House of Usher Page #3

Synopsis: After a long journey, Philip arrives at the Usher mansion seeking his loved one, Madeline. Upon arriving, however, he discovers that Madeline and her brother Roderick Usher have been afflicted with a mysterious malady: Roderick's senses have become painfully acute, while Madeline has become catatonic. That evening, Roderick tells his guest of an old Usher family curse: any time there has been more than one Usher child, all of the siblings have gone insane and died horrible deaths. As the days wear on, the effects of the curse reach their terrifying climax.
Genre: Drama, Horror
Director(s): Roger Corman
Production: MGM Home Entertainment
  Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins.
 
IMDB:
7.0
Rotten Tomatoes:
90%
NOT RATED
Year:
1960
79 min
2,045 Views


by these people.

The history of the Ushers...

...is a history of

savage degradations.

First in England, and then in

New England.

And always in this house.

Always in this house.

Born of evil which feels,

it is no illusion.

For hundreds of years,

foul thoughts...

...and foul deeds have been

committed within its walls.

The house itself is evil now.

No, I... I cannot believe this.

But you must.

For Madeline's sake, you must.

Most of all, does this evil

reside in her.

And this is your dreadful secret?

Mr. Winthrop...

Do you think those coals jumping

from the fire out to you...

...were an accident?

Do you think that chandelier

falling was an accident?

Do you think that falling casket

was an accident?

- Are you trying to tell me that

the house made those things happen?

- Yes.

No, Sir, that's ridiculous,

but even if it were true...

...even if this house were

full of evil...

Madeline is not.

Not for all of your talk are you.

You cannot take my sister

out of this house.

If she were to wed and bear children...

...the Usher evil would spread

and you, malignant cancer ...

- You are mad, I will not listen to you.

- She will.

No, I will not!

I'll tell you what's evil in

this house, Sir. You!

I will not let your sicken fancies...

...destroy Madeline's life.

She leaves with me today.

Who is it?

We're leaving. Now.

Madeline, you have no other choice.

If you remain here, this

house will destroy you.

Then, you know.

I know that your brother's poisoned

you with his absurdities.

This entire atmosphere of sickness

and disillusion is his doing.

Oh Madeline, believe me, there's nothing

wrong with you that...

...leaving this house won't cure.

Do you love me?

- You know I do.

- Then leave with me now.

I will.

Well, pack just a few belongings.

I'll get my things ready.

- How we go?

- You'll ride with me.

Later on we get coach to Boston.

Oh, Philip, can it truly be?

Darling, within an hour, within

an hour we'll be away form here.

I love you.

I love you.

Pack, quickly!

No, I will not let it happen

any longer.

Now please let me go.

I don't care what you say!

You can't keep me.

- And I will go.

No, I will not let you.

Please let me go.

- I say I will!

- Madeline!

I must leave, Roderick.

Please let me.

Madeline!

I don't care what you say.

- There's nothing you can say

to me, Roderick.

- Madeline, open the door.

What have you done to her?

Madeline?

Madeline?

No...

No...

Yes, she is dead.

I told you she could never

leave this house.

- What did you do to her?

- I didn't touch her.

You killed her!

There's no mark on her. You are

the one who killed her.

I told you she was not well,

and yet you persisted.

Her heart cannot withstand the

strain you put upon her.

That's no matter now.

At least she has been spared the

agony of trying to escape.

One candle left to burn now...

...before the darkness comes.

At least...

...she has found peace now.

Has she?

Why do you say that?

Because I do not believe that

for the Ushers...

...there is peace hereafter.

Is there no end to your horrors?

No, non whatever.

For they are not mine alone.

Mere passage from the flesh cannot

undo centuries of evil.

There can be no peace without penalty.

Then you wanted her to die.

- Wanted?

- Yes!

I did not wish her death.

I only knew it was inevitable...

...as my death is inevitable.

Our blight must be removed

from this earth.

What lies beyond is something

else again.

Must you close it now?

She must take her place below

with the rest of the Ushers.

One last look.

I cannot bear to look at her.

- I'll carry her with you.

- Bristol and I can manage.

I would rather if you don't mind.

I'll carry her.

Come.

I just wanted to say goodbye.

Shall I prepare some breakfast

before you leave, Sir?

- No, thank you.

- Some coffee, then?

- Yes, a little bit.

- Very good, sir.

- Shall I serve it in the...?

- No, no, I'll take it here.

You look tired, Sir.

I don't suppose any of us

slept much last night.

No, Sir.

- Bristol.

- Yes?

Do you think it was my coming

that caused Miss Madeline to...?

Oh, no Sir, not at all.

- Miss Madeline was not well.

- Her brother thinks I killed her.

It's just that he is highly

overwrought, Sir.

- Yes, thank you for the coffee.

- Your welcome, Sir.

Don't recriminate yourself, Mr. Winthrop.

Miss Madeline's passing was not your fault.

She was very weak, poor child.

It was...the Usher blood.

There's been such a history of illness

in the family.

Both with heart ailments, nervous

diseases, catalep...

And the like, Sir.

Miss Madeline was...

- What did you say?

- Sir?

- You s27,005 -- 00:55:29,608

- You s

Was Madeline subject to

cataleptic trances?

- Oh no Sir, not Miss Madeline.

- The truth! Was she?

No Sir!

That's why Mr. Usher wanted to

put her in the crypt so soon.

Oh, no Mr. Winthrop.

Oh my god!

No, you are wrong, Sir!

You're wrong!

Sir!

Mr. Winthrop!

- Leave her in peace, Sir.

- Peace?

Leave her in peace, Sir.

Don't Sir! I beg of you.

- Where is she?

- I don't know, Sir.

- Tell me!

- I don't know, I swear I don't know.

I thought she was here.

You knew she was alive.

- I wasn't sure, Sir.

- You weren't sure?

Sir!

Usher!

What do you wish?

Where is she?

So you know.

Where?

You cannot find her.

- Tell me where she is.

- In a secret place.

- For the last time...

- Go on, you will be doing me

a very great favour.

- Where is she?

- Don't touch me!

- Where is she?

- Don't touch me!

- Where is she?

- Dead.

You lie! You buried her alive!

I did...but she is dead now.

- I swear it.

- You swear it?

- You buried your own sister alive?

- But I had to do it.

Can't you understand that?

She was doomed!

Where is she?

Where is she?

- Where is the secret place?

- Secret?

- Bristol, you must know.

- I know nothing, Sir.

I'll find her.

- Sir, was it necessary to...

- You know that it was.

Please, Sir. Try to get some rest.

- I've got to find her.

- But it's too late, Sir.

- No!

- Please, Sir. Please.

- She is alive.

- Try to get some rest.

I know she is...she is alive.

Still here?

I suggest you leave, Mr. Winthrop.

No? Then perish with us.

The old house crumbles...

Perhaps this storm will finish it.

You have murdered your sister,

Mr. Usher...

...and I intend to see that

you hang for it.

Do you?

Arrange it quickly, then.

If only I could kill you myself.

- Yes, if only you could.

- Yes.

Why did you do it?

I told you.

You will never understand...

...this so logical mind as yours

I have committed to murder.

If you only knew the agonies

I have spared you in the world.

If you only knew the agonies

I have endured in your behalf.

Did you know...?

Do you know that I could hear

every sound she made?

That I heard her breathing

in her casket?

Heard her first gasps as she awoke?

Her first scream of terror?

Did you know that I could hear

the scratching of her fingernails...

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Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (; born Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism in the United States and American literature as a whole, and he was one of the country's earliest practitioners of the short story. Poe is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre and is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.Poe was born in Boston, the second child of two actors. His father abandoned the family in 1810, and his mother died the following year. Thus orphaned, the child was taken in by John and Frances Allan of Richmond, Virginia. They never formally adopted him, but Poe was with them well into young adulthood. Tension developed later as John Allan and Edgar repeatedly clashed over debts, including those incurred by gambling, and the cost of secondary education for the young man. Poe attended the University of Virginia but left after a year due to lack of money. Poe quarreled with Allan over the funds for his education and enlisted in the Army in 1827 under an assumed name. It was at this time that his publishing career began, albeit humbly, with the anonymous collection Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827), credited only to "a Bostonian". With the death of Frances Allan in 1829, Poe and Allan reached a temporary rapprochement. However, Poe later failed as an officer cadet at West Point, declaring a firm wish to be a poet and writer, and he ultimately parted ways with John Allan. Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals, becoming known for his own style of literary criticism. His work forced him to move among several cities, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. In Richmond in 1836, he married Virginia Clemm, his 13-year-old cousin. In January 1845, Poe published his poem "The Raven" to instant success. His wife died of tuberculosis two years after its publication. For years, he had been planning to produce his own journal The Penn (later renamed The Stylus), though he died before it could be produced. Poe died in Baltimore on October 7, 1849, at age 40; the cause of his death is unknown and has been variously attributed to alcohol, "brain congestion", cholera, drugs, heart disease, rabies, suicide, tuberculosis, and other agents.Poe and his works influenced literature in the United States and around the world, as well as in specialized fields such as cosmology and cryptography. Poe and his work appear throughout popular culture in literature, music, films, and television. A number of his homes are dedicated museums today. The Mystery Writers of America present an annual award known as the Edgar Award for distinguished work in the mystery genre. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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