La torre del misterio

I was looking forward to Tower of London as I am a big fan of Vincent Price and a lot of his and Corman's collaborations. After seeing it, I don't think it is one of their best, and the 1939 film while not perfect is a better film, but it is a decent film and should be better known than it is. Granted it is nowhere near perfect, the ending is abrupt, some of the supernatural scenes are more silly than they are haunting and most of the supporting cast are very hammy. The history is also questionable, though I wasn't expecting a history lesson when watching Tower of London and I don't count it as as big a flaw as the ones above. However, the sets, costumes and photography are quite good, the score has a haunting quality to it and the dialogue is intelligent. The story has some uneven moments, but the murders are very disturbing and there is a good atmosphere about it. The killings of the princes and Richard's decision to kill Buckingham are the best scenes of the film. Corman's direction is generally solid and Robert Brown and Joan Freeman are good in their roles and handle them with professionalism. But Vincent Price is the best actor in the film, his Richard of Gloucester is superb, the only one of the cast to make me feel that way. While slightly on the camp side, and I do think he has given better performances before and since, he is also menacing and troubled. All in all, not one of Corman's best but worth the viewing for Price's performances and the murder scenes. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Not anywhere nearly as well done as the 1939 version, this Corman/Price vehicle has to be the weakest of their collaborations.

Price is generally too hammy here, not well-directed as in other Corman films, and definitely nowhere near his excellent performance in Witchfinder General. Sets are pretty much bare-bones, effects and battle scenes look like stock footage superimposed over characters acting out in front of a black curtain.

The murder of the two young heirs to the throne of England is the best scene and very effective, however. The end of this film of a mere 79 mins. is very welcome to the viewer as about 70 mins. of it are practically a complete bore. Pretty much one to forget unless you have to collect every Corman/Price film ever made.

Roger Corman's "Tower of London" of 1962 is a great piece of Historical Horror and a fantastic depiction of madness, that has enriched the world of cinema with yet another magnificent performance by the incomparable Vincent Price. Vincent Price was in two films named "Tower of London" that dealt with the reign and villainy of Richard III, the other being Rowland V. Lee's great Historical Drama of 1939 in which, as a young actor, he played the supporting role of the Duke of Clarence alongside fellow icons Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff. Personally, I first saw this 1962 film by Corman several years before first watching the 1939 film. Though both films are great, I must say that I still prefer this one. Unlike the 1939 film, this film is an actual Horror film, which focuses strongly on the King's madness and Horror elements. The reasons why I prefer this film (which is officially a remake, but very different to the 1939 version), are the Horror elements and the unspeakably intense and creepy atmosphere, but mainly the incredible on-screen persona of Vincent Price, whom I would call my favorite actor of all-time. Basil Rathbone was great in the role of the villainous king, but Price is sublime. The character is way more insane in this film. The cold-blooded, calculating villain King Richard of the 1939 film has become an equally villainous and murderous, but incalculable madman, haunted by the victims of his bloody path to kingship.

Director Corman and star Price are always a great combination, as proved by their other collaborations, the brilliant Edgar Allan Poe adaptations which mark the peak of both men's careers. Films such as "Pit and the Pendulum" (1961, also starring the wonderful Barbara Steele, my favorite actress of all-time), "The Haunted Palace" (1963, which is actually the adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft Story) of "The Masque of the Red Death" (1964) range among the greatest Horror films ever made. This is yet another magnificent collaboration of Price and Corman. Price gives a magnificent portrayal of madness and villainy in what is one of his most diabolical roles. The only film in which he plays an even more despicable character is Michael Reeves' 1968 masterpiece "Witchfinder General", and I would rate the role of Prince Prospero in Corman's own "Masque of the Red Death" on quite the same level of evilness as his role here. "Tower of London" has many macabre moments including several downright nasty torture scenes. As in all his Vincent Price films, Corman creates a genuinely creepy atmosphere, this being the only black-and-white film the two did together. Michael Pate plays the role of Richard's loyal and unscrupulous helper on his way to power, basically the role that the great Boris Karloff (another favorite actor of mine) played in the 1939 film. While Karloff played a cruel, but relatively simple-minded executioner loyal to his master Richard, the character 'Sir Ratcliffe' played by Pate is a devilishly cunning snake who isn't far behind Richard in devilish ingenuity. The settings are magnificent, and very similar to those in the 1939 film (though the photography is gloomier) it sometimes looks as if the same settings were used. Parts of the battle sequences from the 1939 film were edited into this one. Overall, this is an amazing film with another brilliant leading performance from the immortal Vincent Price. A must-see for all Horror fans!

A deranged Lord competently performed bt the great Vincent Price mercilessly murdering his way to the English throne . During the Middle Ages , in 1472 Great Britain kingdom is ruled by a sicked Edward IV who violently deposed the previous fleeble King Henry IV . A web of intrigue veils the lives of all who know only too well that today's friends might be tomorrow's enemies . As this interesting film deals with the story of mean Richard III Crookback , 6th in throne succession, while his brother king Henry IV appoints Clarence as Lord Protector of the Realm and preceptor his children . Subsequently , Richard eliminates those ahead of him in succession to throne then occupied by his ill brother Edward IV . Richard , Duke of Gloucester , is a dominant , unstoppable , nasty lord , gross black spider of a figure that devours or possesses everyrhing on its path . Do you have the courage to spend 83 minutes in the Tower of London ? Mother England meets Father Terror ? You will need someone to hand onto when you come face to face with the blood-chilling terror in the tower !

Enjoyable and hypnotic amusement for Vincent Price enthusiasts , resulting to be a sophisticated remake from classy version 1939 by Rowland V Lee with Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff . The film results to be as a Shakespearean theatrical drama, as a terror film in the wake of Allan Poe/Roger Corman adaptations and adding some historical elements . As this awesome movie being partially based on historic events , during Two Roses War, Red Rose (York House) ruled by Edward IV and Richard III followers and White Rose (Lancaster House) Henry VII followers who defeat to them . Finally , there takes place the Battle of Bosworth , in which Richard III is vanquished and a new ruler called Henry VII takes over the kingdom . The picture profits from a nice cast who gives over-the-top interpretations . Vincent Price provides an incisive role featuring an acclaimed acting . Being well accompanied by a good secondary cast, such as : Michael Pate , Joan Freeman, Richard Hale , Robert Brown and Sandra Knight .

Other movies regarding this historical character are as follows : "Tower of London 1939" by Rowland V Lee with Basil Rathbone , Boris Karloff and Vincent Price who coincidentally appeared here as the doomed Duke of Clarence . "Richard III 1955" starred and directed by Laurence Olivier with Jean Simmons , Ralph Richardson , John Gielgud , Sir Cedric Hardwicke , Peter Cushing , this is the landmark version of the Shakespearean play . And modern take on "Richard III 1955" by Richard Loncraine with Ian McKellen, Jim Broadbent , Robert Downey Jr , Nigel Hawthorne , being set in an imagined 1930s London if swanky Art Deco .

23 years before when Universal Pictures made Tower Of London, Vincent Price was featured as the luckless Duke Of Clarence who was as legend has it drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine. In 1962 Price took center stage in this Roger Corman adaption of the Richard III story. No flowery Shakespearean dialog here, this is a prose adaption heavily influenced by Edgar Allan Poe.

Price plays Richard III as Shakespeare has sent him to us through history as an evil monster and child killer. The film follows along the lines of the adaption done by Universal in 1939 with Basil Rathbone as Richard.

Unlike the Rathbone version, the character of Richard's wife Anne Neville. Left out was Richard's own child and when they both died and he had no direct successor his fate was sealed. Anne Neville is played by Joan Camden and while he never murdered her, she too haunts him after she's gone.

Richard leaves quite a bloody trail on his way to power, but he's haunted by his victims, images of the beating tell tale heart like apparitions. They haunt him, but they sure don't deter him.

Price does a good job with Richard and his performance certainly rates behind Laurence Olivier in the Shakespearean adaption and also that of Rathbone. I'm surprised he never opted for the Shakespeare play as a project.