The Masque of the Red Death (1964 film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Roger Corman |
| Products | Horror film |
| Parent | American International Pictures |
The Masque of the Red Death is a 1964 horror film helmed by director Roger Corman and featuring Vincent Price in the lead role. The narrative centers on a prince who terrorizes a population afflicted by a devastating plague while reveling with his courtiers within the confines of an isolated fortress. The script, crafted by Charles Beaumont and R. Wright Campbell, is an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's 1842 short story bearing the same title, enriched with additional plot elements drawn from Poe's "Hop-Frog" and Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam's Torture by Hope.
This movie represents the seventh installment in a collection of eight Corman films predominantly inspired by Poe's literary works, produced under the banner of American International Pictures.
Plot
Set in medieval Italy, the film depicts Prince Prospero, a Satanist sovereign, confronting destitute villagers suffering from a lethal epidemic known as the Red Death. After commanding the incineration of an infected village, he captures three peasants—Gino, Ludovico, and Francesca—and calls upon regional aristocrats to assemble at his castle.
Within the castle walls, Prospero's consort Juliana undergoes initiation into his Satanic sect while noble guests enjoy performances by dwarf entertainers Esmeralda and Hop-Toad. Gino and Ludovico are compelled to train as fighters for entertainment purposes but resist engaging in combat. Juliana aids Francesca in an attempted escape, though their bid for freedom is thwarted.
At a banquet, Ludovico makes an unsuccessful attempt on Prospero’s life and faces execution; Gino is expelled to succumb to the Red Death. Juliana finalizes her cult initiation but is slain by a falcon, symbolizing her being "wedded to Satan." Prospero orders the shooting of villagers seeking sanctuary, sparing only a young girl.
During a masquerade ball prohibiting any red attire, Hop-Toad arranges for Alfredo’s fiery demise after he assaults Esmeralda. Prospero spots a mysterious figure cloaked in red entering; suspecting it to be a messenger from Satan, he follows it into the Black Room. The figure unveils itself as the embodiment of the Red Death; all nobles fall victim to the plague yet continue their macabre dance as lifeless corpses. Prospero’s escape attempt ends in failure as he is slain by the Red Death.
The conclusion shows the Red Death playing with the surviving girl before being joined by other cloaked entities symbolizing various illnesses. They count their casualties before departing, reinforcing Poe’s message: "And darkness and decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all."
Cast
- Vincent Price as Prince Prospero
- Price also embodies the Red Death during its unmasking
- Hazel Court as Juliana, Prospero’s mistress
- Jane Asher as Francesca, a peasant woman
- David Weston as Gino, Francesca’s lover
- Nigel Green as Ludovico, Francesca’s father
- John Westbrook as The Red Death (physical portrayal and voice; uncredited)
- Patrick Magee as Alfredo
- Paul Whitsun-Jones as Scarlatti
- Robert Brown as Guard
- David Davies as Lead villager
- Sarah Brackett as Grandmother
- Skip Martin as Hop-Toad, dwarf jester
- Verina Greenlaw as Esmeralda, Hop-Toad’s dwarf companion
Production
Roger Corman considered The Masque of the Red Death and The Fall of the House of Usher to be his finest adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe's work. Following the commercial success of House of Usher (1960), he intended to develop Masque as a subsequent project.
In 1961, Corman revealed plans to produce the film under his Filmgroup banner, with a screenplay penned by Charles Beaumont. Nevertheless, he postponed production due to concerns about potential parallels with The Seventh Seal (1957) and apprehensions about accusations of imitating Ingmar Bergman. Despite these reservations, he eventually moved forward with the project.
Corman encountered difficulties securing a script that met his expectations. Screenplays submitted by John Carter, Robert Towne, and Barboura Morris did not satisfy his criteria.
Meanwhile, rival adaptations were underway: the Woolner Brothers and producer Alex Gordon—who was rumored to have attached Vincent Price—were developing their own versions of Masque.
Corman preferred Beaumont’s initial draft, which portrayed Prince Prospero as a Satanist, but it required further revisions. When Beaumont fell ill and was unable to collaborate in England, Corman brought on R. Wright Campbell, a previous collaborator from The Secret Invasion. Campbell contributed the subplot involving the dwarf character inspired by Poe’s story "Hop-Frog".
Casting
For the cast, Corman selected Patrick Magee, with whom he had worked on The Young Racers (1963). Corman commended Magee for infusing his roles with distinctive idiosyncrasies that enhanced his portrayals.
Filming
A co-production arrangement between AIP and Anglo-Amalgamated in England led Sam Arkoff and James H. Nicholson to recommend shooting there to benefit from the Eady levy and increase funding. Unlike standard AIP productions typically completed within three weeks, Masque was shot over five weeks; however, Corman noted that English crews operated at a slower pace, equating five weeks in England to roughly four weeks in the United States. The production utilized elaborate castle sets originally constructed for Becket, which had earned a BAFTA for set design and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Production Design. This film also marked one of cinematographer Nicolas Roeg’s early ventures into color cinematography.
Dan Haller functioned as production designer but remained uncredited to preserve British production qualifications. As a result, George Willoughby received producer credit despite Corman being the actual producer.
In retrospect, Corman criticized the concluding "masque" scene as the movie’s "greatest flaw," attributing this shortcoming to insufficient filming time—it was shot within a single day, which he felt was inadequate given the more deliberate pace of English crews.
Release
Upon its release, producer Alex Gordon filed a lawsuit against AIP alleging that the film was derived from his screenplay but ultimately lost the case.
British censors excised a scene where Hazel Court’s character implores the devil to dispatch a demon. Contrary to claims made in a BBC documentary, the censored footage did not depict her imagining demonic assaults while lying on a slab; that particular sequence remained intact in all UK versions. Different censorship requirements in Britain and the United States led to various cuts, which were only reinstated during the 2018 restoration overseen by Martin Scorsese's film foundation.
Corman later reflected:
Regarding nudity, there was nothing explicit. She appeared nude beneath a sheer gown. The portrayal of her union with the Devil relied entirely on facial expression; it was purely an acting challenge. Hazel was fully clothed; through her performance alone, she provoked censorial disapproval. It was a different era—censors likely deemed this too provocative. Today, such scenes could air on early evening television without concern.
Reception
Eugene Archer from The New York Times characterized the movie as "vulgar, naive and highly amusing," while commending the performances delivered by Mr. Price, Hazel Court, and Jane Asher. Variety highlighted Corman's direction as particularly fitting for a teenage demographic, emphasizing Vincent Price as the perfect actor to evoke a compelling sense of dread. According to The Monthly Film Bulletin, this was "Roger Corman's finest work so far," noting its intellectual sophistication and Price’s ability to blend philosophical intrigue with sadistic menace.
Although critics responded favorably, the film did not achieve the same box office success as other Poe adaptations. Sam Arkoff suggested this was due to the film being "too arty farty" and lacking sufficient scare factor. Corman himself admitted this, explaining that his creative focus had shifted towards exploring subconscious themes rather than straightforward horror. Despite this, he considers it among his most cherished projects. Andrew Johnston of Time Out New York praised the film’s intricate set design, costumes, and Nicolas Roeg’s vibrant technicolor cinematography, describing it as Corman’s closest venture toward genuine cinematic excellence.
Preservation
In 2019, the Academy Film Archive undertook preservation efforts for The Masque of the Red Death.
Merchandise
- A comic book adaptation based on the film was released by Dell Comics.
- Lancer Books published a 1964 paperback novelization authored by Elsie Lee, adapted from the screenplay by Charles Beaumont and R. Wright Campbell.
- David Lee’s original soundtrack was made available on CD in 2012 through Quartet Records.
Use in music
Excerpts of dialogue from the movie are featured in "And When He Falleth" by Theatre of Tragedy (from the album Velvet Darkness They Fear) and "Dopethrone" by Electric Wizard (from their album Dopethrone).
The opening of "Beneath the Mask" by doom metal group Bell Witch incorporates dialogue from the scene where Prospero encounters the Red Death. Additionally, Entombed sampled parts of the film in their track "Living Dead."
Remake
A 1989 remake written and directed by Larry Brand starred British actors Patrick Macnee and Adrian Paul.