“Mr. Winthrop, three-quarters of my family have fallen into madness, and in their madness have acquired a, a superhuman strength... so that it took the power of many to subdue them.”
-Rodrick Usher
Directed by: Roger Corman
Starring: Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey, Harry Ellerbe
Trailer/Video: Very spoilery, but you gotta love how Price's name shows up three times. They knew why people were gonna see this.
The premise: Philip Winthrop travels to the House of Usher to meet his fiancee, only to find that she is bedridden, and her brother eagerly wishes for her to stay in the house...
My Familiarity With the Movie: First heard of the novel thanks to a Something Awful Photoshop Phriday (c'mon, that's hilarious), and discovered that Corman directed a film adaptation starring Vincent Price around the time I watched “The Masque of the Red Death”. I’m a big fan of both Roger Corman and Vincent Price (especially Price), and I’ve got nothing against Poe, so I had to watch it.
Random thoughts as I watch it:
- I’m very slowly catching up.
- I’m not used to seeing Vincent Price blond. Or without a mustache.
- CUTIE ALERT: Madeline Usher
- Roderick’s super-senses remind me a lot of Daredevil. Of course, that shouldn’t surprise anyone.
- So, I assumed that the movie’s title was referring to the fall of the Usher family line, not the literal house falling.
- Phillip seems to be taking Madeline’s death a lot harder than Roderick is.
- I’m not even claustrophobic, and I find the idea of being buried alive to be creepy.
- I don’t think this nightmare scene affects the plot in any way...but it’s cool, so who cares?
- Bristol seems like a cool guy, all things considered.
- Phillip Winthrop, the human bloodhound.
- Madeline’s gone mad, just like Roderick predicted (of course, he locked up up in a coffin and chained it shut so she’d have to claw her way out. Maybe it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy?)
- So, I guess the movie WAS about the fall of the Usher bloodline...AND about the actual house falling. It works both ways!
The Good:
- Like I even need to say it. Vincent Price as Roderick. Devious, but charming
- It’s not something I comment on often, but I really dug the colors of this movie. Very bright, vivid hues that somehow compliment the dark, gothic atmosphere. Gets almost psychedelic during the nightmare sequence.
- I also really dig the ambiguity. Is the house haunted, or is it due to the fault line in the building? Is the Usher bloodline cursed, or does Roderick just think it is, and convinces himself that he and his sister will follow suit? Likewise, Roderick visibly winces at thunder and lightning, but Madeline doesn’t. Maybe she doesn’t have the same super-senses, but has been convinced she does? It could go either way, and would make for a good discussion, I think.
The Bad:
- Takes a while for the “horror” aspect to kick in, mostly relying on a spooky atmosphere.
- It is a bit slow-going for a while. I didn’t have a problem with it, but easily-bored viewers might.
Best Scare: Madeline attacking Roderick.
What Did We Learn Today? I learned what gruel is! I’ve heard of it before, but didn’t actually know what it was until I looked it up on Wikipedia while watching this movie.
Recommended? For fans of Vincent Price, Edgar Allan Poe, and gothic horror, yes.
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