The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

The second of Corman’s Poe films begins in a similar manner to his first (Usher (1960)), but it added much more original content, again courtesy of Richard Matheson. The changes were offset by upping the mystery and pushing the genre further into the realms of the experimental than its predecessor.
There are times when it lovingly resembles silent era cinema, and the score occasionally feels like it was lifted direct from a sci-fi movie!
As an adaptation it really stretches accepted boundaries, but as a film it’s an unforgettably dramatic experience. And Vince rocks a neck ruff!
I wish I owned movie-candles; a single one is brighter than a 60 watt bulb~.

4 heavy atmospheres out of 5