Premature Burial (1962)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Charles Beaumont (writer)
Edgar Allan Poe (story)

Release Date:

7 March 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Within the Coffin I Lie...ALIVE!

Plot:

Emily Gault arrives at the Carrell mansion determined to rekindle an old relationship with Guy Carrell...

Plot Keywords:

Fear | Buried Alive | Obsession | Revenge | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Ray Milland	...	Guy Carrell
Hazel Court	...	Emily Gault
Richard Ney	...	Miles Archer
Heather Angel	...	Kate Carrell
Alan Napier	...	Dr. Gideon Gault
John Dierkes	...	Sweeney
Dick Miller	...	Mole
Clive Halliday	...	Judson
Brendan Dillon	...	Minister

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:M | Finland:(Banned) (1963) | USA:Unrated | Norway:16 (1962)

Filming Locations:

Producers Studios - 5330 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Roger Corman started this film outside of American International Pictures. Since Vincent Price had been signed to an exclusive contract with AIP, Corman chose Ray Milland for the lead role. American International would acquire the production just as principal photography began.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the cemetery Emily picks up a bunch of blue flowers twice.

Quotes:

Guy Carrell: Can you possibly conceive it. The unendurable oppression of the lungs, the stifling fumes of the earth, the rigid embrace of the coffin, the blackness of absolute night and the silence, like an overwhelming sea.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Film '72: (2008-09-23)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Molly Malone

Less than stellar Corman / Poe movie.

Guy Carrell (Ray Milland) is a painter obsessed with prevention of being buried alive. Try as he might, he can't get it out of his mind, no matter how his wife Emily (Hazel Court) or friend Miles (Richard Ney) try to help him.

This Edgar Allan Poe-based Roger Corman picture, scripted by Charles Beaumont and Ray Russell, is not really compelling viewing for me. It's missing something - maybe a little more flair, maybe better pacing - but it just didn't generate a high level of interest for me. Photography and design help a bit, as well as good performances and a decent finish, but I wasn't as impressed with "The Premature Burial" as I was with "The Masque of the Red Death". Atmosphere is fine, but maybe not as potent as I would have liked. The best part is Milland's dream sequence although even this part does go on too long.

Incidentally, I didn't know that was Dick Miller in the role of the gravedigger named "Mole" - I didn't even recognize him!

Not great but not too bad either.

5/10