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From Amazon.co.uk
Vincent Price brings a theatrical flourish to his role in The Fall of the House of Usher. He plays Roderick Usher, a brooding nobleman haunted by the dry rot of madness in his family tree. This being an Edgar Allen Poe story, there's a history of family madness and melancholia, a premature burial and a sense of doom hanging over the gloomy, crumbling mansion. Roger Corman sold stingy AIP pictures on the concept by claiming "The house is the monster"--or so goes the oft-told story. True or not, Corman (with the help of his brilliant art director Daniel Haller and legendary cinematographer Floyd Crosby) creates an exaggerated sense of isolation and claustrophobia with the sunless forest and funereal fog that holds the house and its inhabitants prisoner in a land of the dead. It doesn't quite look real (some of the effects are downright phoney, notably the apocalyptic climax), and none of the costars can hold a candle to Price's elegant, haunted performance (often speaking in no more than a stage whisper), but it's a triumph of expressionism on a budget. Shot in rich, vivid colour and CinemaScope, from a literate script by genre master Richard Matheson, this is stylish Gothic horror in a melancholy key. It was such a success that Corman reunited his core group of collaborators for the follow-up The Pit and the Pendulum the very next year. Thus Corman's "Poe Cycle" was born. --Sean Axmaker
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), German ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Dutch ( Subtitles ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), German ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: After a long journey, Philip arrives at the Usher mansion seeking his loved one, Madeline. Upon arriving, however, he discovers that Madeline and her brother Roderick Usher have been afflicted with a mysterious malady: Roderick's senses have become painfully acute, while Madeline has become catatonic. That evening, Roderick tells his guest of an old Usher family curse: any time there has been more than one Usher child, all of the siblings have gone insane and died horrible deaths. As the days wear on, the effects of the curse reach their terrifying climax. ...The Fall of the House of Usher ( The Mysterious House of Usher )
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By S. Hapgood
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
I personally think all the Roger Corman adaptations of E A Poe's short stories are unique, and have a special atmosphere of their own, but "The Fall Of The House of Usher" is the creepiest. A young man sets off into the New England countryside to find out what has happened to his beautiful fiacee, Madeline. When he arrives at the gloomy ancestral home he becomes convinced that her eccentric brother, Roderick, is holding her captive. The truth, is ever, is not that simple though. Roderick appears to have become obsessed with his family's evil history, and believes that Madeline has inherited the Usher insanity. As such she should never marry and reproduce, the line must die out with them.
This isn't exactly a cheerful film. Living in the mansion, which is literally crumbling to pieces, set in a stagnant swamp, would be enough to drive anyone peculiar! But it still packs a powerful eerie punch. I particularly liked the scene where Roderick shows his visitor the unsavoury family portraits, and relates their terrible history. And the final shot of the ruined house abandoned in the fog-choked swamp is pure E A Poe.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
One of a series of Edgar Allan Poe stories filmed on low budgets by Roger Corman makes a welcome addition on DVD. Like Pit and the Pendulam made afterwards, this is an all time classic. Very atmospheric with some very good sets (similar to Pit and the Pendulam which isnt surprising!) good set pieces and a fine eerie music score. Mark Damon arrives at the spooky Usher Mansion which is crumbling with decay to visit his fiance Madeliene Usher (Myrna Fahey) only to be warned off by her brother Roderick (Vincent Price) that they cannot marry due to the Usher curse of evil. Attempting to persuade Madeliene to escape the house results in her death and she is buried within the family tomb. From this point, the atmosphere really intensifies and the climax is wonderful to watch. Overall, its a fine production, despite its dated look. The actors hold the film together though, and is worth adding to any collection. Picture detail is quite good, sound isnt too bad either. A good buy.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
fantastic classic horror, if you are into decrepid 15th century manor house chillers where the plot drips decay and impendig dread with every creeking floor board, then this is for you...loved it in the 70's and still do.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
America's response to Hammer Horror
"The Fall of the House of Usher" feels and looks like a typically American response to Hammer Gothic horror movies. A response, but not a copy. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Autonome
3.0 out of 5 stars
house of usher
yet again a good story and prices acting boost this film but cheap film production and a poor acting by supporting cast drag it down. Read more
Published 15 months ago by jed
5.0 out of 5 stars
Impressive!
Critically, this version of the Poe short story has been very well received over the years and understandably so. Read more
Published on 16 Nov 2010 by Adrian Drew
4.0 out of 5 stars
First of a classic series
This was the first of Roger Corman's Poe adaptations and his first collaboration with Vincent Price, but there is no hesitancy or sense of searching in the movie. Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2010 by Peter Scott-presland
4.0 out of 5 stars
An oldy but a goody
Ok, this film isn't full of the most wonderful special effects but the story is wonderful and Vincent Price's portrayal of the slightly mad Roderick Usher is great. Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2009 by Louise
3.0 out of 5 stars
Price is right
A lot of people will fondly remember watching Corman's Poe films on T.V. in the 1970s. There always seemed to be a Hammer/Universal/Corman etc. horror season on BBC2. Read more
Published on 24 Nov 2008 by Gizmophobic
1.0 out of 5 stars
Film 'oddity'.
An alternative title could be: 'Mad Madeline'!
'The Fall Of The House Of Usher' is an odd film. Read more
'The Fall Of The House Of Usher' is an odd film. Read more
Published on 21 Sep 2008 by FAMOUS NAME
1.0 out of 5 stars
Film 'oddity'.
An alternative title could be: 'Mad Madeline'!
'The Fall Of The House Of Usher' is an odd film. Read more
'The Fall Of The House Of Usher' is an odd film. Read more
Published on 21 Sep 2008 by FAMOUS NAME
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