House of Usher (1960) Vincent Price, Roger Corman, Richard Matheson, & Edgar Allen Poe

Book Vs. Movie: House of Usher
The Edgar Allen Poe Short Story Vs. the 1960 Vincent Price Movie


The Margos continue our month of scary movies with the 1839 short story, The Fall of House of Usher, by Edgar Allen Poe, and how it was adapted by Roger Corman in 1960 for the Vincent Price classic House of Usher. The story of the Roderick family, consisting of siblings Roderick and Madeline, is a gothic tale about their shared traumatic experiences that haunt them in their home. The narrator, who remains unnamed, witnesses supernatural occurrences and discovers that Madeline, supposedly dead and buried in the house, is alive. This revelation terrifies her brother, and Madeline uses it to seek revenge against him.

The movie, which Corman directed, is a classic adaptation that stands out for its interpretation of the story and the exceptional acting of Vincent Price. The film was listed in the U.S. National Film Registry in 2005 for its artistic merit. This begs the question: which version do we prefer, the short story or the movie?

In this ep, the Margos discuss:

• Edgar Allen Poe
• How the material has been interpreted recently
• The differences between the short story and the movie
• The cast of the 1960 film: Vincent Price (Roderick Usher,) Mark Damon (Phillip Winthrop,) Myrna Fahey (Madeline Usher,) and Harry Ellerbe as the butler, Bristol.

Clips used:

• Roderick describes his particular condition
• House of Usher 1960 trailer
• The Usher family history
• “A plague of evil”
• “Strange noises in the house”
• Music: Les Baxter

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