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Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

Not Rated | | Drama, Horror, Mystery | 12 August 1961 (USA)
Pit and the Pendulum Poster
In the sixteenth century, Francis Barnard travels to Spain to clarify the strange circumstances of his sister's death after she had married the son of a cruel Spanish Inquisitor.

Director:

Writers:

(screenplay), (story "The Pit and the Pendulum")

Stars:

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
... Nicholas Medina / Sebastian Medina
... Francis Barnard
... Elizabeth Barnard Medina
... Catherine Medina
Antony Carbone ... Doctor Charles Leon
... Maximillian
Lynette Bernay ... Maria (as Lynne Bernay)
Larry Turner ... Nicholas as a Child
Mary Menzies ... Isabella
Charles Victor ... Bartolome
See full cast »
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Storyline

Francis Barnard goes to Spain, when he hears his sister Elizabeth has died. Her husband Nicholas Medina, the son of the brutest torturer of the Spanish Inquisition, tells him she has died of a blood disease, but Francis finds this hard to believe. After some investigating he finds out that it was extreme fear that was fatal to his sister and that she may have been buried alive! Strange things then start to happen in the Medina castle. Written by Leon Wolters <wolters@strw.LeidenUniv.nl>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

murder | torture | gothic horror | spanish inquisition | buried alive | See All (36) »

Taglines:

She was enslaved by evil in a terror haunted castle. See more »

Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Official Sites:

MGM Studios [United States]

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

12 August 1961 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Edgar Allan Poe's Pit and the Pendulum  »

Filming Locations:

 »
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Box Office

Budget:

$200,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$2,000,000
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Ryder Sound Services)

Color:

(Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

In Spain was released at first in Barcelona (14 June/1963) and later in Madrid (15 July/1963) and other provinces. Also -in 2001- the film was a re-release in Madrid (Pequeño Cine Estudio) for 14 days, only in subtitled version. The film was 3 dubbed versions: in 1963 for cinemas, in 1983 for VHS and TV premiere (1989) and in 1995 for his second video edition. See more »

Goofs

The height of the pendulum keeps changing See more »

Quotes

Don Nicholas Medina: Do you know where you are, Bartolome? I'll tell you where you are. You are about to enter Hell, Bartolome, HELL!... The netherworld.The infernal region, The Abode of the Damned... The place of torment. Pandemonium. Abbadon. Tophet. Gehenna. Naraka. THE PIT!... And the pendulum.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in House on Haunted Hill (1999) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does the movie end?
Q: What are the "fun facts" printed on the DVD package?
Q: Did Roger Corman make any other movies based on Edgar Allan Poe's stories?
See more »

User Reviews

 
Vincent Price is wonderful!!
30 December 1999 | by – See all my reviews

I just recently "discovered" the "Pit and the Pendulum" after a friend recommended it. I watched the video on a dark and windy night and I was absolutely chilled! It was wonderfully atmospheric, beautifully filmed, and the suspense kept mounting right up until the climatic end. >

Vincent Price was terrific, bringing such sympathy to this role. I think any other actor would have easily been over the top, but Price keeps it in check. John Kerr was properly aggressive as the over wrought brother and the other actors were just as impressive.

This type of movie making just confirms to me that you don't need a shameless amount of blood and guts to be terrified. I know I'm going to have a grand old time checking out Price's other movies!
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