Tales of Terror

Three Edgar Allan Poe tales are given new life in this Roger Corman directed horror anthology. Vincent Price hosts the frame, shifting between personas as misfortune threads its way through each story. In one, a man and his daughter reconnect after years apart and an unresolved death from the past haunts their reunion. In the second, a down on his luck wine judge accepts a high stakes challenge from a boastful rival, and the duel of senses spirals into something darker as jealousy and longing collide. The third follows a man in crippling pain who agrees to be hypnotized at the moment of death, a choice whose aftermath ripples through the lives of those he loves. The atmosphere mixes mystery, sly humor, and theatrical Gothic flair, anchored by Price's theatrical narration.

Directed by Roger Corman, Tales of Terror belongs to his celebrated Poe cycle and adapts material associated with Edgar Allan Poe through Richard Matheson's screenplay contributions. The compact AIP production pairs Price's stagey persona with a brisk, stylishly macabre mood for modern audiences.

Box office numbers for Tales of Terror are not widely documented, reflecting its status as a mid range entry in the 1960s Poe cycle. The film performed modestly without becoming a box office sensation.

Among fans and horror historians, Tales of Terror is remembered for Price's flamboyant presence and the way Corman blends macabre dread with a wink. Its brisk pacing and the playful balance of dread and humor helped popularize the horror anthology format in the era.

Critical reception at release varied, with some praising Price's theatrical flair and the stories’ brisk tempo, while others found the transitions uneven. Thematically the film probes guilt and longing, masks and misperceptions, and the dangerous allure of talent and status, all set against a studio bound but ambitious Gothic mood.