Loosely based on William Shakespeare's version of events, Roger Corman's Tower of London stars horror legend Vincent Price as wicked hunchbacked royal Richard III, who is determined to be king of England by any means. After the death of his older brother Edward IV (Justice Watson), Richard turns to murder to ensure that he is next in line for the throne, stabbing his other brother George, Duke of Clarence and dumping the body in a wine barrel (a trick Price would later employ in the excellent Theatre of Blood), torturing innocent maiden Mistress Shore (Sandra Knight) on the rack, accidentally throttling his wife Anne (Joan Camden), smothering his young nephews as they sleep in the tower, and executing the Earl of Buckingham (Bruce Gordon) by ravenous rat. As Richard carries out these evil acts, madness takes hold and he is plagued by ghostly visions of his victims.
In telling their quasi-historic horror tale, Corman and Price go for a melodramatic approach that frequently borders on the cheesy, with the star giving one of the hammiest performances of his career. Price's overripe delivery is Shakespearean in tone, but his dialogue is more prosaic than the bard's, making it easier to understand. Also serving to make this more saleable to the average moviegoer are the rather sensationalist torture scenes (nasty Richard revelling in the pain and suffering of his victims), the cold blooded murders, and the numerous macabre apparitions, which may have been creepy back in the day, but now entertain for all the wrong reasons. While not a classic collaboration by director and star, almost any Price vehicle is worth at least one watch, and Tower of London is no exception.
In telling their quasi-historic horror tale, Corman and Price go for a melodramatic approach that frequently borders on the cheesy, with the star giving one of the hammiest performances of his career. Price's overripe delivery is Shakespearean in tone, but his dialogue is more prosaic than the bard's, making it easier to understand. Also serving to make this more saleable to the average moviegoer are the rather sensationalist torture scenes (nasty Richard revelling in the pain and suffering of his victims), the cold blooded murders, and the numerous macabre apparitions, which may have been creepy back in the day, but now entertain for all the wrong reasons. While not a classic collaboration by director and star, almost any Price vehicle is worth at least one watch, and Tower of London is no exception.