Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story of judgment, condemnation, hope and redemption is realized in this stop-motion animated adaptation, executive produced by animation and visual effects legend Ray Harryhausen (Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Clash of the Titans), directed by animation veteran Marc Lougee (Director of Animation; Celebrity Deathmatch, Dinosapien). The short, shot at HD widescreen resolution with 5.1 surround sound, was produced through Lougee’s production company, Hand Made Heroes Film & Television, Toronto, ON, Canada with generous production support from Bravo!FACT and the National Film Board FAP program..
Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool. com recalls his first look at the film as ” awesome… haunting, frightening and creepy”. Marc Lougee’s THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM is a cinematic intepretation of one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most haunting stories in his Gothic repertoire.
A tale of judgment and condemnation, the film portrays a solitary prisoner in the cold grip of the Spanish Inquisition. Condemned and alone, he’s left to suffer a fate worse than death in the dreaded dungeons. Entombed in darkness, he struggles with hope and faith while his captors employ fiendish machinations in their efforts to unhinge him.
Laden with Special Features, the DVD features exclusive behind-the-scenes video depicting the production of the film, from conception to final post production. Interviews with members of the crew include Director / Creative Producer Marc Lougee, Writer Matt Taylor, Composer Philip Stanger, Stop-motion animator Mike Weiss, the 5.1 surround sound design team from Urban Post Productions, and the visual effects artists Gudren Heinz and David Alexander from Switch VFX in Toronto, ON. Additional features include; – a tour of the Foley Studio at Urban Post Production – a 5.1 surround mixing session and breakdown for the film – production stills – storyboards – conceptual art gallery – easter eggs – secret links to online materials Though newly released, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM has been on the film festival circuit for some time, garnering awards and glowing reviews from all over the world. THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM was awarded Best Short Film at the Toronto Hispano American Film Festival 2008, Best Short Film at CRYPTICON Indy Film Festival 2008, Best Adaptation at the International Sci Fi and Horror Film Festival, 2007 and an Art Direction Award at the Short Film Festival of Los Angeles 2007. The film has been an official selection in over 170 film fests worldwide, including AFI Din Toronto, and the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Website: https://www.thepitandthependulumshorfilm.com
