House of Usher (1960)

Upon entering his fiancée's family mansion, a man discovers a savage family curse and fears that his future brother-in-law has entombed his bride-to-be prematurely.

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Edgar Allan Poe (based on "The Fall of The House of Usher"), Richard Matheson (screenplay)

Stars:

Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Vincent Price	...	Roderick Usher
Mark Damon	...	Philip Winthrop
Myrna Fahey	...	Madeline Usher
Harry Ellerbe	...	Bristol

Storyline

After a long journey, Philip arrives at the Usher mansion seeking his loved one, Madeline. Upon arriving, however, he discovers that Madeline and her brother Roderick Usher have been afflicted with a mysterious malady: Roderick's senses have become painfully acute, while Madeline has become catatonic. That evening, Roderick tells his guest of an old Usher family curse: any time there has been more than one Usher child, all of the siblings have gone insane and died horrible deaths. As the days wear on, the effects of the curse reach their terrifying climax.

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Plot Keywords:

gothic horror | 19th century | national film registry | psychotronic film | curse | 

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Taglines:

The House of Usher is no more - and the place whereon it stood is as if - it had never been.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

MGM Studios [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1960 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Fall of the House of Usher

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alta Vista Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Ryder Sound Services)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The stark landscape that Mark Damon rides through was the site of a fire in the Hollywood hills. Roger Corman had heard of the fire on the radio and went to the location the next day with his crew to do the shots of Damon.

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Goofs

Roderick is shown playing a lute, but the sound we hear is a muted harpsichord.

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Quotes

Roderick Usher: See to the crypt, will you?

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Alternate Versions

A new version premiered on August 6, 2010 at the Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn, New York, with a live score by Marco Benevento commissioned by BRIC / Arts / Media / Bklyn. This version, presented on DVD, featured numerous psychedelic overlays and superimposed and inserted flash-forwards, including an early appearance of the famous blood-covered hands shot and other moments from the climax earlier in the film.

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Connections

Version of The Fall of the House of Usher (1979)

User Reviews

Tainted bloodline. Creepy thriller.

Director Roger Corman does his thing with a classic piece from Edgar Allan Poe. A visually fantastic production. A tense and moody horror tale of a young Bostonian (Mark Damon)traveling to the Usher family mansion to collect his beautiful bride-to-be(Myrna Fahey). The eager suitor is told by her brother(Vincent Price)that the family's blood has been cursed and he should rethink a marriage.

The mansion, surroundings and atmosphere bring a chill. The evasive Price is very convincing in his role as doting brother and master of the house. Great spooky movie to watch on a rainy night.