La tomba di Ligeia

Amidst a crumbling castle in 19th century England, a widowed aristocrat (Vincent Price) mourns his wife, but quickly develops a new romantic relationship after meeting the forceful Rowena (Elizabeth Shepherd). Yet the soul of Ligeia seems to be haunting the estate and the apparently mesmerized Baron is hiding something.

Released in late 1964, "The Tomb of Ligeia" is Gothic horror based on the Edgar Allan Poe story from 1838 (which was revised in 1845 with the addition of his 1843 poem "The Conqueror Worm," written by the character Ligeia). This was the last of Roger Corman's eight Poe films from 1960-1964, which all made money but this one made the least, possibly because the quasi-series had run its course and the story was overly complicated. Nevertheless, Corman considered it one of the best of the lot.

Since the original tale was so short, scriptwriter Robert Towne incorporated elements from other Poe stories, such as the black cat, mesmerism and a hint of necrophilia. The talky story isn't as compelling as Corman's "The Terror" (1963) or even "The Masque of the Red Death" (1964). It's rather boring for the first hour, but there's an effectively creepy payoff in the last act, which ties everything together. Like those previous two films, the sumptuous Gothic ambiance is worth the price of admission and the inclusion of Stonehenge is a highlight. You just have to acclimate to the dated drama-focused goings-on.

The movie runs 1 hour, 22 minutes and was shot at Shepperton Studios, just west of London, and Castle Acre Priory north of Swaffham, as well as other spots in England, such as Stonehenge, Polesden Lacey and Polzeath, Cornwall, at the southwest tip of Britain (the beach scene).

GRADE: B-/C+

At one point in this film Vincent Price says 'Christopher, not ten minutes ago I tried to kill a stray cat with a cabbage'. Now, I think that is a pretty good reason alone to watch this movie but if that's not enough for you well, its another Roger Corman gothic horror starring Vincent the magnificent, based loosely on an Edgar Allen Poe story. There's nice sets and locations, lush cinematography, an above average script and Price doing what he does best, as well as vegetable-based violence directed at felines.

"The Tomb of Ligeia" was one of a cycle of films made by Roger Corman in the sixties based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe. Verden Fell, an English country gentleman of the 1820s has become obsessed with his dead wife Ligeia. Indeed, although she has been buried in a tomb he built for her, he believes that she is not dead but has, as she promised she would, survived death in some form and will return to him. This obsession survives Fell's remarriage to Rowena, the daughter of a neighbouring landowner. Indeed, his obsession worsens, as he comes to believe that Rowena is possessed by Ligeia's spirit.

This is an unusual horror film in that much of it takes place not only outdoors but also in daylight. The sort of images of ruin and decay traditional in horror films- Fell lives in a gloomy, crumbling, cobwebbed manor house close to the ruins of a mediaeval abbey- are contrasted with sunlit scenes of the beautiful, verdant English countryside. The difference between life and death is the central idea of the film- which ends with a quote from Poe himself: "The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends and where the other begins"- so this contrast is possibly symbolic, with the outdoor scenes symbolising life and the indoor ones death. The two main female characters (both played by the same actress, Elizabeth Shepherd) are differentiated in a similar manner. Rowena is a healthy-looking, "English Rose" type blonde with a love of outdoor pursuits, especially hunting. Ligeia is dark haired and gaunt with an unhealthy pallor.

Like many films of this period, and unlike later films such as "The Exorcist", this is an example of an understated horror film, with the horror mostly being implied rather than shown directly. Ligeia makes an appearance in the film, but we are never sure whether this is really her ghost returning from the grave or a hallucination conjured up by Fell's distraught mind. Although it is understated, however, it is genuinely frightening, not because of Exorcist-style special effects, but because of the eerie mood that Corman is able to create. Apart from the atmospheric setting, various objects take on a sinister significance- a bunch of flowers, a dead fox and, most of all, a mysterious, malevolent black cat which may be the reincarnation of Ligeia's soul, or may be just a cat.

The acting is also very good, especially from Shepherd in the dual role of Rowena/Ligeia and from Vincent Price as Fell. In a way this is also a dual role, as there are two separate aspects to Fell's character. On the one hand he is sinister and frightening, the man who threatens Rowena's happiness, her sanity and even her life. (The adjective "fell" significantly means cruel or fierce). On the other hand he is a pitiable character, a victim of his own obsessions and (possibly) also of his late wife's ghost. This duality is very much in keeping with the mood of the film, which is one of ambiguity and doubt. As befits one based upon the work of Poe, it is a tale of mystery and imagination. 7/10

The genius of Edgar Allan Poe lies in his ability to create atmosphere and to draw us in with the power of his magically evocative language. As not a great deal happens in his stories and his characters are thinly drawn, film adaptors feel obliged to invent, expand, elaborate and embellish and this, the last of Roger Corman's versions of Poe, is certainly no exception. The liberties taken and the additions made by Robert Towne are too numerous to mention and include mesmerism and a hint of necrophilia!

The major change is that the marriage between Verden Fell and his second wife, Lady Rowena, is based upon love and not mutual loathing. Their characters have been fleshed out in the forms of Vincent Price as Fell and the lovely Elizabeth Shepherd as Rowena. Unfortunately Mr. Price's persona and air of mystery are unable to compensate for the fact that he is simply too long in the tooth for the role whilst Rowena's freedom of spirit and sensuality make her overpowering attraction to him faintly ludicrous. It is of course highly unlikely that the film would have received financial backing had Mr. Price not been in it.

As one has come to expect from Mr. Corman this film has excellent production values and art direction and is aided by a strong supporting cast.

Poe died in comparative poverty but his works have supplied a framework by which film-makers have enriched themselves. Mr. Corman especially has helped keep Poe's name alive but one must never lose sight of the original stories which remain, of their type, unparalleled.

"Ligeia" is one of my very favorite E.A. Poe stories, a masterpiece of suspense that doesn't reveal its secret until the very last word. Like a lot of Poe's stories, however, the transformation to the screen isn't always an easy one. A great deal of the action in the short story takes place in the narrator's head, and to make a feature length movie out of it there must be some added action and characters.

The screenwriter here, Robert Towne, would go on to bigger and better things and garner fame and awards while doing it. But this early script of his is a rather modest one. The action drags more and more as the film goes on and the sense of horror and tension dissipates rather than builds as the film progresses. Plus there's that annoying black cat (left over from another Poe story, perhaps?)

What points this movie does get are for style. Roger Corman wasn't a schlock director by any means; he had a great eye and and gave his films a distinctive look and feel. The cast is a very good one as well. Vincent Price does the usual fine job we expect from him and I liked actress Elizabeth Shepard as the Lady Rowena, Price's wife who succeeds Ligeia. I wasn't familiar with her before seeing this movie and I found her very watchable. But 'The Tomb of Ligeia' is hardly classic Poe or a memorable horror film. But fans of Corman and the Hammer Films type of productions may want to see it.