Grade: C+
Synopsis: A trilogy of Nathaniel Hawthorne adaptations starring Vincent Price; Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment, Rappaccini’s Daughter, and The House of the Seven Gables.
In the midst of his Edgar Allan Poe adaptations with director Roger Corman, Vincent Price also starred in this similar gothic horror adaptation based on the writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Studio United Artists likely sought to capitalize on Price’s earlier successes, thus Twice-Told Tales has a similar look and feel to Price’s Poe adaptations for AIP, with the biggest difference being in the tone, as this film is noticably darker and features a higher body count than most of the Poe adaptations.
Granted, some of this is due to the fact that there are three stories being told instead of one, but nonetheless, the script by producer Robert E. Kent is a refreshing diversion from the usual Corman-Poe formula.
As for the stories themselves, the first, Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment is the best, with the following two descending in quality. All are entertaining if you’re a fan of Price, and while the film as a whole is better than some of his lesser Poe adaptations, it doesn’t match The Masque of the Red Death (1964) or Pit and the Pendulum (1961).
