House of Usher (1960)

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Edgar Allan Poe (story) and
Richard Matheson

Release Date:

22 June 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Edgar Allan Poe's overwhelming tale of EVIL & TORMENT

Plot:

After a long journey, Philip arrives at the Usher mansion seeking his loved one, Madeline. Upon arriving...

Plot Keywords:

Curse | Mansion | Death | Based On Story | Massachusetts

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Roderick Usher
Mark Damon	...	Philip Winthrop
Myrna Fahey	...	Madeline Usher
Harry Ellerbe	...	Bristol
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Andar	...	Ghost (uncredited)
Bill Borzage	...	Ghost (uncredited)
Mike Jordan	...	Ghost (uncredited)
Eleanor LeFaber	...	Ghost (uncredited)
Nadajan	...	Ghost (uncredited)
Ruth Oklander	...	Ghost (uncredited)
George Paul	...	Ghost (uncredited)
Géraldine Paulette	...	Ghost (uncredited)
Phil Sulvestre	...	Ghost (uncredited)
John Zimeas	...	Ghost (uncredited)

Directed by
Roger Corman

Writing credits
Edgar Allan Poe		(story "The Fall of The House of Usher")
Richard Matheson

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	producer
James H. Nicholson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Les Baxter

Cinematography by
Floyd Crosby

Film Editing by
Anthony Carras

Production Design by
Daniel Haller

Makeup Department
Fred B. Phillips	....	makeup artist (as Fred Phillips)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Bohrer	....	assistant director

Art Department
Richard M. Rubin	....	properties (as Dick Rubin)
Burt Shonberg	....	painter: paintings (as Burt Schoenberg)

Sound Department
Alfred R. Bird	....	sound editor (as Al Bird)
Philip Mitchell	....	sound

Special Effects by
Pat Dinga	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Lawrence W. Butler	....	process photography director (as Larry Butler)
Ray Mercer	....	photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Tanner	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marjorie Corso	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Eve Newman	....	music editor

Production Companies

• Alta Vista Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Comptoir Français du Film Production (CFFP) (1960) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (network premiere) (pan/scan)
• Control Productions (Australia) (DVD) (as "Fall of the House of Usher")
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD) (as "Fall of the House of Usher")
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (video)

Other Companies

• Ryder Sound Services  sound recorded by

Also Known As:

"The Fall of the House of Usher" - UK, USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Norway:(Banned) (1960 - 1974) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Sweden:15 (cut) | Sweden:(Banned) | West Germany:16 (nf) | UK:15 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1974) | USA:Unrated | Australia:PG | UK:X (original rating) | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Alta Vista Productions

Trivia:

Vincent Price dyed his hair to play Roderick Usher.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Madeline's coffin is taken to the crypt, the head of the coffin is to the viewer's right. In subsequent scenes, the coffin's head is to the viewer's left.

Quotes:

Roderick Usher:[shouting] Be done.
Philip Winthrop:What?
Roderick Usher:I think I rave.
Philip Winthrop:You said be done.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001)

Corman makes Poe proud

The first of Roger Corman's adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe stories stars Vincent Price as the head of the Usher house; Roderick Usher. Roderick Usher believes that there is an evil curse on his family, a curse that is also the reason for his and his sister's affliction. Because of this curse of evil, he doesn't want the Usher family line to continue and so he has decided to do all in his power to stop it. However, his sister, Madeline's fiancé has come to the Usher house to take her back with him, but Roderick knows that this will mean that the Usher family line will continue and he cannot allow the evil to spread across the world....

Roger Corman is often seen as a 'cheap' director because of the vast amount of films that he has made. Although this is certainly somewhat true as a few of them aren't particularly good; if you take a look at his Poe films, this couldn't be further from then truth. Here, Corman creates a constantly morbid and foreboding atmosphere; not with shocks or other cheap methods, but by simple things such as smoke, an old house and it's creepy inhabitants that utter the most malevolent of lines, some of which are truly bone chilling. Of course, this movie benefits implicitly from the presence of a man that is maybe horror's purest actor; Vincent Price. Price was born to play roles like Roderick Usher, and anyone that sees this film wont find it hard to see why. Vincent Price delivers his lines with just the right tone in order to make him obviously evil, but yet pathetic at the same time; just how the character should be played. When it comes to the 'greatest actor of all time' awards, Vincent Price never gets mentioned, but this is a great injustice; as anyone who has seen a number of films will know.

Corman also succeeds in creating a constant sense of intrigue, and the audience is left hanging on every moment, as we can't wait to see what happens next. Of course, Edgar Allen Poe can take much of the credit for this as the great man did write the story that it was based on, but Corman comes off looking good as well as it is his direction that makes the story so consistently thrilling. The movie also benefits from some very lavish sets, which gives the movie it's upper class dinosaur feel. The house itself is a great piece of horror imagery; it is responsible for most of the atmosphere that is present in the movie.