The Haunted Palace is an American horror film from director Roger Corman and American International Pictures. The film is advertised as a story by Edgar Allan Poe. However, it is more of an adaptation of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, a novella by H.P. Lovecraft. Starring Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr., and Debra Paget in her last role before becoming a born-again Christian. The film was released on August 28th, 1963 to decent reviews.



Taking place in Arkham, Massachusetts (A typical setting for a Lovecraftian tale), Charles Dexter Ward comes home to the village that killed his ancestor over 100 years before his arrival. Ward’s ancestor, Joseph Curwen, had been accused of being a Warlock that used the Necronomicon to call forth the evil gods, Cthulhu and Yog-Sothoth.



Vincent Price can do no wrong. His portrayal of Charles Dexter Ward/Joseph Curwen is tremendous. His acting adds tons of depth to the picture. Not just him either, Lon Chaney Jr. pulls out a very creepy performance. The references to Lovecraft’s work are masterfully injected creating a palpable fear. The minimal effects are very well done.



With The Haunted Palace, Roger Corman does a tremendous job of introducing H.P. Lovecraft to a much wider audience. Being a big fan of Lovecraft myself, I was excited to learn about this early telling of the Cthulhu Mythos. I hadn’t been aware of this picture. And imagine my delight. I mean, you can’t really go wrong when you have Vincent Price starring in a Roger Corman picture based on H.P. Lovecraft’s work. The score is masterfully composed by Ronald Stein and adds leagues to the creepiness level. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone that has an interest in the plot elements. Or anyone that wants to watch more from Corman and Price. It’s highly entertaining and shouldn’t be forgotten