The Tomb of Ligeia

source: House at the End of the World

Trailer—The Tomb of Ligeia

The Tomb of Ligeia

Roger Corman's last Edgar Allan Poe adaptation, filmed in England this uses some superb Gothic sets and locations, most notably an ancient abbey in Norfolk (Stonehenge does gets a brief scene too). Excellent cast, Vincent Price, with his dark glasses, hams it up delightfully as ever. The movie looks fantastic on Blu-ray, every scene is a joy to the eyes. What lets it down for me, to some extent, is that it is a little on the slow side and also I found it somewhat low on horror (at least compared to the previous adaptations). Much of the plot takes place in the day rather than at night. A black cat features throughout and this tale is more black cat than The Black Cat. Ligeia is far from my favourite in the series however it is still a good slice of colourful Gothic horror/melodrama.

Verden Fell (Vincent Price) buries his beloved late wife Ligeia (Elizabeth Shepherd) but she is refused a Christian burial. Later, he finds beautiful Lady Rowena (Elizabeth Shepherd) thrown off her horse onto Ligeia's grave. A black cat happens to be at both incidences. He had become a recluse and his eyes are troubled by bright lights. It's a Roger Corman film. It's the last of his Edgar Allan Poe films with his cohort Price. There is something here. The basic story has good horror potential but non of it gets to the point of being scary. I like the exterior ruins. The large mansion interior also has potential but again, it's not fully realized. I would let it be completely rundown and covered up when Verden first meet Rowena. As she cleans it up, it becomes a home again but that's when the cat can cause havoc. The cat is interesting and I can see a modern movie making more out of it. Vincent is over-acting for all he's worth. I can see the potential for a great horror here.

Poe, Corman and Price. and an almost predictable result of this collaboration. because all remains impressive. the script, the acting, the atmosphere, the cinematography. so, not surprises. only a horror as example of admirable old fashion recipe. because it is more than an excellent adaptation. it is an impressive show, seductive, ambiguous, preserving the flavor of the abbey and the mystery in elegant and subtle manner. so, a real good film. with many chance for become memorable for the viewer.

Of all the collaborations between director Roger Corman and sensuous, creepy actor Vincent Price, this is probably their best. There's the small cast of characters, mainly Ligeia, buried in a marble tomb in the grounds of a sinister old abbey, Rowena, a lady horserider looking for someone she can be 'drawn' to who is more interesting than her beau Christopher, and Verdon, Ligeia's bereaved husband, with his black shades and mood swings. There's also a cat. And this cat is really the true star of the film, watching, attacking, influencing. The film benefits from its heavy use of locations, and makes it stand apart from the studio interiors of other adaptations. This is a decadent, decaying England with strange happenings and curses. It is a superb film, and lifts the Shepperton Poe adaptations to a new level.

At one point in this film Vincent Price says 'Christopher, not ten minutes ago I tried to kill a stray cat with a cabbage'. Now, I think that is a pretty good reason alone to watch this movie but if that's not enough for you well, its another Roger Corman gothic horror starring Vincent the magnificent, based loosely on an Edgar Allen Poe story. There's nice sets and locations, lush cinematography, an above average script and Price doing what he does best, as well as vegetable-based violence directed at felines.