The Haunted Palace (1963)

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Charles Beaumont (screenplay)
Edgar Allan Poe (poem) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 August 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

A warlock's home is his castle...Forever!

Plot:

Charles Dexter Ward arrives at a small village to visit the house he inherited from his ancestor who died there 100 years ago.

Plot Keywords:

Descendant | Ancestor | Warlock | Curse | New England

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Charles Dexter Ward / Joseph Curwen
Debra Paget	...	Ann Ward
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Simon Orne (as Lon Chaney)
Frank Maxwell	...	Dr. Marinus Willet / Priam Willet
Leo Gordon	...	Edgar Weeden / Ezra Weeden
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Peter Smith / Micah Smith (as Elisha Cook)
John Dierkes	...	Benjamin West / Jacob West (as John Dierkies)
Milton Parsons	...	Jabez Hutchinson
Cathie Merchant	...	Hester Tillinghast
Guy Wilkerson	...	Gideon Leach / Mr. Leach
I. Stanford Jolley	...	Carmody, Coachman (as Stanford Jolley)
Harry Ellerbe	...	Minister
Barboura Morris	...	Mrs. Weeden
Darlene Lucht	...	Miss Fitch
Bruno VeSota	...	Bruno, the Bartender (as Bruno Ve Sota)

Directed by
Roger Corman

Writing credits
Charles Beaumont		(screenplay)
Edgar Allan Poe		poem (as Edgar Allen Poe) &
H.P. Lovecraft		story "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" &
H.P. Lovecraft		story "The Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward"
Francis Ford Coppola		additional dialogue (uncredited)

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	producer
Ronald Sinclair	....	associate producer
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer (uncredited)
James H. Nicholson	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Ronald Stein

Cinematography by
Floyd Crosby		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ronald Sinclair

Art Direction by
Daniel Haller

Makeup Department
Ted Coodley	....	makeup artist
Lorraine Roberson	....	hair dresser
Verne Langdon	....	prosthetic supply (uncredited)
Verne Langdon	....	special prosthetics creator (uncredited)

Production Management
Jack Bohrer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Rapp	....	assistant director

Art Department
Harry Reif	....	set dresser
Richard M. Rubin	....	prop master (as Dick Rubin)

Sound Department
John L. Bury	....	sound (as John Bury)
Gene Corso	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Hannawalt	....	key grip (as Chuck Hannawalt)
Harry Sundby	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marjorie Corso	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Marge Corso)

Other crew
Armondo Linus Acosta	....	title designer (as Armand Acosta)
Francis Ford Coppola	....	dialogue director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Alta Vista
• American International Pictures (AIP)
• La Honda Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Mercator (1969) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Black Hill Pictures GmbH (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (video)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Ryder Sound Services  sound facilities

Also Known As:

"Edgar Allan Poe's The Haunted Palace" - USA (promotional title)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Ryder Sound Services)

Certification:

Norway:16 | UK:18 (Video rating) | UK:X (theatrical rating) (cut) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #20528)

Company:

Alta Vista

Trivia:

Completed April 1963, and the only film teaming Vincent Price and Lon Chaney, other than Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).

Goofs:

Factual errors: The film is billed as "Edgar Allan Poe's The Haunted Palace." While Poe did write "The Haunted Palace," the film is actually based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft, "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward."

Quotes:

Ann Ward:Charles? You ready?
[comes outside to join him on the balcony]
Charles Dexter Ward:I've decided to stay.
Ann Ward:What?
Charles Dexter Ward:Just long enough to fix the place up. With a little work it could bring a good price. Don't you think?
Ann Ward:I should imagine. I don't know.
[disappointed]
Charles Dexter Ward:I estimate two weeks, perhaps three. To get things started, anyway. Do you mind, Ann?
Ann Ward:No, not exactly. But I can't say it pleases me.
Charles Dexter Ward:Well, then you go home!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Film '72: Episode dated 23 September 2008" (2008)

Absolutely wonderful

Roger Corman's 'Poe' series is one of the all time highlights of cinema. With low budgets, great stories and Vincent Price; Corman has created a legacy that is hard to react to with anything but admiration, and it's certainly a style of film-making that will never be utilised again. This film is, actually, not based on a story by Edgar Allen Poe; but one by the almost equally excellent HP Lovecraft. You will notice Poe's name on the posters, but that's nothing more than a ploy by American International to ensure that people went to see it. However, whoever wrote it is inconsequential, because it's incredible whatever. From the moment it begins, with an incredibly malevolent Vincent Price being burned for witchcraft shortly after putting a curse on the village of Arkham in one of the man's finest monologues ever; this film grabs you doesn't let go until the words 'The End' appear on your screen. The subject of witchcraft and burning witches has, and will always be absolutely fascinating and this film capitalises on that. Adding to the intrigue is some otherworldly creatures in the basement that Price feeds young women to, and a village full of deformed residents! Lovecraft's Necronomicon joins the party as well...

I don't know how much American International paid Vincent Price for making this and other Corman films, but whatever it was, it wasn't enough. Price holds the viewer's attention like no other actor has ever, and probably will ever do again. He handles his dual role fantastically, and switches between the darkly macabre and an innocent naivety at the drop of a hat. Also joining in the fun is fellow horror legend, Lon Chaney; who puts in a delightful performance and provides most of the scares! Corman does an absolutely fantastic job of building atmosphere in this movie, and the village of Arkham is constantly foreboding and intriguing. The use of smoke is right on cue; as is the music, which is massively over the top; but very, very effective. The problem with many horror films is that in spite of being excellent, they're often not very frightening; but there's one sequence in this film that sees a bunch of deformed villagers surround Price and his wife that is positively nightmare inducing! I have nothing but respect and admiration for this picture as it is an immense achievement in Corman's Poe cycle, and don't let the fact that it's not a Poe story put you off - if you're a fan of Price, Corman or just low budget atmospheric horror in general, see this film NOW!