The Haunted Palace is a horror film released in 1963, based on the works of author H.P. Lovecraft. The story is set in the small New England town of Arkham in the 18th century, where an innocent warlock named Joseph Curwen (Vincent Price) is burned alive by the superstitious townspeople after being accused of practicing witchcraft.
Years later, Curwen's great grandson, Charles Dexter Ward (also played by Vincent Price), arrives in the town and inherits the family mansion. Ward is a scientist and becomes obsessed with his ancestor, eventually discovering that Curwen had been wrongly accused and was actually a powerful warlock. Through his experiments, Ward unwittingly unleashes Curwen's spirit, who is able to possess his body and use it to exact revenge on the descendants of the townspeople who burned him at the stake.
As Curwen assimilates back into the modern world, he proceeds to wreak havoc on the town, possessing the bodies of its inhabitants and causing chaos and destruction. Ward's wife, Ann (Debra Paget), realizes what is happening and tries to stop Curwen, but is ultimately defeated by his dark powers. Ward, realizing the threat that his great grandfather poses, sacrifices himself to destroy Curwen's spirit once and for all.
The Haunted Palace is notable for its stark imagery and eerie atmosphere, as well as its themes of madness and revenge. While not directly based on any of Lovecraft's stories, it incorporates elements and concepts from several of his works, including "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" and "The Shadow Over Innsmouth". The film was directed by Roger Corman and written by Charles Beaumont, and features a memorable score by Ronald Stein.