I was recently asked, “do you actually like The Haunted Palace?” (referring to the 1963 Roger Coreman adaption of “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward“) The short answer is, “yes, what’s not to like?” It is well made, stars Vincent Price, has Lon Chaney, Jr. and a host of other veteran character actors and a Ronald Stein score. For marketing reasons, the film was marketed under the much more recognizable, Edgar Allan Poe by linking it to a couple lines from one of his poems (The Haunted Palace, 1839.) The story is clearly derrived from the Case of Charles Dexter Ward, though notably truncated to reduce the complexity of the story for the screen. It is an able adaption, though I miss the arcane horror of raising the ancient dead from their “essential saltes” through alchemy. Many Lovecraft fans, while pleased to see a Lovecraft-based film have critcized the film for its loose adaptation compared to Dan O’Bannon’s more faithful attempt in 1992’s The Ressurected.
Both films offer merit: Coreman’s film makes use of veteran horror actor Vincent Price as the titular character of Ward. 
O’Bannon brings out the grusome nature of Joeseph Curwen’s experiments in raising the dead and what “lively horror” may result from the use of “imprefect saltes.” Both films are done with care and craft of producers and directors that understand their source material and have made a deliberate attempt to get past the difficulties of interpreting the complex supernatural story to the screen. O’Bannon gives us a lot more gore for our money while Coreman makes the most of his crew of Poe-seasoned actors. I have personally seen both films several times, I always marvel at the contrast each director and writer choose to adapt the story that I am so well familiar with. (Those who know me, know that The Case of Charles Dexter Ward has long been among my favorite Lovecraft tales.)
My recommendation? See both and decide for yourself. They are both worth the price of admission and have much to offer the Lovecraft fan.
