Jane Asher and Vincent Price |
When the loathsome and cruel Prince Prospero (Vincent Price) realizes that the plague of the Red Death is beginning to ravage the countryside, he holes up in his castle with his wealthy sycophants and holds a masked ball. Unwilling participants include Francesca (Jane Asher), her father (Nigel Green) and her beloved, Gino (David Weston of Becket), all of whom are toyed with by the devil-worshiping Prospero even as the prince tries to mold the pious and faithful Francesca into a wanton more suitable for his needs. This does not sit well with Juliana (Hazel Court of Premature Burial), Prospero's lover, who decides to become a bride of Satan instead and pays the ultimate price. In a sub-plot, the dwarf Hop Toad (Skip Martin) gets a diabolical vengeance on Alfredo (Patrick Magee), who dared to strike Esmeralda (Verina Greenlaw), the lovely little dancer and friend of Hop Toad's. When the masked ball begins, Prospero discovers that he has a very unwelcome guest in his midst ...
Verina Greenlaw and Skip Martin |
Verdict: Doesn't quite hold up as well as expected, but still an entertaining picture. ***,
2 comments:
I enjoy this one, even with its campy and hokey moments, as you note. It's Price at his horror zenith, and I love the Poe material that this is based on. Need to see it again.
-Chris
They did a remake of this but I think it's a Spanish slasher film that only uses the bare bones of the concept. Undoubtedly this version is much better.
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