Horrorfest 2012: The Masque of the Red Death

I was excited to watch THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH this year because the film's star, Vincent Price, never lets me down. Even though he plays terrible villains, there's something reassuring about his presence, almost like a seal of quality -- this film is Vincent Price approved.

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH is yet another of the Roger Corman produced/directed movies loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe stories that came out in the 1960s. This time around, we have a good follow up to BLACK DEATH, as the flick takes place in medieval times and involves another plague, the fictitious Red Death.

The movie opens with a somewhat abstract scene almost worthy of Ingmar Bergman, as an old peasant woman encounters a mysteriously red-shrouded figure on a desolate mountain side and receives a prophetic message -- the day of deliverance is at hand.

Although modestly budgeted compared to major Hollywood releases of the time, this flick is thick with atmosphere from shot one, and the color is put to great use as the red-shrouded figure pops off the screen surrounded by gray scenery.

Turns out the old woman lives in a small village overseen by a local Prince, Prospero (Vincent Price) who is not only a total dick but also a Satanist. Upon his visit to the village at the beginning of the film, he almost runs over a child, punches one of his own guards, sentences two dudes to death, kidnaps a chick and ultimately burns the whole place down.  This is the kind of Prince we're dealing with.

Prospero discovers evidence that the Red Death has infested the village and holes up in his castle to keep himself safe, promising safety to a band of nobles he invites over to school in the ways of Satan and party with. The chick he kidnapped from the village (Jane Asher) turns out to be the daughter/lover of the two dudes who were initially sentenced to death (Nigel Green and David Weston). Prospero dedicates his time to wooing the otherwise Christian beauty to the dark side, while his wife (Hazel Court) seeks to marry Satan in an effort to make Prospero pay attention to her.

All the while the mysterious red-cloaked figure lurks on the mountainside overlooking the castle, and you begin to think maybe he has it in for Prospero. As the movie ramps up to its spectacularly satisfying climax, we see just who the red-cloaked figure is.

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH is a good example of how you can do a lot with a little -- I shit-talked THE TOXIC AVENGER not because of its modest origins but because of the way it squandered its ingenuity and ambition on bullshit. Roger Corman is a much better low-budget role model than the guys at Troma, in case you're looking for an indie hero.