The Masque of the Red Death backdrop
The Masque of the Red Death poster

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH

1964 • US HMDB
June 24, 1964

A European prince terrorizes the local peasantry while using his castle as a refuge against the "Red Death" plague that stalks the land.

Directors

Roger Corman

Cast

Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher, David Weston, Nigel Green, Patrick Magee, Paul Whitsun-Jones, Robert Brown, Julian Burton, David Davies
Dramma Horror

REVIEWS (1)

MC

Marco Castellini

•
Middle Ages: a terrible despot rules his lands with ferocity. One day, two rebels are brought before him, the king decides to condemn both, but just before the sentence is executed, a young woman comes to ask for grace for the two men, one of whom is her father and the other her fiancé. The tyrant says he will save only one and leaves the woman the option to choose which. But before the decision is made, the "Red Death" arrives that exterminates the king and his adepts. Based on a story by Poe, "The Masque of the Red Death" is one of Roger Corman's best films. The American director, specialized in B-movies, this time with a decent budget and a cast of known faces (Vincent Price above all), did not disappoint his fans by directing an engaging horror film, albeit never gory. True, the pace is far from that of modern genre films, but the film is equally enjoyable and smooth. Recommended.