[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)

Upon entering his fiancée's family mansion, a man discovers a family curse and fears that his future brother-in-law has entombed his bride-to-be prematurely.

I don't know why but i just can't get over excited by this Roger Corman, Edgar Allan Poe production. Despite it being beautifully Gothic, delightfully atmospheric and lushly photographed with a silky purring performance by Vincent Price, i find it for the most part quite boring, especially the middle third. It doesn't help that Price's co-stars (Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey and Harry Ellerbe) seem ill suited to the Gothic horror genre especially when you compare them to the kind of co-stars Hammer were treating us to in their new Gothic shockers.

Admittedly the finale works rather well. The action when it arrives is intense, Corman uses the burning old house as another character, in fact it's the films best one after Price as heat from the engulfing flames almost melts the screen as the fire rages and the old house begins to crumble around the Usher name.