Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Absolutely brilliant

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

This movie is going to seem dated as heck due to the style and over the top performances, but it has some great moments and a farcical storyline that works well in places, not so much in others. Worth seeing for Price and Lore fans and anyone that liked the old style Hammer style movie.

Someone on the forum for this film made a nice comment a while back, for which I'll paraphrase: he or she said something how the film "Airplane" was for airports as "Comedy of Terrors" is for undertakers. I couldn't have said it any better myself, even though I would've liked a few creepy scenes, considering the fine horror ensemble, and even a cat thrown in there, but this was 100% comedy. You know the cast by now, so I'll skip those details, but Vincent Price and Peter Lorre had fine chemistry together. If I knew this was a pure comedy and nothing to do with horror, I probably would've skipped the film, but I didn't know Price and Lorre could be just as entertaining as they were in "Tales of Terror", even though the latter is a better film. The only real negatives I can think of is Joyce Jameson's annoying singing, even though I know it was done on purpose, but it got tedious, as did Basil Rathbone's routine of rising from the dead. I don't think this film did too well at the box office, as plans for a sequel were nixed, but there are some truly funny moments by veteran horror actors that may be worth seeing.

Fun horror /comedy with an exceptional quartet who provides much fun : Price , Karloff , Lorre and Rathbone . Amusing , delightful film produced by American International , James H. Nicholson-Samuel Z. Arkoff , with a monumental team of terror all-star-cast as Price , Lorre and Karloff . This supreme adventure in terror and humor based on the novel and screenplay by Richard Matheson deals with two deranged undertakers (Vincent Price and Peter Lorre) who take bad ways to insuring their continued employment , a Funeral Parlor called ¨Wichley and Trumbull¨. A lugubrious undertaker who hasn't had any customers in a long time is obligated the pay one year's back-rent by his landlord (Basil Rathbone) . Then the wickedest undertaker Waldo Trumbull and his unfortunate , frog-like associated named Felix Gillie to get money and both of whom begin killing people in order to get new clients . The couple goes to a mansion in Winkle Road inhabited by an old man and carry out their objective . There also appears Price's chalk-white father-in-law (Boris Karloff) aged about 90 , but refusing to die and leave Waldo the Funeral Parlor . Trade is so bad that Waldo and his underling have to go out and boost business by killing his immortal landlord . It gets funnier when our two friends pitting wills against the relieved landlord . And the end takes place a funny duel between Price and Rathbone.This is more of a satire than a true terror movie , it is immaculately staged , stylishly realized , very literate , rich in atmosphere , confidently made and plenty of eye-popping scenes . May be one of the most successful terror farce ever realized with a considerable all-star-cast and original invention . Terror has strangely been more skillfully spoofed than in this agreeable horror/comedy Jacques Tourneur directed and realized in glorious fashion . The movie is realized in the same style to the successful adaptation Edgar Allen Poe series , the cycle of ¨Tales of Terror¨ , and especially ¨The Raven¨ also with the trio Price,Lorre,Karloff directed by Roger Corman and produced by James H Nicholson and Samuel Z Arkoff . For that reason packs usual Corman's striking scenarios including lugubrious mansions , colorful atmosphere , shrieks come from gloomy coffins and gleeful gallery of ghoulishness . Glimmer cinematography in magnificence color by the series usual , Floyd Crosby . Frightening and atmospheric musical score fitting to humor and horror by Les Baxter .The flick based on Richard Matheson's screenplay playing to the spectator in amusing fashion . In spite of his poverty-budget horror is deemed a minor cult and gave enough profit from minimal inversion . The motion picture is produced by American International (James H Nicholson , Samuel Z. Arkoff) in a low budget and well directed by the classic director Jacques Tourneur in his final feature along with 'Curse of the demon' . He was an expert on terror cinema (Cat people , Curse of the demon , I walked with a Zombie , Leopard man) and adventures (Martin the Gaucho , Flame and the arrow , The pirate woman , City under the sea) . Despite the excessive satire most children and adults will like this enormously fun film . 'Comedy of terrors' is a sensational black comedy that maintains its classicism and reaching impressive dimensions . It will appeal to youngsters and adults who swallow whole and sit convulsed in their armchair and of course Vincent Price , Karloff , Lorre fans.

So this film is not the greatest film ever made. This is no Casablanca or Lawrence of Arabia,this is a film for those who love film history and nostalgia of horror cinema from Vincent Price's House of wax to Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. There is no doubt that this film has an all star cast. Another film which had Rathbone,Price and Boris Karloff was Tower of London, which was about Richard Duke of Gloucester and how he became king of England through murder and manipulation. The film was a great showcase of talent by all three actors. So now for this film, This film starts off with Vincent Price and Peter Lorre finding out that they have run their funeral parlor into the ground,and need to come up with cash to pay their landlord played by Bail Rathbone. So to do this they go out at Midnight to kill a former colleague of Price's. This does not go as planed however and soon Price decides to Kill Rathbone,the only problem is he never can die. The humor of the film is dark and it is what we expect from the masters of horror. I would have been happier had they been able to have had peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in this film,but I would have to see House of the long shadows for that to happen. So this film is not Ben Hur or To Kill a Mockingbird,but it is made for the fans of the Gothic horror and who loved the classics like Nosferatu or Phantom of the opera. I enjoyed this film so much because it brings back a time when you could see a movie that did not have to be great,but you could have fun watching it and this film succeeds in that portion. The acting as I said was good. The cat in this film is the beloved Orange from breakfast at Tiffany's. The atmosphere is dark and murky and the sets and art direction really show good background ,and foreground in the film. So is this a good enough film to take its place with Dracula or Frankenstein? No,but it is a fun ride.