Tales of Terror

Tales of Terror

Year: 1962

Runtime: 89 min

Language: English

MysteryThrillerHorrorComedy

This macabre anthology features Vincent Price in three chilling tales exploring themes of revenge, obsession, and mortality. The stories include a grieving father consumed by malevolent wrath, a man's deadly fixation on a rival, and a dying man's desperate attempt to defy fate. Each dark vignette is filled with suspense and weaves together to create a twisted and unsettling atmosphere.

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Tales of Terror (1962) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

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In the shadow‑laden world of Tales of Terror, the legendary voice of Vincent Price drifts through three self‑contained stories, each a study in dread and fascination. The anthology’s tone is unmistakably gothic: candle‑lit corridors, crumbling estates, and an oppressive atmosphere where every whispered breath feels like a promise of something unseen. Themes of revenge, obsession, and mortality thread through each vignette, inviting the audience to linger in the uneasy spaces between what is spoken and what lurks just beyond sight.

The first segment follows Lenora as she returns to her family’s dilapidated mansion, a place heavy with grief and lingering sorrow. There she finds a father haunted by loss, his silence echoing the weight of a past that refuses to stay buried. Their fragile bond and the house’s decaying grandeur create a palpable tension, hinting at secrets that may finally surface under the strain of lingering regrets.

In the second story, Montresor grapples with an all‑consuming fixation that saps his sanity, while the presence of a rival sharpens the edges of his disquiet. Set against a backdrop of domestic unease, his relationship with those closest to him becomes increasingly strained, suggesting that the true horror may arise from the mind’s own compulsions as much as any external menace.

The final tale introduces Ernest—a man whose life is ebbing away—and the enigmatic hypnotist Carmichael who offers a controversial escape from mortality. As Ernest’s fragile health wanes, his devoted wife Helene navigates a fraught alliance, caught between hope and desperation. The interplay of fragile human will, looming death, and unsettling manipulation casts a lingering chill, promising a conclusion as inevitable as it is unsettling.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 14:20

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Tales of Terror Summary

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Tales of Terror Summary

Tales of Terror Timeline

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Tales of Terror Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Tales of Terror

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Tales of Terror

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