The Haunted Palace (1963)

80% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
67% of users liked it
(1,084 ratings)

The Haunted Palace is a witches' brew of stories written by Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft--with the fine hand of sinister scenarist Charles Beaumont stirring the pot. Vincent Price plays two roles this time: A New England doctor burned as a sorcerer in 1745, and the dead man's great-grandson… More The Haunted Palace is a witches' brew of stories written by Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft--with the fine hand of sinister scenarist Charles Beaumont stirring the pot. Vincent Price plays two roles this time: A New England doctor burned as a sorcerer in 1745, and the dead man's great-grandson of 1855. Arriving in the village where his grandfather was killed, Price and his bride Debra Paget are shunned by the community. They are told that the mutant progeny of the "sorcerer"'s evil experiments are still roaming the countryside--with hulking manservant Lon Chaney Jr. a good example of these monstrosities. The longer he stays in the family mansion, the more Price is taken over by the spirit of his ancestor. The result: The possessed Price, together with Chaney and a warlock assistant, set about to create a mutant race to overtake the world. Concluding with the near-sacrifice of bride Debra Paget and the torching of the mansion, The Haunted Palace is a marvelous--and economically produced--exercise in Grand Guignol. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By: Roger Corman
Written By: H.P. Lovecraft, Charles Beaumont
Genres: Horror

In Theaters: Aug 28, 1963 Wide
On DVD: Mar 7, 2000

Critic Reviews

Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
The apex of Corman's skill for reworking AIP's standing Gothic sets to get the maximum possible bang for his buck.
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com
Corman's widescreen framing, the blazing Technicolor photography, and the effectively maximized production values created a convincing, if twisted, world.
Staci Layne Wilson, About.com
A terrific, atmospheric little spooker.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Vincent Price is deliciously maddening in a dual role...

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

The more times I watch this movie, the more I like it. There are some great actors in this movie, and the story is really cool, it's based on a Lovecraft story, and it's great. This is another of my favourite Corman movies with Price, he gives a great performance. I… More
The more times I watch this movie, the more I like it. There are some great actors in this movie, and the story is really cool, it's based on a Lovecraft story, and it's great. This is another of my favourite Corman movies with Price, he gives a great performance. I highly recommend this movie.
Greg S

When the great-grandson of a warlock (Vincent Price, in both roles) inherits a crumbling palace in Arkham, Massachusetts, bad things are sure to follow for local villagers whose ancestors burnt the magician at the stake. A fun, eerie and artificial atmosphere and a good performance… More
When the great-grandson of a warlock (Vincent Price, in both roles) inherits a crumbling palace in Arkham, Massachusetts, bad things are sure to follow for local villagers whose ancestors burnt the magician at the stake. A fun, eerie and artificial atmosphere and a good performance by Price, but like most Roger Corman-directed products of the era it has poor effects and drags at times. From a story by H.P. Lovecraft.
Bruce B

Another great Vincemt Price Horror Ole School Video. As Most of his others its outstanding. Glad he wasn't my creepy Grandpa. Add to your collection, you will be happy.
hawk l

Marvelous exercise in Grand Guignol, great sets, spooky atmosphere, fine screenplay by scenarist Charles Beaumont based on H.P. Lovecraft's The Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and a splendid two-tiered performance by Vincent Price.