Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Three short stories from Edgar Allan Poe that has a comedy treatment and black humor,in first segment "Morella" a daughter visiting the dying father (Price) after long time was haunting by mother's ghost,the second segment "The Black Cat" is more interesting,Peter Lorre playing a Jealous husband when your wife falling in love to high class wine-taste (Price) and third and final segment "The Case of Mr. Valdemar played by Price who is dying has a help of a hypnotist (Rathbone) before the death comes....directed by Corman this tales are really amazing!!!

By the time the incredibly prolific Roger Corman came round to making his fourth entry in the now-dubbed Corman-Poe cycle, it seemed that the count-the-coppers director was getting a bit bored with Edgar Allen Poe. Although he would make four more adaptations, including one of the best - The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) - Tales of Terror lacks the Gothic atmosphere generated in the likes of The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) and The Pit and the Pendulum (1961). There's three tales here, but little of the terror. In fact, the film works best as a comedy thanks to some tongue-in-cheek camping from Corman-Poe stalwart Vincent Price, and one of the most convincing impersonations of a drunk I've ever seen from Peter Lorre (although the actor's morphine addiction may have played some part).The first tale, Morella, sees Price don the familiar guise of a reclusive widower, Locke, holed up in a decaying mansion in solitude. His estranged daughter Lenora (Maggie Pierce) arrives to inform her father than she is dying. With his wife Morella (Leona Gage) having died during childbirth, Locke blames his daughter and to her horror, reveals his wife's decaying corpse still lying in bed. After forgiving Lenora after she reveals her impending death, Morella's vengeful spirit awakens to try and claim her daughter's body. This first entry is relatively short and sweet, but will be overly familiar and too simplistic to any viewers who have seen Corman's previous Poe adaptations.The central piece, The Black Cat, is a combination of two Poe stories - The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado - and is without a doubt the best. The permanently sozzled Montresor Herringbone (Lorre) hates his wife Annabel (Joyce Jameson) and her cat, and is frequently abusive to both. Broke, he stumbles into a wine-tasting event in the hope of some free booze. He challenges the world's finest wine taster, Fortunato Luchresi (Price), to a contest but becomes too drunk to finish. Fortunato helps him home where he meets Annabel, and the two begin an affair. When he discovers he has been cuckolded, Herringbone plans to put an end to his wife and her lover's affair, and rid himself of the black cat forever.The Fact in the Case of M. Valdemar, the final piece, sees Price again playing a dying man under the watchful eye of hypnotist Carmichael (Basil Rathbone). Putting him in a trance moments before his death, Carmichael manages to prolong his mind, and can hear the dead man's thoughts as he experiences the finality of death. It's certainly the most interesting story from a psychological perspective, but Corman side-steps Poe's deeper themes for a more formulaic horror approach. The stories are certainly a mixed bag, lacking originality for the most part and certainly failing to capture the depth of Poe's text, but the middle story is memorable and extremely funny, with Price and Lorre delivering exceptional performances in roles they could do in their sleep.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

"Tales of Terror" presents three adaptations of good stories by Edgar Allan Poe directed by Roger Corman. (1) "Morella": The twenty and something years old Lenora (Maggie Pierce) returns to the derelict house of her estranged father Locke (Vincent Price). Her mother Morella (Leona Gage) died after giving birth to Lenora and Locke still grieves and blames Lenora for the death of his beloved wife. Lenora finds the corpse of Morella on her bed and Locke tells that he could not leave her in a coffin six feet under. Locke tries to make amends for abandoning Lenora but something supernatural happens. "Morella" is the weakest segment of this trilogy of horror tales. The good theatrical performances and the excellent sets make it worthwhile watching. My vote is six.(2) "The Black Cat": The drunkard Montresor (Peter Lorre) is an abusive man that spends the money that his wife Annabel (Joyce Jameson) earns working drinking wine in a tavern. He also mistreats her black cat. One day, Montresor meets the connoisseur of fine wines Fortunato Luchresi (Vincent Price) and he disputes his knowledge with him. Fortunato brings Montresor home and woos Annabel. When Montresor discovers that his wife is having a love affair with Fortunato, he plots an evil scheme to seek revenge. "The Black Cat" is the best segment of this trilogy. This story has humor and Peter Lorre's performance is very funny. The conclusion is hilarious with the cat's meow. My vote is eight. (3) "The Case of M. Valdemar": The wealthy Ernest Valdemar (Vincent Price) is terminal feeling great pain. He hires the hypnotizer Carmichael (Basil Rathbone) to relief his pain and asks his beloved wife Helene (Debra Paget) and his Dr. James (David Frankham) to get married to each other after his death. However Carmichael controls his mind and Valdemar dies but his soul stays trapped in his body. Carmichael tells Helene that he let Valdemar go only if she marries him but his attitude brings tragic consequences."The Case of M. Valdemar" is a creepy tale of terror. Debra Paget is very beautiful, the veteran Basil Rathbone is scary with his eerie power and the conclusion is great. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Muralhas do Pavor" ("Wall of Terror")

Fine Roger Corman horror anthology with a trio of Edgar Allan Poe tales adapted to screen by Richard Matheson, each starring Vincent Price."Morella" - Lenora (Maggie Pierce) returns home after years abroad to live with her father (Vincent Price) in his decrepit mansion. Price blames Lenora for killing her mother Morella. He keeps Morella's mummified body on a bed in the house. One night, Morella's spirit returns looking for revenge. Probably the weakest of the three stories. It's got familiar elements from many of the Corman/Price Poe films. A dilapidated old house, an obsessively grieving Price, possession, fiery climax. It also has several plot holes and a lack of clear focus. Still, the elements mentioned, though familiar, do entertain."The Black Cat" - Drunkard Montressor Herringbone (Peter Lorre) befriends Fortunato Lucrezi (Vincent Price) over their love of wine and soon discovers Fortunato is having an affair with Herringbone's wife (Joyce Jameson). He takes his revenge on the two with unintended consequences. This is a lighter story with a fun performance from Lorre. Always nice to see blonde beauty Joyce Jameson as well."The Case of M. Valdemar" - Dying M. Valdemar (Vincent Price) uses the treatment of a hypnotist named Carmichael (Basil Rathbone) to alleviate his pain and suffering. Against the wishes of his doctor (David Frankham) and his wife (Debra Paget), Valdemar agrees to a last request from Carmichael. Carmichael wishes to put Valdemar in a trance on his deathbed. He is successful in this but holds Price's soul in a state between living and dead, hoping to force Valdemar's beautiful wife to marry him. This was my favorite of the stories. Creepy sound effects, nice makeup effects, and memorable ending. Rathbone is terrifically evil and anything with Debra Paget in it is automatically worth seeing.This is fun movie with some nice horror stories. If you're a fan of Price or Corman or anyone else involved, you'll love it I'm sure.