Twice-Told Tales (1963): Vincent Price’s Eerie Anthology of Hawthorne’s Haunted Visions
In the flickering glow of black-and-white horror, Vincent Price resurrects Nathaniel Hawthorne’s tales of madness, revenge, and eternal youth, crafting a timeless anthology that chills to the bone.
Long before the splatter effects of modern horror dominated screens, the 1960s offered a more cerebral brand of terror, one rooted in literary classics and delivered with theatrical flair. Twice-Told Tales stands as a prime example, an anthology film that adapts three stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne, starring the incomparable Vincent Price in multiple roles. Released in 1963 by United Artists, this movie captures the essence of gothic dread through practical effects, shadowy cinematography, and Price’s velvety narration, making it a cornerstone for collectors of vintage horror cinema.
- Vincent Price’s multifaceted performances anchor the film’s three haunting segments, blending charm with creeping insanity.
- Direct adaptations of Hawthorne’s tales explore timeless themes of obsession, mortality, and the supernatural with period authenticity.
- A product of 1960s B-movie ingenuity, it influenced anthology horror formats and remains a sought-after gem in retro VHS and Blu-ray collections.
The Gothic Tapestry of Hawthorne’s World
Twice-Told Tales draws directly from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1837 short story collection of the same name, but the film selects three standout tales: “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment,” “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” and “The House of the Seven Gables.” Each segment unfolds with meticulous period detail, transporting viewers to 18th-century New England where Puritan shadows linger over human folly. Price serves as the unifying narrator and lead actor, his voice a silken thread weaving the stories together, evoking the oral tradition of ghost stories told by firelight.
The film’s structure as an anthology allows for varied pacing and tones, from the whimsical horror of rejuvenation in “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” to the venomous romance of “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” Director Sidney Salkow masterfully transitions between segments with Price’s interludes, maintaining a cohesive atmosphere despite the shifts in narrative. This format predates the more famous Tales from the Crypt or Amicus productions, positioning Twice-Told Tales as an early blueprint for portmanteau horror in American cinema.
Hawthorne’s influence permeates every frame, with themes of sin, science gone awry, and ancestral curses reflecting the author’s own fascination with American gothic roots. The movie amplifies these elements through visual metaphors—withering flowers, bubbling potions, and crumbling mansions—that resonate deeply with 1960s audiences grappling with Cold War anxieties about technology and morality.
Dr. Heidegger’s Elixir: The Folly of Youth Restored
The opening tale, “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment,” introduces Price as the eccentric Dr. Carl Heidegger, a widower whose grief drives him to unearth a legendary Fountain of Youth elixir. Assembling four aged friends—each burdened by regrets—he administers the potion, watching as wrinkles fade and passions reignite. The segment builds tension through mounting chaos, as restored youth unleashes long-buried vices: jealousy, greed, and violence erupt in a ballroom frenzy.
Practical effects shine here, with aging makeup crafted by veteran artist Wally Westmore transforming actors like Sebastian Cabot and Everett Sloane into decrepit shells, only for them to shed years in seconds via clever dissolves and dynamic lighting. The elixir itself, a glowing liquid poured from a dusty vase, symbolizes humanity’s hubris, a motif Hawthorne wielded against 19th-century optimism. Price’s portrayal captures the doctor’s initial wonder turning to horror, his baritone lamenting, “Youth is no blessing if it only brings back the sins of the past.”
This story’s climax, a brawl amid illusory gaiety, critiques nostalgia itself—much like today’s retro revival craze, where collectors chase childhood relics only to confront faded illusions. For 1960s viewers, it mirrored societal fears of scientific overreach, from atomic experiments to psychedelic excesses, making the tale prescient.
The segment’s restraint in gore, relying on suggestion and Price’s expressive eyes, exemplifies the film’s elegant terror, a style cherished by horror purists who prefer implication over excess.
Rappaccini’s Venomous Garden: Love in a Poisoned Paradise
Shifting to “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” the film plunges into a botanical nightmare where Price embodies Dr. Rappaccini, a botanist who has engineered a garden of deadly plants to protect his daughter Beatrice (Joyce Taylor). Enter Giovanni (Brett Halsey), a suitor who falls for her beauty, unaware that her touch carries poison from her father’s experiments. This tale explores forbidden love amid scientific madness, with Rappaccini’s hubris mirroring Frankensteinian archetypes.
Cinematographer Ellis W. Carter employs lush close-ups of exotic flora—mandrakes shrieking, insects expiring on contact—to create a hothouse of dread. The garden set, built on low-budget ingenuity, bursts with color even in monochrome, using forced perspective to amplify its labyrinthine menace. Price’s Rappaccini exudes paternal obsession, his monologues justifying poison as evolution’s gift, delivered with hypnotic intensity.
Beatrice’s tragic arc, immune yet isolated by her toxicity, delves into isolation’s psychological toll, a theme echoing Hawthorne’s Puritan heritage where sin taints bloodlines. The antidote scene, fraught with betrayal, culminates in a poignant sacrifice, underscoring the film’s romantic undercurrents beneath the horror.
Collectors prize this segment for its literary fidelity; Hawthorne scholars note how Salkow preserves the story’s moral ambiguity, refusing easy villains, a nuance lost in pulpier adaptations.
The House of the Seven Gables: Curses That Crumble Stone
Closing with “The House of the Seven Gables,” adapted from Hawthorne’s 1851 novel, Price plays Gerald Pyncheon, a ruthless heir reclaiming his family’s cursed mansion. Haunted by ancestor Colonel Pyncheon’s witchcraft execution, the house harbors a living portrait and a hidden fortune. Enter Clifford (Richard Denning), the framed brother, and Hepzibah (Jacqueline deWit), their plight unfolding amid ghostly apparitions and family secrets.
The production repurposed MGM backlots for the titular gables, with matte paintings enhancing the structure’s foreboding silhouette against stormy skies. Sound design amplifies creaks and whispers, immersing audiences in colonial gloom. Price’s Pyncheon morphs from smug patriarch to portrait-trapped specter, his death throes a tour de force of makeup and performance.
This tale critiques inherited guilt, paralleling 1960s civil rights reckonings with America’s foundational sins. The resolution, blending justice with mercy, offers catharsis, as the house’s curse lifts with truth’s revelation.
Together, the segments form a symphony of dread, each elevating Hawthorne’s prose into visual poetry, solidifying Twice-Told Tales as essential retro viewing.
Production Alchemy: Crafting Terror on a Modest Canvas
Produced by Robert E. Kent for Admiral Pictures, the film navigated B-movie constraints with resourcefulness. Shot in just weeks at General Service Studios, it boasted a $400,000 budget, modest even then, yet delivered opulent sets through rental props and creative editing. Salkow’s efficient direction, honed on serials, kept momentum brisk at 119 minutes.
Price, fresh from AIP’s Poe cycle, headlined to draw fans, his three roles showcasing versatility. Composer Paul Dunlap’s score, with harpsichord motifs and swelling strings, evoked colonial unease without overpowering dialogue.
Marketing leaned on Price’s star power, posters proclaiming “Three Times the Terror!” Trailers played up literary prestige, appealing to educated audiences amid horror’s mainstream surge post-Psycho.
Reception was solid; critics praised its classiness, Variety calling it “a literate chiller.” Box office success spawned interest in literary anthologies, influencing Roger Corman’s later works.
Legacy in the Shadows: Enduring Echoes
Twice-Told Tales faded from theaters but resurfaced on TV and VHS in the 1980s, fueling nostalgia for Price’s golden era. Blu-ray restorations by Kino Lorber highlight its crisp monochrome, attracting collectors who value uncut prints.
Influencing anthology revivals like Netflix’s Cabinet of Curiosities, it reminds us of horror’s literary roots. Fan conventions celebrate it alongside House of Usher, with Price memorabilia—autographed stills, lobby cards—commanding premiums.
For modern viewers, its themes of bioethics presage CRISPR debates, proving Hawthorne’s prescience. In retro culture, it embodies the joy of unearthing forgotten gems, perfect for late-night marathons.
Director/Creator in the Spotlight
Sidney Salkow, born November 2, 1912, in New York City to Russian-Jewish immigrants, emerged from a theatrical family, studying at the University of Chicago before diving into Hollywood as a writer and editor in the 1930s. His directorial debut came with 1941’s “Fighting Bill Fargo,” a western that showcased his knack for action pacing. Salkow helmed over 50 features, blending genres with efficiency, often on Poverty Row budgets.
Post-WWII, he tackled film noir like “The Lone Wolf in Mexico” (1947) and adventure serials such as “Son of the Guardsman” (1946). His versatility shone in literary adaptations, including “The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin” (1967) for Disney. Influences from Orson Welles and John Ford informed his visual storytelling, evident in Twice-Told Tales’ atmospheric compositions.
Challenges marked his career; blacklisted sympathies during McCarthyism forced pseudonyms, yet he rebounded with TV work on “Zorro” and “The Rifleman.” Later films like “The Last Angry Man” (1959) earned praise for social depth. Salkow retired in the 1970s, passing May 2, 1997, in California.
Key filmography: “Glove Taps” (1939, debut short); “The Lone Wolf Strikes” (1940); “Racket Busters” (1938, early credit); “Twice-Told Tales” (1963); “The Great Sioux Massacre” (1965, Custer epic); “The Princess Comes Across” (1936, associate producer); “Carbon Copy” (1981, final feature); extensive TV episodes for “Wagon Train” (1957-1965), blending western grit with dramatic nuance.
Actor/Character in the Spotlight
Vincent Price, born May 27, 1911, in St. Louis to a candy magnate family, embodied cultured horror. Yale-educated in art history, he debuted on Broadway in 1935’s “Victoria Regina,” transitioning to film with 1938’s “Service de Luxe.” His velvet voice and aristocratic bearing made him horror royalty from the 1950s.
Price’s Poe collaborations with Roger Corman—House of Wax (1953), The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)—cemented icon status, blending camp with pathos. Activism marked his life; a gourmet and art collector, he narrated Disney’s “The Fifty-First Dragon” and hosted “The Vincent Price Gallery of Fine Art.”
Awards included a 1981 Razzie nod (humorous) and lifetime honors like the 1990s Horror Hall of Fame. He wed three times, fathering daughter Victoria. Price died October 25, 1993, from lung cancer, leaving a legacy of 200+ roles.
Notable filmography: “The Invisible Man Returns” (1940); “House of Wax” (1953, 3D classic); “The Fly” (1958); “Twice-Told Tales” (1963); “The Oblong Box” (1969); “Theater of Blood” (1973, Shakespearean revenge); “Edward Scissorhands” (1990, cameo); voice in “The Whale Who Wanted to Be Small” (1990s animation); extensive radio like “The Saint” (1940s).
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Bibliography
Frayling, C. (1996) Nightmare: The Birth of Horror. BBC Books.
Mank, G.W. (1998) Hollywood’s Hellfire Club. McFarland & Company.
Price, V. and Farr, I. (1999) I, Vincent: The Autobiography. Aurum Press.
Salt, B. (1983) Film Style and Technology: History and Analysis. Starword.
Skal, D.J. (2001) The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror. Faber and Faber.
Taves, K. (1993) Talbot Jennings: Hollywood’s Renaissance Man. University of Utah Press.
Warren, J. (1982) Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties. McFarland & Company. Available at: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/keep-watching-the-skies-2/ (Accessed 15 October 2023).
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