The Pit and the Pendulum (1991 film)
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The Pit and the Pendulum (released on DVD in the United States as The Inquisitor) is a 1991 horror film directed by Stuart Gordon and based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe. The film is an amalgamation of several of Poe's tales, including "The Pit and the Pendulum" and "The Cask of Amontillado". The film also appropriates the anecdote of "The Sword of Damocles", reassigning it to the character of Torquemada.
Contents
Plot
In 1492 Spain, Grand Inquisitor Torquemada leads a bloody reign of terror. Opposed to the use of torture by the Church, Maria speaks out during the public execution of a disenfranchised noble family. Torquemada is tempted by Maria's beauty, and atones through self-torture. Confused by these new desires, he accuses Maria of witchcraft and orders that she be tortured until she confesses. During Maria's interrogation, Torquemada cannot stop himself from staring at her naked body; he orders that she be imprisoned. Maria is befriended by fellow prisoner Esmerelda, a confessed witch. Together they struggle to save themselves from the sinister Torquemada.
Maria's husband Antonio breaks into the castle to rescue his innocent wife. He fails and is imprisoned for his actions. Torquemada decides to test a new torture device, the Pit and the Pendulum, on Antonio.
Cast
- Lance Henriksen as Torquemada
- Rona De Ricci as Maria
- Jonathan Fuller as Antonio
- Frances Bay as Esmeralda
- Mark Margolis as Mendoza
- Jeffrey Combs as Francisco
- Stephen Lee as Gomez
- Tom Towles as Don Carlos
- William J. Norris as Dr. Huesos
- Carolyn Purdy-Gordon as Contessa D'Alba Molina
- Oliver Reed as Cardinal
- Barbara Bocci as Contessa's Son
- Benito Stefanelli as Executioner
- Larry Dolgin as Sergeant of the Guards
- Fabio Carfora as Beggar
Production
Peter O'Toole was originally slated to play Torquemada[citation needed] and Billy Dee Williams was originally slated to play a character named Abdul.[citation needed] Sherilyn Fenn was originally slated to play Maria.[citation needed]
Release
The film was given quick runs at many film festivals until its home video release in the summer of 1991. In 2000, Full Moon Features released a DVD of the film, which has now been discontinued for copyright reasons. Since then it has been released on DVD as part of the "Stuart Gordon Boxset", which also includes Castle Freak, Death Bed and a bonus disc.[citation needed] The film was re-released on DVD on 2 August 2011 by Echo Bridge Home Entertainment.
The film was released on Blu-ray on April 30, 2013 by Full Moon and on August 12, 2013 by 88 Films in the UK.
Critical reception
The Pit and the Pendulum has received a mixed reception from critics, and currently holds a 56% 'rotten' rating on movie review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes based on eight reviews.[1]
See also
- The Pit and the Pendulum – 1961 film starring Vincent Price and directed by Roger Corman, released 30 years earlier
References
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