Rating: 
Summary: The Missing Flesh Tone Bathing Suit
Review: It's great to have these on DVD. It was a no-brainer buying it, since I ended up paying around five bucks per film for this double feature. I paid several times more than that for the laserdiscs a few years ago. One thing the laser had that the DVD doesn't is the very quick shot of Jane Asher being thrown into the bath naked. On the laser you can see (if you slo-mo it) that she's actually wearing a "bathing suit" that matches her skin tone. I may be splitting hairs, but that quick shot adds just a bit of adrenalin to the scene. It also makes her character seem more vulnerable to the evil Prospero. Now WHY did MGM cut this scene? For cryin' out loud, can't they leave well enough alone?
Rating: 
Summary: Corman/ Poe double feature is a mixed bag.
Review: MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (4 stars)This Poe adaptation, inspired by "Hop Frog" is one of Roger Corman's most creative & artistically satisfying films. Shot in only five weeks, MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH sees Vincent Price giving one of his all time greatest performances as the evil Prince Prospero, a man who blames God for all that is evil in the world & has sought refuge in satanism. Prospero is such a likable fellow that he has the father of his mistress Francesca (June Asher)- ironically a redhead- & her lover quartered. But unknown to Prospero his legal wife Julianna (Hazel Court) has branded an inverted crucifix into her chest & has made a pledge to become the bride of Satan! A smart move considering it is almost the sabbath...
To celebrate the upcoming witches sabbath, Prospero decides to throw an elaborate masquerade ball - though guests are forbidden to wear red because of the plague of red death sweeping the countryside & ravaging the peasants in the village below. But on this night Prospero is to pay dearly for his villainy....
Featuring excellent production design by Daniel Heller & photography by Nicholas Roeg, MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH ranks alongside HOUSE OF WAX & THEATER OF BLOOD as one of Price's very best genre films. PREMATURE BURIAL (2 1/2 STARS) In this rather below par entry in Corman's Poe cycle scripted by Charles Beaumont and Ray Russell, Ray Milland plays Guy, a medical student with a fear of being buried alive. Each member of his family has died unpleasant deaths, beginning with his father having a coronary when Guy was 13. Guy regularly hears his father screaming out from beyond the grave, but his wife Emily (Hazel Court again) tries to convince him his fears are all in the mind, and that he's slowly going mad.
Sadly, the viewer may feel similarly.
The movies most memorable scene involves maggots writhing out of a silver chalice; but for the most part THE PREMATURE BURIAL is a stodgily paced, long-winded bore- until the fun finale and twist ending. Corman fans will want to check it out, but this is far from being his best work. It will come as no surprise that Vincent Price was originally intended to play Guy, but he was under contract to another studio at the time. It would have been interesting to see how much better the movie could have been with his magic touch. But generally, this Double Feature is well worth a look. Extras include trailers for both movies and couple of (very) brief interviews with Corman.
Rating:
Summary: Corman/ Poe double feature is a mixed bag.
Review: MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (4 stars) This Poe adaptation, inspired by "Hop Frog" is one of Roger Corman's most creative & artistically satisfying films. Shot in only five weeks, MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH sees Vincent Price giving one of his all time greatest performances as the evil Prince Prospero, a man who blames God for all that is evil in the world & has sought refuge in satanism. Prospero is such a likable fellow that he has the father of his mistress Francesca (June Asher)- ironically a redhead- & her lover quartered. But unknown to Prospero his legal wife Julianna (Hazel Court) has branded an inverted crucifix into her chest & has made a pledge to become the bride of Satan! A smart move considering it is almost the sabbath...
To celebrate the upcoming witches sabbath, Prospero decides to throw an elaborate masquerade ball - though guests are forbidden to wear red because of the plague of red death sweeping the countryside & ravaging the peasants in the village below. But on this night Prospero is to pay dearly for his villainy....
Featuring excellent production design by Daniel Heller & photography by Nicholas Roeg, MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH ranks alongside HOUSE OF WAX & THEATER OF BLOOD as one of Price's very best genre films. PREMATURE BURIAL (2 1/2 STARS) In this rather below par entry in Corman's Poe cycle scripted by Charles Beaumont and Ray Russell, Ray Milland plays Guy, a medical student with a fear of being buried alive. Each member of his family has died unpleasant deaths, beginning with his father having a coronary when Guy was 13. Guy regularly hears his father screaming out from beyond the grave, but his wife Emily (Hazel Court again) tries to convince him his fears are all in the mind, and that he's slowly going mad.
Sadly, the viewer may feel similarly.
The movies most memorable scene involves maggots writhing out of a silver chalice; but for the most part THE PREMATURE BURIAL is a stodgily paced, long-winded bore- until the fun finale and twist ending. Corman fans will want to check it out, but this is far from being his best work. It will come as no surprise that Vincent Price was originally intended to play Guy, but he was under contract to another studio at the time. It would have been interesting to see how much better the movie could have been with his magic touch. But generally, this Double Feature is well worth a look. Extras include trailers for both movies and couple of (very) brief interviews with Corman.
Rating:
Summary: If you like classic Poe stories then these are for you
Review: Masque of the Red Death and Premature Burial certainly get an B+ for mood and atmosphere, although I can see how some who are into more contemporary horror might find either one to be too slow or even dull. Consider that not only are these two movies based on 19th century Poe stories, but also that they were filmed in 1964 and 1962 respectively. Horror teleplay of that decade can be very different from horror of today. If one is into classic or even contemporary gothics like Castle of Blood and Woman in Black respectively, then these two might be a couple of movies to consider. Both feature the lavish gothic mansions/castles with equally lavish furnishings, secret rooms and plenty of mysterious foggy scenery. Both Price and Milland were excellent actors, although the latter movie hardly does justice to the great Milland who has a wealth of classic movies under his belt. I particularly enjoyed his quasi film noir movie, "The Big Clock." Price is simply the best horror actor ever, and it's impossible to imagine anyone ever remotely being able to fill his shoes. I think his best gothic was the 1959 "House on Haunted Hill." Both Masque of the Red Death and Premature Burial are in keeping with the traditionally plotted Poe style of stressing mood and atmosphere and characterization primarily and feature a story that takes nearly the whole movie to reach their ironic and purposefully emotion-eliciting endings. Again, those into more modern shock horror may find these endings to be an anticlimax and disappointing, for they aren't as graphic, intense or visceral as the modern counterparts and both are quite LOW tech depending much more on acting to express the emotions of horror to the viewer. Clearly Poe was very popular in his day, and even during the 60's teleplay versions of his stories. This may be due in part to the fact that people were more easily shocked in the 19th century, and premature burial was a true possibility during the 19th century that caused much anxiety for many since there were cases where it actually happened. Picture and sound quality seem fine. I would say these are good movies, but these are not great movies.
Rating: 
Summary: 5 Stars for MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
Review: MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, 7th in the series of Corman's Poe pictures, is a lurid, ambitious little masterpiece of low-budget film-making. A taut, intelligent script (by Twilight Zone's Charles Beaumont), splendid medieval sets, clever dialogue and strong acting in the leads (Vincent Price, Hazel Court, and Patrick Magee), makes this film shine. MASQUE has more in common with Bergman's SEVENTH SEAL than, say, another Corman quickie like LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Price's Prospero is a delightful Sadeian lord (a much truer picture of this type of character than Geoffrey Rush in the Sade biopic QUILLS). Prospero elaborates his philosophy of satanic cruelty, a pleasure he indulges in with calculating coldness and rationality, to the the young Francesca, a kidnapped peasant girl trying to save her imprisoned brother and father. He and Magee wish to pursue evil and befoul innocence, to tear it from its lofty perch and show it the world as it is: vicious, harsh, unforgiving, the Christian God murdered. Heavy stuff! Yes, there are ideas in this flick, if you wish to look; or, you can just curl up and enjoy a horror classic that's no guilty pleasure. As for PREMATURE BURIAL, well, despite the cool tomb Ray Milland has set up for himself and some creepy, fog-enshrouded moors, it rates only about 2-and-a-half stars. Ah well.
Rating:
Summary: The Premature Burial Masque of the Red Death
Review: Masque of the Red Death...this was one of Roger Corman's more lavish AIP productions. This one benefited from more money, accessibility to great scenery, and a great location. As with most of Corman's Poe movies, there is a good amount that's speculated from Poe's original story, as they were usually pretty short, at least not enough material to fill out a hour and a half movie. Vincent Price plays Prince Prospero, a satanic nobleman with a penchant for cruelty, especially with regards to the peasants within his realm. On discovering that the red death has been found within the small village he oversees, he orders it to be burnt to the ground. He then also invites the local nobility to his castle for protection against the red death, and they proceed to envelope themselves in depravity and much debauchery. Watch for some great performances by Patrick Magee as Alfredo, Hazel Court as Juliana and Jane Asher as Francesca. The dream sequence with Juliana was really done well, similar to the dream sequence with Ray Milland in Premature Burial. Ultimately, the carrier of the red death comes to the castle during a masquerade, and Prospero assumes it's his unholy master, but soon learns otherwise. There is a side story, one with a peasant girl, Francesca, played by Jane Asher. Prince Prospero spares her when he has her village destroyed, and seems to be intrigued by her innocence, her purity and his need to corrupt her to gain favor with his master. A great production, and a great performance by Vincent Price. One part I found especially creepy was that little girl that they made to appear as a little woman through makeup and such. And then dubbing in an adult's voice when she spoke...The one problem I did have with this movie was it was almost too lavish. In particular, Prince Prospero has a number of rooms linked together, and each is painted a different color, a somewhat gaudy color. And it's not just the room, but all the furnishings in the room are the same color. One room is an ugly yellow, and then through the door is another room is exacly the same, yet purple and so on...the last room was black, and was supposed to be his sort of satanic temple. But I digress...this was a fairly small bone for me to pick on, but I think Trading Spaces would have had a field day with this place. And on the flipside we get Premature Burial. Apparently, Roger Corman had some kind of minor falling out with AIP, and decided to make this movie without AIP. He approached Pathe, which did color for the movies, and they showed interest in backing Corman on this movie, as they wanted to get into film distribution. Well, things moved on from there, and the cast was set, and then AIP bought Pathe, making it a AIP production in the end. The only reason I mention this is because Ray Milland, not Vincent Price stars in this movie. Vincent Price had been under contact with AIP, so when Roger Corman wanted to cast the movie, he was unable to get Vincent as the star. Some say the movie suffers from this, but I disagree. I think Vincent Price was an amazing actor, but I really enjoyed Ray Milland in the lead role. Ray plays Guy Carrell, a man obsessed with being buried alive. In the basement of his manor, there are tombs where his family members are interred. When he was young, his father passed away, but Guy thinks his father wasn't really dead, and claims to have heard him trying to escape. Apparently his father had a disease that could present the appearance of death, even when the person wasn't really dead. Guy's fear of being buried alive stems from this. His fear is so great he builds a crypt, complete with numerous escape routes should he ever suffer the same fate. His thoughts of death and being buried alive consume him, and so his relationship with his new wife suffers. Hazel Court plays Emily, his wife, and she thinks he's suffering from a sickness of the mind, his being so pre-occupied with the subject and she tries to get help from the family physician. She finally convinces Guy to destroy his crypt and try to live a normal life. I have to say, I thought his crypt was pretty cool, and he seemed to have thought of everything. It kind of reminded me of those bomb shelters people built in the 50's in case of nuclear attack. Anyhow, Guy has an attack, brought on by trying to prove his father didn't die as he thought, and goes into a comatose death-like state and his worst fear comes to reality, that of being buried alive! He manages to escape, and learns of plans by others to hasten his demise and begins to set things right. A pretty decent entry, although I saw the ending coming from about halfway into the movie. An red herring was offered to us in who was responsible for the odd goings on, the little things intended to fuel his fears, but it was presented in such a way it was so obvious that it couldn't be true. That was probably my biggest problem with this movie, and I tried not to give anything away in illustrating it. The dream/nightmare sequence was quite good, and filmed very similar to the dream sequence in Masque of the Red Death. I guess if something works, stick with it. I really enjoyed Ray Milland in this movie, a man ruled by his obsession with premature burial. Was this a common problem back in the day? There was rationalization presented to support his fear, but I guess most everyone has to fear something, although premature burial is pretty low on my list.
Rating:
Summary: The Premature Burial Masque of the Red Death
Review: Masque of the Red Death...this was one of Roger Corman's more lavish AIP productions. This one benefited from more money, accessibility to great scenery, and a great location. As with most of Corman's Poe movies, there is a good amount that's speculated from Poe's original story, as they were usually pretty short, at least not enough material to fill out a hour and a half movie. Vincent Price plays Prince Prospero, a satanic nobleman with a penchant for cruelty, especially with regards to the peasants within his realm. On discovering that the red death has been found within the small village he oversees, he orders it to be burnt to the ground. He then also invites the local nobility to his castle for protection against the red death, and they proceed to envelope themselves in depravity and much debauchery. Watch for some great performances by Patrick Magee as Alfredo, Hazel Court as Juliana and Jane Asher as Francesca. The dream sequence with Juliana was really done well, similar to the dream sequence with Ray Milland in Premature Burial. Ultimately, the carrier of the red death comes to the castle during a masquerade, and Prospero assumes it's his unholy master, but soon learns otherwise. There is a side story, one with a peasant girl, Francesca, played by Jane Asher. Prince Prospero spares her when he has her village destroyed, and seems to be intrigued by her innocence, her purity and his need to corrupt her to gain favor with his master. A great production, and a great performance by Vincent Price. One part I found especially creepy was that little girl that they made to appear as a little woman through makeup and such. And then dubbing in an adult's voice when she spoke...The one problem I did have with this movie was it was almost too lavish. In particular, Prince Prospero has a number of rooms linked together, and each is painted a different color, a somewhat gaudy color. And it's not just the room, but all the furnishings in the room are the same color. One room is an ugly yellow, and then through the door is another room is exacly the same, yet purple and so on...the last room was black, and was supposed to be his sort of satanic temple. But I digress...this was a fairly small bone for me to pick on, but I think Trading Spaces would have had a field day with this place. And on the flipside we get Premature Burial. Apparently, Roger Corman had some kind of minor falling out with AIP, and decided to make this movie without AIP. He approached Pathe, which did color for the movies, and they showed interest in backing Corman on this movie, as they wanted to get into film distribution. Well, things moved on from there, and the cast was set, and then AIP bought Pathe, making it a AIP production in the end. The only reason I mention this is because Ray Milland, not Vincent Price stars in this movie. Vincent Price had been under contact with AIP, so when Roger Corman wanted to cast the movie, he was unable to get Vincent as the star. Some say the movie suffers from this, but I disagree. I think Vincent Price was an amazing actor, but I really enjoyed Ray Milland in the lead role. Ray plays Guy Carrell, a man obsessed with being buried alive. In the basement of his manor, there are tombs where his family members are interred. When he was young, his father passed away, but Guy thinks his father wasn't really dead, and claims to have heard him trying to escape. Apparently his father had a disease that could present the appearance of death, even when the person wasn't really dead. Guy's fear of being buried alive stems from this. His fear is so great he builds a crypt, complete with numerous escape routes should he ever suffer the same fate. His thoughts of death and being buried alive consume him, and so his relationship with his new wife suffers. Hazel Court plays Emily, his wife, and she thinks he's suffering from a sickness of the mind, his being so pre-occupied with the subject and she tries to get help from the family physician. She finally convinces Guy to destroy his crypt and try to live a normal life. I have to say, I thought his crypt was pretty cool, and he seemed to have thought of everything. It kind of reminded me of those bomb shelters people built in the 50's in case of nuclear attack. Anyhow, Guy has an attack, brought on by trying to prove his father didn't die as he thought, and goes into a comatose death-like state and his worst fear comes to reality, that of being buried alive! He manages to escape, and learns of plans by others to hasten his demise and begins to set things right. A pretty decent entry, although I saw the ending coming from about halfway into the movie. An red herring was offered to us in who was responsible for the odd goings on, the little things intended to fuel his fears, but it was presented in such a way it was so obvious that it couldn't be true. That was probably my biggest problem with this movie, and I tried not to give anything away in illustrating it. The dream/nightmare sequence was quite good, and filmed very similar to the dream sequence in Masque of the Red Death. I guess if something works, stick with it. I really enjoyed Ray Milland in this movie, a man ruled by his obsession with premature burial. Was this a common problem back in the day? There was rationalization presented to support his fear, but I guess most everyone has to fear something, although premature burial is pretty low on my list.
Rating:
Summary: Care to dance?
Review: MGM has released Roger Corman's "Masque of the Red Death" as half of a Midnite Movies double feature with "The Premature Burial," both presented in widescreen. They're introduced by the avuncular Corman, whose memory seems extraordinary. The prolific filmmaker calls "Masque" one of his best works. "Masque" stars Vincent Price, while "Burial" digs in with Ray Milland. Corman delights in both stars, noting that Price benefited from his exotic appearance, while Milland found menace behind the matinee-idol look. Price, he says, thrived in the horror game because he took his work deadly seriously. Corman says "Masque" was his first choice for a Poe project when AIP began the series, but he waited, fearing comparisons to the robed Death in "The Seventh Seal." Corman says Ingmar Bergman's icy classic did in fact influence the look of the film, along with Hitchcock and the German Expressionists. "Masque" was shot in London in order to take advantage of tax breaks. Sets recycled from "Beckett" gave it a bigger-budget feel. Roeg elevated the movie with some of his best camerawork, all bold colors and movement, wonderfully lit. The video leaves a rich impression, but there are persistent signs of age and obvious splice marks. Audio is good enough. While "Masque's" story of the plague years has resonance in the time of AIDS, "Premature Burial" seems a bit mannered considering its horrific subject matter. Still, the movie leaves viewers with material for many a nightmare. Video and audio are OK.
Rating:
Summary: RAY PRICE?
Review: One of the most interesting benefits of this double bill is the commentary by legendary producer/director Roger Corman who helmed all the Poe films made by American International. He adds some great insight into the behind the scenes mechanics, including the ironic necessity to put Ray Milland in the lead in "Premature Burial" due to contractual requirements. It's ironic in that American International bought Pathe Studios and released the "Burial" anyway!
Both movies are sumptuously filmed, the budget an obvious factor in the supremely photographed "Masque". Note the script's dependence on the belief of a God who would let terrible things happen. Also enjoy Price's masterful portrayal of Prospero; Hazel Court's brief stay as the inimitable Juliana (Hazel was a beautiful woman--wonder why we didn't see more of her in later films?); also enjoy the subtly intriguing performance of Patrick Magee as the lecherous "gorilla." "Don't Look Now's" director Nicolas Roeg was the cinematographer and he does a magnificent job in utilizing the various moods of the film.
I always wondered why Ray Milland got the role in "Burial" and after the commentary by Corman, I finally understood. Not that Ray isn't a good actor; he is. I felt,however, that he was not a good choice for the role of Guy Carnall. He didn't hurt the movie, but I felt he didn't display the wide array of emotions the character was screaming for. Hazel Court is back in a much bigger role and she gets fine help from Heather Angel and Richard Ney as well. It's slower paced than "Masque" but it maintains a spooky, claustrophobic feel and does well overall.
Thanks to Midnight Movies for bringing us these classic in DVD. The transfer on both is excellent. They don't look old at all.
Rating:
Summary: RAY PRICE?
Review: One of the most interesting benefits of this double bill is the commentary by legendary producer/director Roger Corman who helmed all the Poe films made by American International. He adds some great insight into the behind the scenes mechanics, including the ironic necessity to put Ray Milland in the lead in "Premature Burial" due to contractual requirements. It's ironic in that American International bought Pathe Studios and released the "Burial" anyway!
Both movies are sumptuously filmed, the budget an obvious factor in the supremely photographed "Masque". Note the script's dependence on the belief of a God who would let terrible things happen. Also enjoy Price's masterful portrayal of Prospero; Hazel Court's brief stay as the inimitable Juliana (Hazel was a beautiful woman--wonder why we didn't see more of her in later films?); also enjoy the subtly intriguing performance of Patrick Magee as the lecherous "gorilla." "Don't Look Now's" director Nicolas Roeg was the cinematographer and he does a magnificent job in utilizing the various moods of the film.
I always wondered why Ray Milland got the role in "Burial" and after the commentary by Corman, I finally understood. Not that Ray isn't a good actor; he is. I felt,however, that he was not a good choice for the role of Guy Carnall. He didn't hurt the movie, but I felt he didn't display the wide array of emotions the character was screaming for. Hazel Court is back in a much bigger role and she gets fine help from Heather Angel and Richard Ney as well. It's slower paced than "Masque" but it maintains a spooky, claustrophobic feel and does well overall.
Thanks to Midnight Movies for bringing us these classic in DVD. The transfer on both is excellent. They don't look old at all.
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