’s that Corman turned his attention to adapting (sometimes very loosely) some of the works of author Edgar Allen Poe.

“The Pit and the Pendulum” contained many elements of mood and directing that were reflected in his later Poe adaptions. We see a lot of swirling fog, cobweb infested dungeons, weird, distorted camera angles and lenses, colored filters engulfing the images, and dream/nightmare sequences that reflect the tormented minds of some of these films’ characters.

The resultant proceedings here are enjoyable but terrifying. Vincent Price truly turns in a twisted performance!

Seek this one out.