The Pit and the Pendulum

This week's most satisfying romance pick in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Fawesome, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video is The Pit and the Pendulum. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 150 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Lance Henriksen's performance makes the emotional stakes feel real, not manufactured. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

The Pit and the Pendulum arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The Pit and the Pendulum earns its romantic beats rather than assuming them — a rarer quality than it sounds. Set during the height of Spanish Inquisition. The beautiful and kind-hearted Maria is arrested as a witch when she inadvertently cries out in horror at the public whipping of a child. As Maria’s husband Antonio tries to save her, Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor, determines to punish Maria with torture for the desire she inflames in him. Lance Henriksen and Stephen Lee lead a cast whose chemistry carries the emotional beats. The Pit and the Pendulum came out in 1991. Romance lives or dies on chemistry, and The Pit and the Pendulum has it in the cast combination that the writers chose to put at the centre of everything. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The Pit and the Pendulum is the kind of thing you watch without apology. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Lance Henriksen is the anchor, and the work here is one of the more understated achievements in their career. The kind of thing you finish and immediately want more of.

The Pit and the Pendulum was released in 1991, directed by Stuart Gordon. The full 97-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.