Comedy Cult Classic

Vincent Price guides you through three gothic nightmares inspired by Poe, each more macabre than the last.

TALES OF TERROR

A Trilogy of Shock and Horror!

1962 · 1h 29m · NR · Comedy / Horror / Mystery / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

Three tales of terror involve a grieving widower and the daughter he abandoned; a drunkard and his wife's black cat; and a hypnotist who prolongs the moment of a man's death.

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Quick Answer

What is Tales of Terror about?

Tales of Terror is a 1962 American comedy-horror anthology film directed by Roger Corman, adapting three Edgar Allan Poe stories into short sequences introduced and performed by Vincent Price.

Programmer's Pick

Vincent Price in triple duty, Roger Corman at the helm, and a script by Richard Matheson—Tales of Terror is a gothic playground where the dead never quite stay put. Expect cobwebs, cackles, and a wine-tasting that goes straight to the grave.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Tales of Terror stitches together three atmospheric adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe’s most chilling works, each introduced by the unmistakable presence of Vincent Price. In “Morella,” a long-estranged daughter returns to her father’s crumbling mansion, only to find herself entangled in grief and spectral resentment. “The Black Cat” blends dark humor with horror as a drunken husband’s jealousy spirals dangerously out of control, featuring a notorious wine-tasting contest. Finally, “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” explores the boundaries between life and death as a dying man submits to the will of a hypnotist. Moody, gothic, and laced with morbid wit, this portmanteau film is a showcase of classic horror tropes and Poe’s enduring appeal.

Details & Specs

Director: Roger Corman
Writers: Richard Matheson, Edgar Allan Poe
Release: 1962
Runtime: 1h 29m
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Comedy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Also Known As: Historias de terror, Schwarze Geschichten, Der grauenvolle Mr. X, I racconti del terrore, Destinos fatales, L'Empire de la terreur

Why This Matters

This film is the fourth entry in Roger Corman's celebrated cycle of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations for American International Pictures, uniting genre icons Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone, with a screenplay by Richard Matheson and production by Corman, Arkoff, and Nicholson.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Roger Corman Writers: Richard Matheson +1 more

Vincent Price Locke / Fortunato / Valdemar / Narrator

Peter Lorre Montresor ("The Black Cat")

Basil Rathbone Carmichael ("The Case of M. Valdemar")

Debra Paget Helene ("The Case of M. Valdemar")

Maggie Pierce Lenora ("Morella")

Joyce Jameson Annabel ("The Black Cat") LG Leona Gage Morella ("Morella")

David Frankham Dr. James ("The Case of M. Valdemar")

Lennie Weinrib Policeman ("The Black Cat")

Wally Campo Barman Wilkins ("The Black Cat") AD Alan DeWitt Chairman of Wine Society ("The Black Cat") JH John Hackett Policeman ("The Black Cat")

Edmund Cobb Driver ("Morella") SB Scott Brown Servant ("The Case of M. Valdemar") BB Benjie Bancroft Wine Society Member ("The Black Cat") (uncredited) PB Paul Bradley Wine Society Member ("The Black Cat") (uncredited) KG Kenneth Gibson Wine Society Member ("The Black Cat") (uncredited)

Kenner G. Kemp Wine Society Member ("The Black Cat") (uncredited)

Jack Kenny Tavern Patron ("The Black Cat") (uncredited)

Cosmo Sardo Wine Society Member ("The Black Cat") (uncredited) JT Jack Tornek Wine Society Member ("The Black Cat") (uncredited)

Explore More

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Why Cult

Vincent Price Triple Threat

Price narrates and stars in all three stories, shifting between tormented widower, vengeful rival, and mesmerized victim.

Poe Anthology Format

Three Poe tales—'Morella,' 'The Black Cat,' and 'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar'—are woven into one eerie portmanteau.

Macabre Humor

Dark comedy seeps into the horror, especially in the wine-soaked rivalry and absurd predicaments of 'The Black Cat.'

Gothic Production Design

Decrepit mansions, cobwebs, and decaying corpses set the gothic mood for these supernatural tales.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Supernatural events and personal vendettas

Threat

Vengeful spirits, jealous husbands, and hypnotic manipulation

Effect

Death, madness, and the blurring of life and death

Setting

Gothic mansions and shadowy homes

Questions from the Vault

Who directed Tales of Terror? +

Tales of Terror was directed by Roger Corman.

How long is Tales of Terror? +

Tales of Terror has a runtime of 89 minutes.

What genre is Tales of Terror? +

Tales of Terror is a comedy, horror, mystery, and thriller film.

Where can I watch Tales of Terror? +

Tales of Terror is available to stream on SassyFlix.

How are the Poe tales combined in Tales of Terror? +

The film adapts three Poe stories—'Morella,' 'The Black Cat,' and 'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar'—with 'The Black Cat' blending elements from 'The Cask of Amontillado.'