The Demon Dog Days of Summer

Otto Preminger? That's one of the guys that Dracula and PG Cooper masturbate to, right? We're already off to a bad start.

Richard Kelly's The Box

Pray for me.

A couple is granted a million dollars but accepting it will cause the death of someone. Can it be Trump?

I...kind of enjoy The Box.  Not all of it works, and there's a big, noticeable editing jump toward the end where it feels like 20 minutes of the movie went missing, but enough of it held my interest.  Back in the days of the original boards, it made my Movies Everyone Hates But I Like List.

Ever made?  I'm not really going to leap to its defense, but calm down there.

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (1960)



Roger Corman's first adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe story is fairly loyal to the source material. It's about an eccentric man and his sister, played by Vincent Price and Myrna Fahey, who live almost hermit-like in a spooky mansion because they're certain they'll suffer a tragic death. The short story by Edgar Allan Poe is very layered and there's a lot for readers to dissect. The movie? Not so much. It's very straight-forward and made solely for teenagers of 1960. It succeeds in its goals, but it's certainly a missed opportunity for Corman & Company.

C+


THE PREMATURE BURIAL (1962)



Roger Corman made eight movies based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Only one of them doesn't include Vincent Price in the cast. This time he chose Ray Milland to star in the story of a man so afraid to be buried alive that he'll do anything to prevent it - even if it alienates his friends and family. Ray Milland is less over-the-top than Vincent Price, and a lot more convincing than him too, but he lacks the screen presence and eccentricity that's required for a Roger Corman B-movie. The Premature Burial is definitely a noble effort and worth watching, but it's missing that "it" factor.

B-


TALES OF TERROR (1962)



I'm sure a few critics and audience members questioned why Roger Corman was turning Edgar Allan Poe's SHORT stories into feature-length movies. Many filmmakers have probably asked a similar question, hence the lack of movies based on Edgar Allan Poe's work. For those concerned parties, Roger Corman made Tales of Terror. It features three short films based on four of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories: Morella, The Black Cat, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. The results were, well, underwhelming. Only the middle chapter was any fun to watch. It's a comedic take on The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado and stars Vincent Price and Peter Lorre. The success of this segment led to The Raven which reunited the two actors and was made in the same tone and style. If you loved The Raven you'll love this one too - maybe even more.

A+ for The Black Cat / The Cask of Amontillado
C- for the rest


THE HAUNTED PALACE (1963)



I can't decide if I like or dislike The Haunted Palace. It stars Vincent Price as a... witch... who's burned at the stake and returns 100 years later to seek revenge. It's such an old-school horror story that it's a joy to watch. But it's such an old-school horror story that it's predictable to watch. Of all the movies that Roger Corman made that are based on Edgar Allan Poe's work, this one is the most middle-of-the-road. And yes, I'm aware that it's technically based on H.P. Lovecraft's The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.

C


THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1965)



After five years and eight movies, Roger Corman is finally done cashing in on Edgar Allan Poe's name and work. It was a bumpy road, but it did result in a few classics. This one isn't one of them. It stars Vincent Price as a widow who re-marries and is then haunted by his first wife. That would be a nightmare for most men, and Vincent Price has a great time playing such a role, but Roger Corman doesn't seem interested in the overall story and only puts efforts into certain scenes and moments. That results in a wildly uneven movie. It would have been nice for this series to have ended on a high note, but that's asking too much of a franchise that made eight movies in five years.

C-

31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN

THE TERROR (1963)



Starring Jack Nicholson, co-produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by Roger Corman, The Terror is a 1963 public domain horror movie about a French soldier caught in the middle of a conflict between a ghost, a witch and a baron. The baron is played by Boris Karloff and the ghost is played by Nicholson's then-wife, Sandra Knight. The Terror is notorious for being greenlit when Roger Corman made The Raven under-budget and used the left-over money to make The Terror quick and cheaply. Reportedly, he made the film as the sets for The Raven were being torn down around him. Because of this, The Terror isn't as polished as the other Roger Corman horror movies of the era, and it's an easy target for criticism. But all things considered, the film turned out really well. The story isn't an incoherent as people claim. Jack Nicholson, even in his youth, was awesome. Check him out in another Roger Corman movie, The Little Shop of Horrors. The guy is a natural talent. The sets and costumes are recycled, but they still look good. The cinematography, editing and music are good too. For a film that essentially had no script and was made quickly with cash laying around, The Terror is very impressive.

A-


THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES (1971)



Vincent Price kicks ass in the British horror-comedy, The Abominable Dr. Phibes. It's about a musician who seeks revenge on the doctors who failed to save the life of his wife (Caroline Munro). Joseph Cotten co-stars. The film is gory (for 1970's standards), unconventional, and has a sick sense of humor. If that sounds like your cup of tea, watch it. If it doesn't, don't bother.

A


DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN (1972)



Everything that's great about the original Dr. Phibes is also great in the sequel, except for one key element: the location. The story is moved from London to Egypt. The film loses its charm without its Britishness.

B-

Witchfinder General is also the name of a metal band.