Horror Classics #3: Vincent Price Coll.-The Bat (1959) Rating: Starring: Agnes Moorehead, Vincent Price Director: William Castle, Crane Wilbur Category: Classic, Suspense / Thriller Studio: Roan Group Subtitles: [None] Length: 155 mins     Fifteen years into his film career, Vincent Price became a top horror star with House of Wax (1953), and he ruled the genre throughout the 60's. The Bat(1959) and House On Haunted Hill(1958) were two of the earlier pictures to bank on Price's status as the titan terror. The Bat Was adapted from the stage mystery by Hopwood and Rinehart (its fourth filming) and directed by Crane Wilbur who had written House Of Wax. The plot concerns a maniac known as "The Bat" lurking in a spooky mansion. The great Agnes Moorehead also stars. William Castle directed a slew of westerns and the Crime Doctor pictures before decideing to scare the hell out of kids with gimmicky horror films. With writer Robb White, he whipped up House On Haunted Hill and cast Price as the super-rich Frederick Loren, who offers five people ten grand apiece to stay in a creepy old house. This time, Castle's gimmick was Emergo, which flew a skeleton over the audience of screaming kids. Going to the movies has never been more fun.