Halloween Countdown Day 45 - The Masque of the Red Death

"That cross you wear around your neck; is it only a decoration, or are you a true Christian believer?"
— Prince Prospero
Greetings ghouls and ghosts, your ol’ pal Eerie Evan is back with yet another Halloween installment. Today, we’ll be talking about my favorite of the frightful Poe movies to come out in the late 50s, The Masque of the Red Death as directed by the excellent Roger Corman.

This is the high point, the best of the Corman films. It is more than just another Poe movie. This one has a certain style and panache all of its own. While it is the first of the series to be filmed outside of the United States (this was shot in England), it retains its charm (and horror) better than the rest. The production is more ambitious, and it’s quite clear that he has more of a budget to work with.  This film is incredibly vivid, and looks as if it could have been filmed in the 1990s.




Color is where The Masque of the Red Death shines.  While the background is full of dull, washed out colors, the bright hues in the foreground pop against it sharply. There is an oversaturation with color, forcing the viewer’s attention.  This scene in particular is a good example, as each shawled figure represents a different disease (The Black Plague, Yellow Fever, The Red Death). While many horror movies aren’t as memorable with their moments, this is something that has stuck with me since I watched this for the first time when I was 8.   

While it plays fast and loose with the source material (Incorporating a sub-plot from Hop-Toad, another Poe story, and smatterings of Tortured by Hope by Auguste Villers de I’Isle-Adam), it is still a visual spectacle. The story does suffer a bit from having so many subplots, but the film is saved by Vincent Price’s performance as Prince Propsero.




While some of Price’s performances lean on camp sensibility and a tongue-in-cheek awareness, there is no such playfulness in Prospero. Prospero kills and punishes people for sport. He forces an innocent young girl to watch as her father and lover are subjected to a fight to the death. His smug smirk and superior vocal tone create an uneasy and disturbing look at perhaps what living with Countess Elizabeth Bathory would have been like.

While Prince Prospero believes himself immune from the plague due to his beliefs (surprise, he’s a Satanist), he gets a rude awakening near the end of the movie. I won’t spoil it, because honestly it’s just too damn good.

Corman successfully weaves his adaptation amidst those of Edgar Allen Poe, using Poe’s story as a springboard to not only toss in some subplots (for better or worse), but also to take a look at issues such as class, religion and death. Bottom line being, Masque of the Red Death is an essential watch to anyone who considers themselves a Poe, Price or Corman fan.  It is available on Netflix, for those with an inclination to watch it, I’ve included the trailer below.




Pleasant screams, until next time.