The Haunted Palace

Roger Corman directed a series of eight motion pictures based on the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, (1809-1849). After the first five in the series Corman decided to make a film based on the writings of a different horror author, the great H.P. Lovecraft, (1890-1937). The director selected Lovecraft’s short novel “The case of Charles Dexter Ward,” (written in 1927 but not published until 1941 in an abridged format, and not in its entirety until 1943). When it was completed the studio decided to turn the feature into a sixth Poe film by incorporating a few lines from an 1839 poem by the author, and renaming the whole project after the poem.

This week’s movie was “The Haunted Palace” from AIP in 1963, directed by Roger Corman from a script by Charles Beaumont. Vincent Price plays “Joseph Curwen,” a warlock who is attempting to revive the “elder gods” by mating them with bewitched human women, so that the hybrid offspring can rule the Earth. The people of the New England town of “Arkham” burn Curwen alive, and are cursed by him as he dies. More than a century later a descendant of Curwen’s arrives to take ownership of the family estate. “Charles Dexter Ward” and his wife “Anne,” (Price and Debra Paget), receive a chilly reception from the townspeople who fear he will continue the work of his ancestor. The spirit of Curwen comes to possess Ward’s body, and under his influence the wicked project is resumed and the horror begins anew!

In spite of the studio’s tampering this is a haunting thriller that effectively captures the spirit and the horror of Lovecraft’s work. The film benefits from a wonderful supporting cast including Lon Chaney, Jr., Frank Maxwell, Leo Gordon, and Elisha Cook, Jr. Ronald Stein’s musical score and Daniel Haller’s art direction also contribute greatly to the disturbing atmosphere.

This was the first film adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story. Daniel Haller would go on to direct two Lovecraft movies for AIP, “Die, Monster, Die!” in 1965, and “The Dunwich Horror” in 1970.

In 1992 Dan O’Bannon adapted “The case of Charles Dexter Ward” as the film “The Resurrected,” with a script by Brent V. Friedman. This was released directly to home video, but has received very positive reviews.