House of Usher & The Pit and the Pendulum

House of Usher
Dir. Roger Corman. 1960, 79 mins. 35mm. With Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey, Harry Ellerbe. Corman began his Poe Cycle with a brilliant color palette, an unlikely choice for the gothic tale of the Usher family. Isolated in their castle home, Roderick Usher (Price) and his sister Madeline (Fahey) live under the shadow of a mysterious family curse. When Madeline’s lover Philip (Damon) arrives at the House of Usher, he resolves to discover the family’s secrets, even at the risk of his sanity and life.

The Pit and the Pendulum
Dir. Roger Corman. 1961, 80 mins. DCP. With Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, John Kerr, Luana Anders, Antony Carbone. All is not what it seems when Francis (Kerr) sets out to investigate the mysterious death of his sister (Steele) at the decrepit castle home she shared with her husband, Nicholas (Price). Francis believes his sister’s spirit still roams the halls, but there’s possibly something even stranger lurking in the vault below—something Nicholas does not want uncovered. Though a very liberal adaptation of the classic Poe story that gives it its title, The Pit and the Pendulum is one of Corman’s most excitingly plotted horror films, full of twists and turns and unforgettable imagery.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / Free or discounted for MoMI members ($11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.