Fall of the House of Usher

An infamous horror movie in its day, Fall of the House of Usher is by today’s horror standards incredibly mild.  Modern day audiences will be more amused than frightened by the horror clichés that House of Ushers and its contempories pioneered.  And all the clichés are present and correct here.  The vast, bleak old house on the moors, the creepy butler, creaking and suddenly slamming doors, coffins and skeletons galore, a bit of fake blood and, of course, the climax played out in a deafening thunder storm.  Vincent Price is at his mysterious and creepy best.  The hero (Mark Damon) can only helplessly stumble around the great mansion, narrowly escaping a horrible death at every turn and occasionally looking so comically shocked that one can only laugh.  Myrna Fahey makes for a beautiful damsel in distress, until she is buried alive and comes back as a red-eyed demon with super human strength.  Amusing enough, but really only worth seeking out for its historical value.