Rating: 
Summary: The mediaeval magnificence of the 'Masque'
Review: Undoubtedly the 1964 film 'The Masque of the Red Death'stands as Roger Corman's masterpiece of richly-stylized gothic horror, melding his free adaptation of the Poe story of the same name with the cruel tale of 'Hop Frog'. The atmosphere acheived in this film , with it's sumptuous sets, costumery and heightened sense of lapidary colour, is quite incomparable. From the opening scene in the mist-shrouded twilight of the plague-haunted mediaeval countryside where the old woman gathering wood encounters the crimson-cowled figure of the Red Death sat beneath a tree drawing the tarot cards which signify his role as divinely-appointed dispenser of fate unto humankind, an eerie and apocalyptic drama unfolds to compelling effect: the simplicity and innocence of the village-girl Francesca contrasts sharply with the luxuriant and corrupting evil within Prince Prospero's turreted castle as a tale as starkly and boldly delineated as some Mystery-cycle or morality-play of the High Middle Ages, is enacted. Vincent Price's depiction of Prince Prospero, a nobleman who has pledged his eternal soul to the Lord of this World, the 'Lord of Flies', is absolutely masterly. Likewise the beautiful Hazel Court provides a powerful portrayal of Juliana who vies with Prospero for the infernal favours of Satan vowing herself as the bride of hell in the black chapel. Sin and innocence, sanctity and abomination, freedom and fate, survival and mortality - all is in the balance and over all the red-cowled figure of the Red Death presides dealing the cards which are the lots of inexorable and inescapable destiny. Prince Prospero's dark allegiance and pact with his satanic Master avails him not at all when the clock strikes midnight and despite his arrogant pomp, power and riches he too must join in the final dance - the Dance of Death!
The sheer visual beauty of many scenes of this film will impress themselves vividly upon your imagination in a lasting way, some examples being the suite of yellow, blue, purple and black chambers, Juliana's hallucinatory and daemonic dream sequence and the final sequence where the various avatars of Death are beheld upon the foggy heath. The acting is of a very high standard and the characters are well realised throughout. The pace never flags as the narative builds up via skilful episodic unfoldment to the climactic confrontation at the height of the Masque and the score throughout is powerful and deeply evocative. 'The Masque of the Red Death' delivers an unforgettable experience and is truly worthy of being called a genuine classic of horror...
Rating: 
Summary: A Disappointment- - and a Suprise
Review: Unfortunately, I bought this movie with a couple of preconcieved ideas- 1)The Masque of the Red Death would be wonderful and 2) The Premature Burial would not. I was wrong on both counts. My rating of 4 stars is a composite of both movies. The Masque of the Red Death I will give 3 stars because Vincent Price was very, very good and the cinematography was superb. The atmosphere and mood were terrible as was the acting of most of the other stars . I had to force myself to finish this movie. I love the rest of the series, particularly The Fall of the House of Usher. But this did not live up to them. The Premature Burial I give 5 stars. Ray Milland, usually a romantic lead, lends just the right air to his part. I was immediately caught up in the story. I don't think I moved from my seat until it was over. It has just the right amounts of horror and suspense to keep you enterested up to the last minute. My experience has been a lesson never to judge a movie by heresay or reviews (even my own) but to wait until I can see it on my own.
Rating:
Summary: DOUBLE DOSE OF POE....
Review: Vincent Price is in great form as the evil Prince Prospero holding sway in his castle while the Red Death ravages the countryside in this 1964 classic. He has his pick of who joins him there and who perishes in the plague. Joining him in his depraved revelries and satanic practices is his Lady---Juliana (the luscious Hazel Court) who may be wearing out her tenure. Prospero has forced an innocent village girl (Jane Asher) to join him in hopes of converting her to satanism and instructs a resentful Juliana to groom her. He has also imprisoned the girl's lover and father in his torture dungeon. Prospero is planning a huge masked ball to celebrate his "triumph" over the Red Death and has assembled his most faithful gluttonous followers in the castle. But Death is not so easily tricked. Probably the most famous of AIP's Price/Corman/Poe adaptations is notable for the great Nicolas Roeg photography and the brilliant use of color throughout as well as a couple of nods to Ingmar Bergman. Outstanding script by Charles Beaumont and R.Wright Campbell make this one of the most literate horror films from the Poe cycle as well. A MUST see for any horror buff. Also included is 1962's "The Premature Burial" which is sorely lacking Price (in the role played by Ray Milland) as a man obsessed with being buried alive. He has built a specially equipped crypt designed to prevent this from happening. Lavishly mounted, with Hazel Court as his duplicitous fiancee, "Burial" looks good and benefits from foggy sets and the haunting tune "Waltzing Matilda" sung by gravediggers but I found myself wishing Price had the lead instead of Milland. But whatever, I enjoyed it anyway. Great looking DVD package of two AIP/Arkoff/Nicholson treats and a must for fans of the great 60's Poe cycle.
Rating:
Summary: Poe would have probably approved.
Review: When a was a child I watched in TV a series called "Corman, Poe and Price". It was some years after the films themselves were theatrically released. I remember they were all a blockbuster at school. My schoolmates commented them with enthusiams and interest. I myself wanted to see them badly, and lamented bitterly having missed some of them. And some of the images of these films caused a deep impression on me. Some of the Corman shots, seen on a black&white small screen lingered in my mind during twenty o thirty years. I always wanted to see them again. Among these images were three or four scenes from "The Masque of the Red Death", particularly the final assembly of the hooded messengers of death that you can see in the first of the double bill feature. It is a great cinematic achievement. Then, with me it was Corman in the first place and Poe afterwards. And I can attest that in my case at least I recognised completely that what I was reading in Poe's amazing tales was completely in tune, in spirit, mood and purpose with what I had seen in the films. So, Roger Corman can be satisfied that "Poe would approve" of his movies. It is stimulating to see that like other great filmakers, Corman -in spite of being a good "never-lost-a-dime" bussinessman- knew what he was doing. He was personally interested in Poe's work, that wasn't considered commercial by Arkoff and Nicholson, the producers. And however young he was at the time he had ideas and talent enough to break though with such a work. In my view, "Masque of the Red Death" is among the best of the series, with an excellent script -not only Matheson's scripts were good in this respect-, great visual ideas, great performances. Upon two Poe tales they build a story of satanism and even on the meaning of life without letting on the scary side of any terror picture. "Premature Burial" is also a film Corman is proud of. I agree. That Ray Milland is the star here is not necessarily a defect. He plays with a little less extravangance than Vincent Price would have, and with thourough seriousness. The first time I saw it I felt disturbed. Poe's words are interspersed here and there. At one point, Milland -Guy Carrell- lets his wife and his friend into the crypt he has build and asks: "What is is to be, brandy, liqueur, amontillado...?". Wonderful. By that time there were masters in the field of horror and Corman is one of them. I could mention Terence Fisher and Mario Bava. Their work has to be recognised. They were underrated and mistankenly made to fall into a category with real trash (Jess Franco, etc.) because of some cheesy effects here and there or because of their commercial quality. Not so. Personally I appreciated Corman the most for bringing into life, fascinatingly, the work of that man rarely touched by the hand of the gods, Edgar Allan Poe.
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