Grade: C
Synopsis: Three tales culled from the works of Edgar Allen Poe including Morella, The Black Cat, and The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar.
Tales of Terror is an uneven film. Director Roger Corman and screenwriter Richard Matheson give us three stories, one good, one bad, and one that’s just okay.
The first segment, Morella, plays out much like an abbreviated The Tomb of Ligeia (1964), and though there’s not much to the story, it’s packed with atmosphere and over very quickly.
The second segment, The Black Cat is the best of the three. Playing on its title, this segment is a deliciously campy black comedy highlighted by the great chemistry between stars Vincent Price and Peter Lorre. Their wine tasting competition, particularly Price’s face as he tastes, is the highlight of the entire film.
The final segment, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, seems full of potential, but doesn’t really go anywhere. Basil Rathbone is wasted in a one-dimensional role, and Vincent Price has little to do but lay in bed. This is the longest segment of the three, and easily the weakest. A missed opportunity all around.
Bottom Line: Worth watching for The Black Cat, just don’t hang around for M. Valdemar.
