The Haunted Palace (1963)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

H.P. Lovecraft (story)
Charles Beaumont (writer)

Release Date:

28 August 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

A warlock's home is his castle...Forever!

Plot:

Charles Dexter Ward arrives at a small village to visit the house he inherited from his ancestor who died there 100 years ago.

Plot Keywords:

Curse | Ancestor | Mutant | Palace | New England

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Charles Dexter Ward / Joseph Curwen
Debra Paget	...	Ann Ward
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Simon Orne (as Lon Chaney)
Frank Maxwell	...	Dr. Willet / Priam Willet
Leo Gordon	...	Edgar Weeden / Ezra Weeden
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Gideon Smith / Micah Smith (as Elisha Cook)
John Dierkes	...	Benjamin West / Mr. West (as John Dierkies)
Milton Parsons	...	Jabez Hutchinson
Cathie Merchant	...	Hester Tillinghast
Guy Wilkerson	...	Gideon Leach / Mr. Leach
I. Stanford Jolley	...	Carmody, coachman (as Stanford Jolley)
Harry Ellerbe	...	Minister
Barboura Morris	...	Mrs. Weeden
Darlene Lucht	...	Miss Fitch
Bruno VeSota	...	Bruno, the bartender (as Bruno Ve Sota)

Also Known As:

Edgar Allan Poe's The Haunted Palace (USA) (promotional title)
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (USA) (original script title)
The Haunted Village

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Ryder Sound Services)

Certification:

Norway:16 | UK:18 (Video rating) | UK:X (theatrical rating) (cut) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #20528)

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Roger Corman decided to do an H.P. Lovecraft story as a break from his Edgar Allan Poe series while keeping the elements that made it successful. American-International took no chances. It gave the film a "Poe" title and marketed it as another in the series.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The film is billed as "Edgar Allen Poe's The Haunted Palace." While Poe did write "The Haunted Palace," the film is actually based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft, "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward."

Quotes:

Ann Ward: Charles? You ready?
[comes outside to join him on the balcony]
Charles Dexter Ward: I've decided to stay.
Ann Ward: What?
Charles Dexter Ward: Just long enough to fix the place up. With a little work it could bring a good price. Don't you think?
Ann Ward: I should imagine. I don't know.
[disappointed]
Charles Dexter Ward: I estimate two weeks, perhaps three. To get things started, anyway. Do you mind, Ann?
Ann Ward: No, not exactly. But I can't say it pleases me.
Charles Dexter Ward: Well, then you go home!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Madhouse (1974)

Absolutely wonderful

Roger Corman's 'Poe' series is one of the all time highlights of cinema. With low budgets, great stories and Vincent Price; Corman has created a legacy that is hard to react to with anything but admiration, and it's certainly a style of film-making that will never be utilised again. This film is, actually, not based on a story by Edgar Allen Poe; but one by the almost equally excellent HP Lovecraft. You will notice Poe's name on the posters, but that's nothing more than a ploy by American International to ensure that people went to see it. However, whoever wrote it is inconsequential, because it's incredible whatever. From the moment it begins, with an incredibly malevolent Vincent Price being burned for witchcraft shortly after putting a curse on the village of Arkham in one of the man's finest monologues ever; this film grabs you doesn't let go until the words 'The End' appear on your screen. The subject of witchcraft and burning witches has, and will always be absolutely fascinating and this film capitalises on that. Adding to the intrigue is some otherworldly creatures in the basement that Price feeds young women to, and a village full of deformed residents! Lovecraft's Necronomicon joins the party as well...

I don't know how much American International paid Vincent Price for making this and other Corman films, but whatever it was, it wasn't enough. Price holds the viewer's attention like no other actor has ever, and probably will ever do again. He handles his dual role fantastically, and switches between the darkly macabre and an innocent naivety at the drop of a hat. Also joining in the fun is fellow horror legend, Lon Chaney; who puts in a delightful performance and provides most of the scares! Corman does an absolutely fantastic job of building atmosphere in this movie, and the village of Arkham is constantly foreboding and intriguing. The use of smoke is right on cue; as is the music, which is massively over the top; but very, very effective. The problem with many horror films is that in spite of being excellent, they're often not very frightening; but there's one sequence in this film that sees a bunch of deformed villagers surround Price and his wife that is positively nightmare inducing! I have nothing but respect and admiration for this picture as it is an immense achievement in Corman's Poe cycle, and don't let the fact that it's not a Poe story put you off - if you're a fan of Price, Corman or just low budget atmospheric horror in general, see this film NOW!