 Roger Corman had made two successful adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe's (1809-1849) works for American International Pictures (AIP) starring the famous and preeminent horror and suspense star of the 1950s and 60s, Vincent Price.He decided to make his own Poe film with financing through Pathé Lab, a company that did the print work for AIP and had backed a few of their productions as well.Corman wanted to use Price, but AIP had him under exclusive contract, so he cast instead Ray Milland.