---
title: "The Masque of the Red Death: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-masque-of-the-red-death/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-masque-of-the-red-death"
critics_score: 82
critics_reviews: 7
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Masque of the Red Death (1964): what the critics said

Critics' score 82 from 7 reviews: 7 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative.

The reviews are unanimous in the film’s favour. Most critics settle first on its colour: the colour-coded rooms of the castle, the Technicolor lustre of the restoration, a look one review compares to Mario Bava. Vincent Price is the other fixed point, praised for a charismatic, melancholy performance and for the conviction of his evil. Two of the reviews name it the finest of Roger Corman’s Poe adaptations, and the doom-laden atmosphere is credited across the board.

The reservations are small and mostly concern the script. Variety finds the plot vague and involved, and Time Out, though it calls the film the most ambitious of the cycle, thinks it less polished than The Tomb of Ligeia and notes a scruffy opening scene. The spread is narrow, running from a warm Variety to an emphatic Eye for Film, and nobody comes in below positive.

## Empire — Kim Newman

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

Newman praises the film as a remarkable, ravishing Gothic entertainment. He singles out Vincent Price’s performance and the beautifully choreographed, visually daring horrors.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/masque-red-death-review/)

## Little White Lies — Anton Bitel

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 

Bitel presents the film as a vivid, richly layered meditation on death’s arbitrariness and the limits of privilege. He especially praises its brilliant, Bava-esque colour, restored to its full Technicolor lustre.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/home-ents/the-masque-of-the-red-death-roger-corman-vincent-price)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 21 January 2021. 

Bradshaw finds the film’s theatrical horror strikingly apt and praises its formal artistry and sinuous elegance. He singles out the bizarre jester dance and the vividly colour-coded castle as especially captivating.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jan/21/the-masque-of-the-red-death-review-roger-corman-vincent-price)

## Radio Times — Alan Jones

Rating 4/5. 

Jones calls it the finest of Roger Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. He praises the doom-laden atmosphere and Vincent Price’s embodiment of evil.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-l2xazm/the-masque-of-the-red-death/)

## Time Out — TM

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 

The critic calls it the best and most ambitious of Corman’s Poe cycle, though less polished than The Tomb of Ligeia. They praise its stunning visual look but note a scruffy opening scene.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-masque-of-the-red-death)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1963. 

The review is positive about the film’s atmosphere and production values. It singles out the color camerawork, sets and music, while noting that the plot is vague and involved.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1963/film/reviews/the-masque-of-the-red-death-1200420513/)

## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 8 May 2009. 

Kermode gives the film an emphatically positive verdict, calling it an intense and unforgettable experience. She especially praises Vincent Price’s charismatic, melancholy performance and the film’s vivid Gothic imagery.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-masque-of-the-red-death-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-masque-of-the-red-death.md