The Premature Burial

Very loosely based on an Edgar Allan Poe story, this is quite a decent - if somewhat claustrophobic - drama that centres around "Guy" (Ray Milland) and his paranoia of being buried alive. The start of the film involves the exhumation of his father's coffin - and here we clearly see evidence that the occupant wasn't quite dead when he was put into the ground. Needless to say, his son becomes just a bit worried that this may happen to him, so he becomes totally preoccupied with ensuring that it cannot - much to the detriment of his marriage to the young, and increasingly concerned, "Emily" (Hazel Court) and his sister "Kate" (Heather Angel). Of course, things are not quite what they seem - the plot offers us quite a few red herrings: we are certainly unsure as to whom the increasingly flakey Milland ought to trust and the pace from old hand Roger Corman builds quite effectively. Thing is, though, Milland is in super-ham mode throughout; his manic eyes and his overdramatised performance rather ridicules what is quite a curious story of fear. Hazel Court - whom I loved in Corman's "The Raven" (1963) doesn't really have much to get her teeth into, and the ending - though quite quirky, isn't great. Still, enjoyable enough to watch though.