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The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
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Movie Review by Dekker
February 19th, 2009
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A MIASMA OF BARBARITY
Well, this one certainly could have been a whole lot better.
But, then again, what could I have honestly expected from the teaming up of B-Grade, Schlock-Director, ROGER CORMAN, and that lisping, aging, Hollywood Ham-Actor, VINCENT PRICE?
With the likes of these two (CORMAN and PRICE) as our primary source of entertainment here, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (TPATP) was doomed to disaster right from the start.
This deadly duo put the double-whammy hex on this flick!
At best, TPATP was a mediocre Suspense/Drama, being way too dreary for my liking. It's filled with so many red-herrings (and VINCENT PRICE swoonings and faintings) that it leaves the viewer exasperated and frustrated by all its misleading nonsense. TPATP could never be classified as a Horror Flick in the strictest sense of the term. No way.
The way I see it - The reason why TPATP failed to surpass mediocrity, was that Director CORMAN, who (on such a low film-budget) was so intent on building 'atmoshpere' (there was no end to the lightning storms and cobweb filled, secret corridors), that he seems to have forgotten the one, most important element of all - And, that was - What the hell he was building all this bloody atmosphere for, in the first place. It's true.
TPATP claims to be based on EDGAR ALLAN POE's eerie short story (of the same name) about madness and murder, but, let's face it, in reality this flick bears little, if no, resemblance to POE's story, at all.
TPATP's story was set in the year 1546. The film-location for all the 'so-called' action took place within a wonderful, old, medieval castle situated along the rocky coast of Spain.
The only time that TPATP actually comes to life is in the final 10 minutes. It's at this point that fear and anxiety are at their ultimate peak.
Under force, character Francis Barnard (JOHN KERR) is escorted down into the dreaded Pit and placed, under restraints, below the slowly swinging, razor-sharp blade of the gigantic Pendulum.
Tick-Tock! Tick-Tock! Inch-By-Inch! The mighty pendulum's blade is lowered. Swinging closer and closer! And closer and closer!!!......And!!??.......!!
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