<spoilers herein!>
In the opening credits this film is presented as "Edgar Allan Poe's The Tomb of Ligeia."
The only similarities I can note between Poe's story and Corman's movie are: a dead raven-haired beauty and a blonde Lady Rowena, both of whom our narrator (and Verdon, in the film) did love. The similarities do end there.
In the story, we see things from the narrator's point of view. We see his love for and obsession with Ligeia. When she dies, he is deeply saddened, yet remarries. His new wife is a fair Lady Rowena. Lady Rowena appears to be a much obliging wife, but our narrator is tormented by her. Soon Lady Rowena becomes very ill, and dies. Or so we think. Ligeia is reborn from the dead Lady Rowena.
In the film "The Tomb of Ligeia," it begins with the funeral of Lady Ligeia. Verdon (Price) refuses to believe that she is dead. The whole thing seems a little silly, why is he giving her a funeral and large headstone if she is not really dead?
Eventually he falls in love with the fair-haired Lady Rowena. They met when she stumbled upon Lady Ligeia's grave. Rowena is haunted by the memory of Ligeia... she never falls ill. Therefore, the shocking and oddly beautiful rebirth scene never takes place in the movie as it does in Poe's story. Instead there is a very confusing scene where Verdon is strangling Lady Rowena and Lady Ligeia, but they seem to be the same person. They switch back and forth a few times: "But I knew it was not Rowena's body, but Ligeia's!" And Verdon goes up in flames with the body of Ligeia. The only idea the audience has of Ligeia and Vernon's relationship was that it was a morbid and unhappy one. Meanwhile Lady Rowena has come back to life, riding away from Verdon's home with an old friend.
It does seem to be a bit of a hint that the movie will not be at all true that the title is "The Tomb of Ligeia." Poe never wrote a story of that title. "Ligeia" was part of the trilogy of stories about beloved wimmin that fell ill, including "Bernice" and "Morella." All three are beautiful stories. I would be much more likely to spend my 81 minutes reading them than watching that film. Of course, if you are looking for a good Vincent Price movie, "The Tomb of Ligeia" is not your worst bet... but not your best either.
In the opening credits this film is presented as "Edgar Allan Poe's The Tomb of Ligeia."
The only similarities I can note between Poe's story and Corman's movie are: a dead raven-haired beauty and a blonde Lady Rowena, both of whom our narrator (and Verdon, in the film) did love. The similarities do end there.
In the story, we see things from the narrator's point of view. We see his love for and obsession with Ligeia. When she dies, he is deeply saddened, yet remarries. His new wife is a fair Lady Rowena. Lady Rowena appears to be a much obliging wife, but our narrator is tormented by her. Soon Lady Rowena becomes very ill, and dies. Or so we think. Ligeia is reborn from the dead Lady Rowena.
In the film "The Tomb of Ligeia," it begins with the funeral of Lady Ligeia. Verdon (Price) refuses to believe that she is dead. The whole thing seems a little silly, why is he giving her a funeral and large headstone if she is not really dead?
Eventually he falls in love with the fair-haired Lady Rowena. They met when she stumbled upon Lady Ligeia's grave. Rowena is haunted by the memory of Ligeia... she never falls ill. Therefore, the shocking and oddly beautiful rebirth scene never takes place in the movie as it does in Poe's story. Instead there is a very confusing scene where Verdon is strangling Lady Rowena and Lady Ligeia, but they seem to be the same person. They switch back and forth a few times: "But I knew it was not Rowena's body, but Ligeia's!" And Verdon goes up in flames with the body of Ligeia. The only idea the audience has of Ligeia and Vernon's relationship was that it was a morbid and unhappy one. Meanwhile Lady Rowena has come back to life, riding away from Verdon's home with an old friend.
It does seem to be a bit of a hint that the movie will not be at all true that the title is "The Tomb of Ligeia." Poe never wrote a story of that title. "Ligeia" was part of the trilogy of stories about beloved wimmin that fell ill, including "Bernice" and "Morella." All three are beautiful stories. I would be much more likely to spend my 81 minutes reading them than watching that film. Of course, if you are looking for a good Vincent Price movie, "The Tomb of Ligeia" is not your worst bet... but not your best either.