i really enjoy watch this movie and i wish to recommend to a many people a possible . but maybe bias because i be a huge fan of director stuart gordon . i have yet to see a movie of his that doesn not fully live up to my expectation . from re animator over doll to castle freak . they all belong to my favorite horror movie . and i do believe gordon belongs to the most talented director in the genre because he can handle all sort of horror topic . his debut the brilliant re animator be a comedy splatter movie while the pit and the pendulum doesn not contain that much violence or gore . this movie contain an intelligent and even educational story and it have great setting and costume of the 14th century . the pit and the pendulum be an adaptation of the famous short story by edgar allen poe . the master of low budget roger corman already use this story once to make a great horror classic star vincent price . stuart gordon movie isn not really a remake of that one . they just use the same plot . pit and the pendulum take place during the spanish inquisition . lance henriksen play one of the best role of his entire career a torquemada . he decide whether witch be guilty or not and when they will be burn for the eye of god . a young girl and maria ( play by ronna de ricci who never do anything else in her career ) who resist against his way of work be be arrest . torquemada want to accuse her of witchery but he fascinate by her look and her body . meanwhile and maria husband enter the castle and he want to free his wife . the atmosphere and the setting impress the most in this movie . the ancient castle and the torture chamber be really intriguing . the costume be terrific a well . there isn not too much gore and violence to detect in this movie ( especially not compare to previous gordon movie ) but theyre be a few very explicit scene that show true horror . but it always shoot with a lot of style and class . even though lance henriksen be get all the attention in this movie and there be a a few other great performance in this movie . i would like to bring forward jeffrey comb . my favorite b movie actor and frequently cast by stuart gordon . his role be pretty limited but very well act . the pit and pendulum be warmly recommend to fan of atmospheric horror and historical story . one to watch .