The third of Corman’s Edgar Allen Poe adaptations in as many years, Premature Burial has all the requisite hallmarks: primary-florid Eastman Color and Panavision widescreen, dark drawing room sets, and, of course, omnipresent smoke machines. Entertaining as it is, though, it’s a bit too stiff and drawn out, with the central idea of a man paralyzed by taphephobia not quite supporting the the contrived mystery plot that develops. Even for those of us for whom just the idea of being buried alive causes immediate constriction of the chest, it never gets much beneath the surface. (DVD)