IMDb > Tales of Terror (1962)
Tales of Terror
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Tales of Terror (1962) More at IMDbPro »

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Tales of Terror (1962) -- Three short stories ('Morella,' 'The Black Cat,' and 'The Case of M. Valdemar') based on the works of the master horror writer, Edgar Allan Poe, and feature Vincent Price in the starring role.
Tales of Terror (1962) -- Three tales of terror involve a grieving widower and the daughter he abandoned; a drunkard and his wife's black cat; and a hypnotist who prolongs the moment of a man's death.

Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   1,739 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 32% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Edgar Allan Poe (stories) and
Richard Matheson (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Tales of Terror on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 February 1963 (Denmark) more
Tagline:
A Trilogy of Shock and Horror!
Plot:
Three tales of terror involve a grieving widower and the daughter he abandoned; a drunkard and his wife's black cat; and a hypnotist who prolongs the moment of a man's death. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
Very watchable as long as you really aren't looking for Poe! more (36 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Vincent Price ... Locke / Fortunato / Valdemar
Maggie Pierce ... Lenora (segment "Morella")
Leona Gage ... Morella (segment "Morella")

Peter Lorre ... Montresor (segment "The Black Cat")
Joyce Jameson ... Annabel (segment "The Black Cat")
Basil Rathbone ... Carmichael (segment "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar")
Debra Paget ... Helene (segment "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar")
David Frankham ... Dr. James (segment "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar")
Lennie Weinrib ... Policeman (segment "The Black Cat")
Wally Campo ... Barman Wilkins (segment "The Black Cat")
Alan DeWitt ... Chairman of Wine Society (segment "The Black Cat") (as Alan DeWit)
John Hackett ... Policeman (segment "The Black Cat")
Edmund Cobb ... Driver (segment "Morella") (as Ed Cobb)
Scott Brown
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Terror (USA) (alternative title)
Poe's Tales of Terror
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Runtime:
89 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Pathé Colour)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
USA:Approved (PCA #20234) | USA:Unrated (video release) | UK:15 (video rating) (1993) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | Argentina:13 | Sweden:15 | Australia:M

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" also incorporates elements of Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Driver: Ma'am, I have to get back to Boston.
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Movie Connections:

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful.
Very watchable as long as you really aren't looking for Poe!, 15 December 2006
6/10
Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida

An alternate title add's "Edgar Allen Poe's" to the beginning of the title, though fans of Poe's stories will be a tad confused to say the least because these stories are only broadly inspired by his stories. For example, the tale BLACK CAT is actually created by morphing Poe's "The Black Cat" with "The Cask of Amontillado" and allowing the writers to add and hack away a lot of material. Unfortunately, American International Pictures (never a place of "high art") used the titles but often little more of Poe's stories for a batch of movies starring Vincent Price. Some of them are very watchable and good, but they usually have contempt for the original material--straying extremely far from the original in most cases. Often, the public thought they were seeing a Poe tale, but it was really an all-new story from start to finish.

Despite this, this is still a pretty good film--particularly the third tale of the trilogy. I would score them as follows: the story about Morella (4), The Black Cat (6) and The hypnosis segment (9). So, as you can see, the stories got progressively better. The one about Morella just didn't make much sense and was dull. The Black Cat was, for me, too comedic in tone to be anything other than ordinary. But, the segment starring Basil Rathbone and Vincent Price was exciting and the only negative was the gross and silly melting special effect. Many will like it, but I think it was a bit too much. As for the acting and production values, they were pretty good for an AIP movie. Nothing to get excited over, but for fans of horror, I am sure you won't be disappointed.

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bad movie...SPOILERS AHEAD devious0
Peter Lore makes this from ok to excellent rstonesfan
Morella maxvaughn
This is one great movie! wtl471629
Does anyone know if this back in print rstonesfan
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