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.
August 11, 2007I have to teach Edgar A. Poe and Vincent Price bring Poe to life. The movies are old but the adaptations of the master of terror are very well adapted.
January 7, 2007 |  | "I will always be your wife. Your ONLY wife..." |  |
"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.
May 6, 2005| | | The Enduring Power of CORMAN, POE and VINCENT PRICE | |
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.
January 26, 2005| | | More for fans of Poe than fans of Corman | |
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.
December 18, 2004More reviews at Amazon.com ...
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