AJ’s 31 Days of Horror Movies: ‘The Pit and the Pendulum’
I'm not usually a fan of classics but this one has scared me since I was a kid.
Just like Stephen King, you can almost never go wrong with Vincent Price when it comes to horror. When I was a kid and my dad figured out that I was into scary movies, he rented The Pit and the Pendulum on VHS, insisting that it was a must-see. As a kid in the early 90s, it didn't look appealing, but I gave it a chance.
The movie, which was released in 1961, takes place in medieval Spain. A man travels from England to investigate the mysterious death of his sister and finds himself in the grasps of his crazy brother-in-law. It's loosely-based on the short story by Edgar Allen Poe.
Yes, it has that 60s cheese-factor. Overacting, overly-dramatic music, etc. But if you can get past that, it's really quiet enjoyable and super creepy. In fact, sometimes I think the older movies are scarier because of the lack of special effects.
And if you're interested in the making of films, the movie's Wikipedia page is a fascinating read.
Finally, beware the scene with the iron maiden. Swear to God, that sight will be burned into your brain forever. You can pay to stream it on Amazon Prime and iTunes, or you can watch a bootleg version online HERE.
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