MovieChat Forums > The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) Discussion > Vincent Price's Best Performance?

Vincent Price's Best Performance?

posted 14 years ago by babettegillette
11 replies | jump to latest

Read several interviews. The journalists keep remarking and then ask Vincent if Witchfinder General was his best performance. May be his favorite movie, but I was really impressed with him in this movie.

[–] jaddjamar 14 years ago

I heard his favorite role was in Theatre of Blood, in which he was amazing, he was excellent as Roderick Usher, and loved him in The Abominable Dr. Phibes, just to name a few.

Plotholes are like Bigfoot, people who claim to see them are just trying to stir things up.

[–] vancleef1980 11 years ago

Actually his favourite role was Dragonwyck a superb non horror part from 1944.
He was so good in so many parts its difficult to pinpoint his ones best role.
Roderick Usher, Nicholas/Sebastian Medina, Prince Prospero, Matthew Hopkins, Edward Lionheart, Anton Phibes, Henry Jarrod, Francois Delambre, Frederick Loren are his best roles :)

[–] ss336 11 years ago

VP was an outstanding actor in nearly all of his roles. Nobody else could have played his character in Theater of Blood, and I can't imagine anyone else as Phibes. But even in his older black and white movies he was absolutely brilliant. The horror movie genre would be nothing without his contributions.

[–] greenbudgie 10 years ago

Roderick Usher is my favorite Vincent Price portrayal. He of course was good in 'Witchfinder General' but I always think he was better in the more sympathetic roles. His Hopkins was suitably nasty. But I much prefer the wounded and vulnerable Usher as personal taste. Definitely his best performance ever to my mind.

[–] owlfy 9 years ago

Madhouse
Theatre of Blood
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Cry of the Banshee
The Tomb of Ligeia
Witchfinder General

Are his best performances imo.

[–] CovertThunder 9 years ago

His performance in The House of Usher was always my favorite too. It was strange seeing him play someone who is so vulnerable to noise and light and touch, yet is still so subtly evil. That takes a hell of a lot of talent, to play a character so double-sided; plus his voice is perfect for the part. Low key and not very loud, yet clear and menacing at times.

Plus I think it's odd how Vincent Price's appearance in The House of Usher is so different from all his other work with blonde hair and no mustache. Then again Price was a great actor in all his roles. In Masque of the Red Death, he played a Satan worshiping prince who enjoyed others' pain and just loved being so over-the-top. Then in The Last Man On Earth, he's able to play a scientist who alternates between suicidal hysteria and depression, conveying someone who wakes up every day trying to find a reason to live and coming up short. There were few actors of his caliber when it came to totally diverse roles, and I really don't think we'll see another one like him in the horror genre.

Can't be too careful with all those weirdos running around.

[–] Navaros 7 years ago

I don't think Rod was evil in this film. He was just doing what he thought was best for his family/House.

[–] cinemacynic (45) 6 years ago

Hoo boy I am YEARS late to this thread, but yes. I concur with the last response. I saw his character as morally grey, meaning that he wasn't really bad or good. He was just doing what he thought would be right. Hell, his final words are "It was the only way" meaning that he felt justified in his actions right until the very end. So far, this has been my favourite of Vincent Price's performances. I'm steadily catching up on watching his best films. I've only got a couple more to go I think. But I doubt any of them will top this one.

I really enjoyed the movie as a whole, honestly. It was far better than I thought it was going to be and pretty damn scary for 1960. Thoroughly impressed.

[–] christomacin (4551) 4 years ago

Let's not forget Matthew Hopkins from "Witchfinder General"

[–] jdforyou1983 (1470) 4 years ago

He was great here

[–] rudeboymurray (3241) 3 years ago

My favourite Price horror performance is Witchfinder General or Masque of the Red Death, but my overall favourite of his many great performances is Champagne for Caesar.