Man haunted by the formidable shadow of his deceased first wife marries again, only to have his happiness vanquished by the posthumous malevolence of Ligeia. He must face her spirit or be vanquished.

Eighth and last of Corman's Poe cycle, and one of his best, surpassed only by the sublime Masque of the Red Death. Finely acted by all, especially Shepherd, who makes the most of her deep voice in a headstrong role. Price is perhaps too old for the role (in the story Fell is in his mid-thirties), but he makes the most of a complicated role, perhaps cinema's first proto-Goth. It still would have been interesting to see what would have resulted if Corman's first choice, Richard Chamberlain, had been cast in the role. The ruins of Castle Acre Priory make a splendid backdrop to the story, too. This film opened in the UK on a double bill with Mario Bava's Black Sabbath, an interesting choice, as much of the lighting effects in Ligeia owe more than a passing nod to Bava's style.