The Pit and the Pendulum - Definition and Overview

The Pit and the Pendulum is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. The story is about the torments endured by one prisoner of the revived Spanish Inquisition; it is considered one of the classic stories of the horror genre.

Several film adaptations of the story have been produced, most notably a 1961 American International Pictures release directed by Roger Corman and starring Vincent Price. More than the other installments in the Corman/Price "Poe Cycle", the screenplay bears minimal resemblance to the Poe story: the torture apparatus of the title makes its appearance only in the final 10 minutes of the film.

Czech surrealist animator Jan Svankmajer made a movie short called The Pit, the Pendulum and the Hope, loosely based on this story.

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The Pit and the Pendulum