Fuji reviews The Masque of the Red Death

[Fuji Vice]

The Masque of the Red Death


​

Satan-worshiper Prince Prospero invites several dozen of the local nobility to his castle for protection against an oncoming plague, the Red Death. Prospero orders his guests to attend a masked ball and, amidst a general atmosphere of debauchery and depravity, notices the entry of a mysterious hooded stranger dressed all in red. Believing the figure to be his master, Satan, Prospero is horrified at the revelation of his true identity.

​

Ah, American International Pictures, how I love you so. For those that aren’t aware, AIP was a film production company founded in 1954 by James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff. The intention of the company was to create independent, low-budget films targeted towards teenagers of the day and release them as double bills. Before the sale of the company in the late 70’s, they had released many films and started the careers of many now-famous individuals. Some of those that had humble beginnings at AIP include directors Roger Corman and Joe Dante, actors Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda and writers Charles Beaumont and Richard Matheson. Corman is perhaps the figure most synonymous with AIP, having made what seems like hundreds of films under the imprint. While many of his works for AIP are well-known, his most fruitful creative period began in the early 1960’s when he set about adapting the works of Edgar Allan Poe for the screen. Working together with horror icon Vincent Price, the two men made a staggering 8 films in 5 years, 7 of which were directly based on Poe’s stories. The Masque of the Red Death is the second last of these, and represents a shift in tonality for Corman while providing us with a standout performance from Price. While they didn’t always get it right, this film shows both men at their best and remains an excellent example of non-Hammer gothic horror.

"They sure ain't the Polyphonic Spree."
​

Directed by Roger Corman and written by Charles Beaumont and R. Wright Campbell, the film is based on Poe’s 1942 short story of the same name and also incorporated elements from another Poe tale, Hop-Frog. At this point in his career, Corman was becoming steadily influenced by the works of Ingmar Bergman, and this film definitely has a Bergman-like quality to it. If you’ve ever seen The Seventh Seal, just imagine the tone and texture of that film but in colour and you’ll pretty much grasp what Corman managed to achieve. Along with his direction, the film is beautifully shot by Nicolas Roeg, who would later go on to much acclaim as a director himself. Roeg’s use of lighting in the beautiful castle sets designed by Robert Jones and Daniel Haller give the film a very distinct feel, something that greatly enhances both the performances and the script. Speaking of the script, it’s a real gem, churned out by two masters of the craft. There’s a lot of heavy-handedness here, which is to be expected, but also a lot of philosophical thought and religious intonation. While I’ve come to expect this sort of thing from certain filmmakers, I’d never thought it would interest a guy like Corman, whose previous Poe adaptations were very different. This is an intelligent film for an intelligent audience, designed to inspire thought in those that see it beyond its face value.

"The true face of evil...and one hell of a 'stache."
​

While Vincent Price really excelled when working with Corman, I believe this is the definitive example of his acting. The unbridled evil he brings to Prince Prospero is really unmatched and I consider it one of the finest villain performances I have ever seen. An early moment in the film in which he gleefully embarrasses the other nobles by making them imitate animals is as terrifying a set piece as anything else Corman came up with. I’ve often considered Price to be a bit of a ham, and I’m sure he would have admitted the same thing; here he is further from that than in any other role. Evil personified, Prospero is one sick bastard and when he finally receives his comeuppance you can’t help but feel satisfied. Meanwhile, the two female leads, Hazel Court as Julianna and Jane Asher as Francesca, are both really hot, fill out their clothes in all the right places and, GASP, can actually act! This is of course a real bonus, as Price gets a chance to interact with both and develop some decent chemistry. Court in particular is awesome, especially when she’s firing out witch chants and burning an inverted cross into herself to show her fanatical devotion. There’s also strong support from Patrick Magee as Alfredo and Skip Martin as Hop Toad, the little court jester who gets delicious revenge on a tormentor.

"What I'd like to see in my bathtub every morning."
​

In Masque of the Red Death, Corman ladles on a combination of horror, perversion, and philosophy to create a truly memorable film. The Masque of the Red Death also benefits greatly from being shot in Britain, which helps to add to the atmosphere at nearly every turn. There's a lot to love here, not just in the horror but in the relative depth. Right from the beginning a figure clad in red hands a woman a red rose and tells her to take it to her village for their "day of reckoning" has arrived. The woman does so without a noise, no scream of terror, no shriek; she's simply accepted her fate and preparing for her new role as messenger. Later on, there's a brilliant moment where two men are forced to cut themselves with daggers, one of which is poisoned, in a bizarre version of Russian roulette. Finally, the last 20 minutes of the film, including the unmasking at the ball and the finale are beautiful, unnerving, and strangely moving. None of these moments could be called "traditional" in the horror genre, yet each has the power to remain with you long after a kill from the Saw films will. That's the mark of an intelligent filmmaker who is keenly aware of the subject matter he's working with. While Corman will never be considered one of the all-time greats, The Masque of the Red Death should be regarded in such a light. If only there hadn't been a bizarre, drug-induced scene where a woman has a dream where she's repeatedly stabbed before being killed by a giant crow, I think my rating may have been even higher. 8/10.

"Tomorrow...Vincent Price is back, and he's hunting witches."



​