Le puits et le pendule

I really enjoyed watching this movie and I wish to recommend to as many people as possible. But maybe biased because I'm a huge fan of director Stuart Gordon. I have yet to see a movie of his that doesn't fully lives up to my expectations. From Re-Animator over Dolls to Castle Freak...they all belong to my favorite horror movies. And I do believe Gordon belongs to the most talented directors in the genre because he can handle all sort of horror topics. His debut - the brilliant Re-Animator - was a comedy splatter movie while The Pit and the Pendulum doesn't contain that much violence or gore. This movie contains an intelligent and even educational story and it has great settings and costumes of the 14th century.

The Pit and the Pendulum is an adaptation of the famous short story by Edgar Allen Poe. The master of low budget - Roger Corman - already used this story once to make a great horror classic starring Vincent Price. Stuart Gordon's movie isn't really a remake of that one. They just used the same plot. Pit and the Pendulum takes place during the Spanish Inquisition. Lance Henriksen plays one of the best roles of his entire career as Torquemada. He decides whether "witches" are guilty or not and when they'll be burned for the eyes of God. A young girl, Maria ( played by Ronna De Ricci who never did anything else in her career )who resists against his way of working is being arrested. Torquemada wants to accuse her of witchery but he's fascinated by her looks and her body. Meanwhile, Maria's husband entered the castle and he wants to free his wife.

The atmosphere and the settings impress the most in this movie. The ancient castle and the torture chambers are really intriguing. The costumes are terrific as well. There isn't too much gore and violence to detect in this movie ( especially not compared to previous Gordon movies ) but they're are a few very explicit scenes that show true horror. But it's always shot with a lot of style and class. Even though Lance Henriksen is getting all the attention in this movie, there are a a few other great performances in this movie. I'd like to bring forward Jeffrey Combs...my favorite B-movie actor and frequently cast by Stuart Gordon. His role is pretty limited but very well acted.

The Pit and Pendulum is warmly recommended to fans of atmospheric horror and historical stories. One to watch !!

When his wife Maria (Rona De Ricci) is accused of being a witch by Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor (Lance Henriksen), distraught Antonio attempts a daring rescue mission, breaking into the Inquisition's headquarters. Soon enough, he too finds himself a prisoner, and faces Torquemada's latest torture device: The Pendulum.

I have a lot of time for director Stuart Gordon, but I do feel like he fumbled the ball slightly with The Pit and the Pendulum. When dealing with weighty historical subjects such as witch trials, torture and the Spanish Inquisition, I feel like gritty realism is the best approach; comedy should not be allowed to dilute the horror (unless, of course, you're Monty Python). Gordon, however, imbues his adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe's short story with a degree of levity that is completely at odds with the horrifying topic at hand. At best, it's mildly distracting; at worst, it's bloody silly (the worst example being when baker Antonio is sat on a metal chair over a fire and makes a quip about 'burning his buns').

It's not all bad news though: the film open with an inspired scene that effectively illustrates the sheer lunacy of the Inquisition, with the posthumous flogging of a crumbling corpse; Henriksen is wonderfully evil throughout, relishing every bonkers moment; Gordon regular Jeffrey Combs has a memorable supporting role as Torquemada's assistant; Ollie Reed knocks back some booze before being walled up alive; and De Ricci is delicious, the lovely lady baring all for her art. There's also one wonderfully OTT scene that is hard not to enjoy, no matter how daft it is: Esmerelda, a real witch, swallows gunpowder on the way to the stake, exploding when she is set alight, her bones impaling those in the crowd.

Before viewing this film one should note that the director, Mr. Gordon, believes in taking his films far beyond the lines of common decency.This film is fantastic, but a little much...then again, Gordon's motto is "More is More," The Brilliant (and very hot,) Lance Henderson is amazing as Torquemada, the sado-masochistic inquisitor... I suggest that you watch his hands, every gesture is perfectly placed. Lance is a truly great Method actor, and he has every aspect of that evil man down... He alone would have made this one of my favorite films , but every performance was near-perfect. (the only bad acting I can recall was committed by a guard who has one line in the first seven minutes of the film) and the script is great.. The Young actress who portrays Maria is so truly beautiful, and her performance is captivating. (She's also naked for much of the film, so that's good for the dudes) She's hot, she acts, it's good. Her Name is Rona De Ricci and she hasn't done anything else, which is sad... The first time I watched this film I was convinced that this was a film to be watched alone, as it takes you far beyond the boundaries of comfort, and I just thought it would be weird to watch with anyone else (Parents would be the worst possible people to watch this one with...) But some of my friends spent the night before last with me for a HORROR-FEST and the film went over really well... It pretty much covers every aspect of the horror genre, blood for the gore hounds, ultra dark humor, the list goes on, but I think You get the idea. In conclusion, This is a great film, thought it isn't Citizen Cain, and it's not one for the weak, the wounded.

Because it's a newer version of a classic horror movie (and it went directly to video), I have been putting off watching Stuart Gordon's take on Edgar Allen Poe's classic story, but after finally catching it; I can honestly say that I don't know why I didn't see it earlier! While the Roger Corman/Vincent Price version of the tale is far better, this update still has a lot in store for the horror fan, most notably it's superb European styled atmosphere, and a fine performance by Lance Henriksen, which may even be the best of his career. While these elements are contributors to the film's success, the main reason why the film works is the story behind it. Of course, it's based (albeit loosely) on Poe's classic tale, so the story is bound to be solid; but it doesn't take all of it's influence from Poe, and so Dennis Paoli can take a lot of credit for the screenplay he wrote for the movie. The idea of 'the pendulum', along with a 'pit' can conjure up many feelings of dread and pain, and this film adequately capitalises on that with it's excellent torture filled finale!

As mentioned, Lance Henriksen gives what is maybe his best performance in this film. He is both powerful and frightening in his role as Torquemada, the head witchfinder of the Spanish Inquisition. When he says "I am the inquisition", it's enough to make your hairs stand on end. Henriksen is a criminally underrated actor and one that certainly deserves more praise...it's just unfortunate that he tends to shine in movies that don't get noticed. Also in the cast is 'Re-Animator' himself, Jeffrey Combs, who shines in a small role as someone in the inquisition. The film isn't wholly serious, and Stuart Gordon has seen fit to add some comic relief to the proceedings, which is OK but I feel that the movie would be better off without any 'relief'. Certain elements from other Poe stories appear, such as a man being bricked in behind a wall, and this film seems to treat it's subject material with respect. The European horror style is a major plus factor in my opinion, and should please fans of movies from the sixties and seventies. On the whole; surprisingly good!

This is a true horror movie , it is immaculately staged , confidently made and full of gory scenes . Gothic horror freely based on Edgar Allan Poe story depicting the brutal events of a monk named Torquemada (Lance Henriksen) , Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition. It is the time of the Spanish Inquisition. Maria (Rona De Ricci) lives with her husband ,the town baker Antonio , she not like what is going on during a "Auto De Fe" in which a condemned witch is burnt by the executioner (Benito Stefanelli) . When she speaks out, she is detained , accused of being a witch and imprisoned at a storm-surrounded stronghold inhabited by Torquemada (Lance Henriksen) . In the castle Torquemada has a torture chamber . There are various torture instruments , such as : ¨Iron Maiden¨ and a pendulum . But the sadomasochist Torquemada has plans for he, as he orders to be tortured, and her tongue to be cut out . Her husband (Jonathan Fuller) attempts to find out exactly what happened to her . As he attempts to free her but things go wrong , as he's arrested as well . Until now no one has dared to film this ...... the most diabolical classic of all time! .The Greatest Terror Tale Ever Told! .Edgar Allan Poe's diabolic movie . She was enslaved by evil in a terror haunted castle. Betrayal cuts both ways!

Bizarre picture set in 1492 Toledo, Spain , an entertaining as well as thrilling terror film produced by Empire Pictures/Full Moon Entertainment from Albert Band/Charles Band with a monumental team of horror . It results to be a remake to The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) produced by American International , James H. Nicholson-Samuel Z. Arkoff , directed by Roger Corman with Vincent Price , Barbara Steele , John Kerr . In 1991 Stuart Gordon made a new adaptation , as he directed the remake and more graphic version . Twisted and surprising script from Stuart Gordon himself , which he co-wrote with long-time writing partner Dennis Paoli .A stylish and grim film with eye-popping images and slick direction , confidently realized , plenty of creepy moments , but really masochist and gory . The picture packs usual Stuart Gordon's striking scenarios including lugubrious castle , shrieks come from gloomy coffins , and vague shapes move behind the dismal mansions gone to the bad . Nice cast with special mention for Lance Henriksen chewing the scenario on a loopy screenplay . Along with other notorious secondaries such as : Mark Margolis as a torturer , Jeffrey Combs as a priest and Oliver Reed as Cardinal , among others.

It displays frightening and rousing musical score by Richard Band. As well as colorful and evocative cinematography by Adolfo Bartoli. The motion picture was professionally directed by Stuart Gordon , being stylishly realized , though it's hindered by excessive truculent scenes and various disagreeable situations . Stuart Gordon joined with Brian Yuzna and Charles Band's Empire Pictures to create the company's first major hit, Re-Animator (1985), based on the story by H. P. Lovecraft, which won a Critics' Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Gordon then helmed another Lovecraft adaptation Re-Sonator (From Beyond) (1986) and tackled the murderous Dolls (1986) followed by Robot Jox (1989). Other works include The Fortress (1992), and the screenplay for The Dentist (1996) and Body Snatchers (1993). In 2001, Gordon returned to the H. P. Lovecraft territory with Dagon (2001), and in 2003, directed King of the Ants (2003) about a housepainter-turned-hit man, and brought the David Mamet play Edmond (2005) to the screen. He contributed to the horror anthology series Masters of Horror (2005) with the episode Masters of Horror: Dreams in the Witch-House (2005), based on a short story by H. P. Lovecraft. He returned to the series in 2007 with the episode Masters of Horror: The Black Cat (2007), based on Edgar Allan Poe's story. And in 2008, he directed a Terror film Eater (2008). Rating : 6/10 , acceptable and passable.