Torture Garden
Torture Garden. Dir. Francis, Freddie. Prod. Rosenberg, Max and Subotsky, Milton. Perf. Jack Palance, Burgess Meredith, Hedger Wallace. Columbia Pictures, 1967. Film.
Torture Garden is an exhibit in a carnival hosted by Dr. Diabolo (Meredith). A group of people take Dr. Diabolo’s offer to pay extra and see even more terrors. In the back, there is an idol figure of Atropos, the Fate that cut the thread of destiny. By looking into her shears, each person sees a possible horrific future in store for them. The last future we see is for a collector of Edgar Allan Poe materials. In his rivals collection he finds Edgar Allan Poe himself.
Poe is seen as a sad figure longing to return to death. He seems more of a waxwork statue and only moves his head. The surrounding story is ominous and Poe here becomes the herald of what lies beyond death.
Poe is played by actor Geoffrey Hedger Wallace. Many sources have it listed as an uncredited Hedger Wallace. A Geoffrey Wallace is also listed in credits, but it is unknown as to who Geoffrey Wallace plays in the movie. While Geoffrey Wallace appears in the credits, Hedger Wallace does not. According to the BFI, they are the same person, born Geoffrey Hedger Wallace.