THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964)

Jane Asher and Vincent Price

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964). Produced and directed by Roger Corman.

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 

The Masque of the Red Death is based on two Edgar Allan Poe short stories, the title story and "Hop-Frog." Enough time has gone by since its release to reassess the film and see its true strengths and weaknesses. No, it is not a masterpiece: the screenplay is hokey and pretentious at times; the falcon attack on Hazel Court sort of falls flat; and a tiresome dream sequence for Court's character stops the film dead in its tracks. Still, it is a wonderfully colorful picture, photographed by Nicolas Roeg and with Daniel Haller as production designer (both men later became directors), and the performances across the board are excellent, with even Price's florid, epicene approach working for the character. David Lee's [The Very Edge] score is effective enough but seems derivative.

Verdict: Doesn't quite hold up as well as expected, but still an entertaining picture. ***,

THE VERY EDGE

Richard Todd and Anne Heywood

THE VERY EDGE (1963). Director: Cyril Frankel.

"You can't change what happens to you -- only how you feel about it."

Former model and happily married wife Tracey Lawrence (Anne Heywood) is assaulted and nearly raped in her home by a stalker,  Mullen (Jeremy Brett), who is obsessed with her; the incident results in her miscarrying. Her architect husband, Geoffrey (Richard Todd), is supportive, but eventually becomes impatient because Tracey's trauma prevents her from being intimate with him. Geoffrey's new secretary, Helen (Nicole Maurey), seems more than willing to take up the slack and an attraction between the two develops. Meanwhile, the stalker is still on the loose, and still focused on having his way with Tracey ... The Very Edge has all the elements of a good thriller, but it might have been more entertaining had it gone in more lurid directions. Anne Heywood gives an excellent performance as the likable Tracey, and Todd [The Hasty Heart] is also top notch, even if one questions his character and his actions late in the film. Brett is compelling in an unusual role for him, especially when you consider that just the following year he would be warbling "On the Street Where You Live" in My Fair Lady. Jack Hedley [The Anniversary] also scores as Inspector McInnes, adding nuances to his role, such as a possible attraction to Tracey himself. One might not expect the brilliance of , say, a Bernard Herrmann, but David Lee's musical score is rather poor. Cyril Frankel also directed the harder-hitting Never Take Candy from a Stranger.

Verdict: Reasonably absorbing if minor-league melodrama. **1/2,