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What was your favorite part of ''Tales of Terror'' (1962)?

posted 15 years ago by J. Spurlin
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I liked the final story the best, with its colorful hypnotism scenes, villainy from Basil Rathbone, gooey special effects and fascinating premise.

I loved Peter Lorre in "The Black Cat," and loved Vincent Price's Percy Dovetonsil impression; but the story (which incorporates "The Cask of Amontillado) is meandering and clunky, the wine tasting scene is long and pointless, and Joyce Jameson (as Annabel Herringbone) is never a welcome presence.

The first story is weak, and the girl playing the daughter is not especially good. But I loved the ghost effects at the end.

...Justin

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[–] !!!deleted!!! (14789810) 15 years ago

I personally prefered "The Black Cat"

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[–] J. Spurlin 15 years ago

Thanks for replying.

For anyone interested, here is the Ernie Kovacs character that Vincent Price is imitating: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmEuK_UNwSs.

...Justin

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[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] J. Spurlin 15 years ago

...just putting someone behind the walls is scary.

I thought it was interesting how the second tale combined two Poe stories - The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado.

...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!

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[–] YankeeDood 14 years ago

That's my favorite story too, but when Price gets up he is already dead, so he is actually a reanimated corpse. Brrr!

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] InsideTheCastleWall 14 years ago

My favorite was The Black Cat. Peter Lorre was pretty much perfect in his role. My favorite scene is when Montresor is walking down the street begging strangers for money just before he finds the wine convention.

Monstresor: Sir, would you help a veteran of the Revolutionary War?
Man: Out of my way.

Montresor: Pardon me, ladies, but could you spare a coin for a moral cripple?
Ladies: Disgraceful!

Montresor: Do you have some money for a dying man?
Man #2: Go sleep it off.

Montresor: I want money!
Man #3: Scum!

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[–] J. Spurlin 14 years ago

I love that moral cripple line!

...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!

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[–] InsideTheCastleWall 14 years ago

I do too! He stopped lying at that point.

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[–] J. Spurlin 14 years ago

And you gotta love Vincent Price and the wife throwing Peter Lorre's head around.

...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!

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[–] InsideTheCastleWall 14 years ago

That was great. The effects were very good for '62 as well.

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[–] J. Spurlin 14 years ago

I never say "the effects were good for such-and-such a time" because to me old effects look so much better than obvious CGI. The beheading of Peter Lorre was pretty cheesy, but the ghost effects in the first segment were excellent - more effective than CGI effects would have been.

...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!

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[–] Masey3 14 years ago

I just saw this tonight & have to say that The Black Cat was my favorite. Followed by Valdemar then Morella.
And agree that the best scene (of all 3, really) was Lorre's street begging, especially his "moral cripple" pitch. I thought "did he really just say that??" too funny! He was very good.

And you really gotta love pre-CGI

"Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up...we'll all get up...IT'LL BE ANARCHY!!"

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[–] J. Spurlin 14 years ago

I love pre-CGI!

What did you rate the film for the database? If you haven't rated it yet, you can do it here: imdb.com/title/tt0056552/ratings.

...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!

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[–] Masey3 14 years ago

Oh, I rated it...I rate all my movies here
Gave it a 7. May deserve an 8, tho, for shear appreciation

"Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up...we'll all get up...IT'LL BE ANARCHY!!"

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[–] J. Spurlin 14 years ago

I just checked my own rating, and I'm slightly surprised to see I rated it a low 5/10. But I remember I wasn't really happy with the first segment - excellent special effects notwithstanding. And I wasn't happy with the second part either, much as I loved Vincent Price's Percy Dovetonsils impression and Peter Lorre's "moral cripple" line. The third segment had the best story, and I always enjoy seeing Basil Rathbone.

...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!

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[–] Masey3 14 years ago

oh, sorry, I intended to ask you what you rated it!
Funny, I started out giving it a 6 but once I had time to think about it I changed my mind. I also tend to rate 'horror' flicks a little differently anyway, a bit more lenient, since good ones are SO far between. And 'classic' horror (like most classics of any genre) stands alone, imo .

"Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up...we'll all get up...IT'LL BE ANARCHY!!"

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[–] J. Spurlin 14 years ago

I try to be strict when rating the classic horrors because I'm tempted to give so many 10/10. I've probably given out way too many 10/10's to the Universal Horror films, for instance. Bride of Frankenstein is a definite 10, but I'm not so sure about The Mummy or Son of Frankenstein. But I gave them 10/10 and 9/10 respectively.

...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!

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[–] Masey3 14 years ago

I try to be strict when rating the classic horrors because I'm tempted to give so many 10/10

good point!!

Across genres, 10's are somewhat scarce on my list. They're there but not running rampant. I'm stingy with my 9's but hoard my 10's

"Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up...we'll all get up...IT'LL BE ANARCHY!!"

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[–] WarpedRecord 14 years ago

I very rarely give 10s and just a few more 9s, and when I look at the vote counts, I always ignore the 10s and 1s to see where the "true" voting sentiment lies. In this case, it's with the 7s, which is what I gave this: Good performances and atmosphere, but as with most of the Corman films, an air of familiarity.

I liked the second segment, "The Black Cat," the best because it paired two of my favorite horror legends: Vincent Price and Peter Lorre.

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[–] YankeeDood 14 years ago

For me it's definitely the ending of the last story. Chilling.

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[–] Herowithgreeneyesandblue 12 years ago

It depends on how you define favorite. The best and most horrific was the last one and by far, the second one funny. The first one was poorly acted but the story was creepy enough and I liked it too.

As for the women, and the beauty of the women in these horror films is an important aspect that can't be ignored, I loved them all but in The Black Cat I kept waiting for her dress to slip down further off her shoulders. She seemed to be trying for it to happen aweful hard. Guess she underestimated her own hold'n-upp'n faculties.

I like waking up in the morning not knowing who I'll meet or where I'll end up: The Titanic

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[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] porfle 12 years ago

"and Joyce Jameson (as Annabel Herringbone) is never a welcome presence."

I must disagree with that sentiment--I think she was a wonderful actress and always made whatever she was in a little better, from Poe to "The Andy Griffith Show."

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[–] Movie_Piranha_1979 11 years ago

Hard to choose! I love the 3 stories, but if i have to, i pick "The Black Cat", the drinking contest between Price and Lorre is classic!

Prostitute: What the *beep* are you doing?
Johnny: I'm gonna kill a bunch of people.

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[–] Xcalat3 11 years ago

The Black Cat was the best.

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

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[–] DodgersRule 11 years ago

I have to go with Valdemar for pure scares and drama, despite the somewhat hammy performance by Rathbone (who i actually do like a lot). It also has a very sweet scene with Price and Padget that stays with me, he acknowledging that he will die soon and he does not want her to be alone. I just felt these two actors did well together. and how often do we see two attractive people, she and the doctor, admitting their feelings but respecting her husband enough to openly say NOTHING will happen between them. Old fashion and lovely.

The Black Cat was probably my 2nd favorite. The friendship between Price and Lorre is obvious and they work so well together! And I think Joyce James is a dear and she was perfectly cast as a silly/abused wife and willing lover.

Morella had its problems but the atmosphere was great and, like another poster wrote, it's a shame it could not have been longer because if it had been fleshed out a bit more it could have been an interesting block. As it was, the segment was rushed.

All n all, a very good movie.

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