How are people celebrating the the pit and the pendulum?
“The Pit and the Pendulum” is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first published in 1842. The story is about the torments endured by a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition, though Poe skews historical facts. The narrator of the story is deemed guilty for an unnamed crime and put into a completely dark room. He passes out while trying to determine the size of the room. When he wakes up, he realizes there is a large, deep pit in the middle of the room. He loses consciousness again and awakens strapped on his back, unable to move more than his head. He soon realizes there is a large blade-like pendulum hanging above him, slowly getting closer to cutting through his chest. He finds a way to escape but the burning iron walls of his prison start to move and close in on him, pushing him closer and closer to falling into the pit. The story is especially effective at inspiring fear in the reader because of its heavy focus on the senses, such as sound, emphasizing its reality, unlike ma
Quite possibly the best Full Moon film in it’s catalogue, The Pit & The Pendulum is a great tale of lovers caught up in the Spanish Inquisition who are unjustly convicted by the evil Inquisitor (Lance Henriksen). Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, Castle Freak, Progeny) directs. The film is loosely based on the Edgar Allan Poe story and takes place during the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition. Maria (Rona De Ricci) is a beautiful baker’s wife who catches the eye of the Inquisitor himself. The Inquisitor (Lance Henriksen of Aliens fame) is an evil manipulator who falls for Maria. The stars cast in this film do an amazing job. Henriksen is terrific as the evil Inquisitor, and also a little tragic. Rona De Ricci plays the beautiful Maria perfectly, innocent, naive, and angelic – I couldn’t get enough of her on the screen. It’s too bad I haven’t seen her in anything else since this film. The rest of the cast is composed of a great mishmash of talent like Jeffrey Combs and Oliver Reed! Amazing ho
