Extraordinary Tales (2013)

Having watched Crimson Peak last night, I needed something else to help me focus on my final script project for my film writing class. After some debate with the voices in my head, I decided to venture into the mind of Edgar Allan Poe with the 2013 animated adaption Extraordinary Tales.

Plot/ The film is an animation-accompanied narration of some excerpts of some of the short stories written by Edgar Allan Poe. The movie contains: The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell Tale Heart, The Facts In the Case Of M. Valdemar, The Pit and The Pendulum, and The Masque of the Red Death.

If you have read this blog, you should already know how I feel about Edgar Allen Poe. Not only was he a genius who set the stage for modern American horror, his influence on both the cinematic and literary community may never truly be matched. Unfortunately, some of his popularity has waned in recent years, as the rise of technology has reduced the amount of kids interested in the classics. While this may not be a perfect adaptation, it is an interesting journey into the mind of the master and some of his epic tales. Complete with a diverse animation backdrop, the segments range from great (The Pit & The Pendulum) to the uneven (The Tell-Tale Heart). Of course, the opinions will vary because of the different styles used. What made this even more intriguing is the group of actors used to bring it to life. Legends such as Roger Corman, Sir Christopher Lee, and Bela Lugosi, were joined by Julian Sands and Guillermo del Toro to create a movie that could easily serve as an introduction to Poe for a new generation of fans. In the end, this one will not be for everyone, but it is an entertaining journey into the macabre visions of a literary genius.

POE: Project of Evil (2012)

With the NFL Draft finally in the books, I can finally take off my Steelers 101 hat and take a break. While I still have some work to do with a total recap and undrafted rookie profiles, it will be nowhere near the intensity of the past three nights. With some extra time on my hands, I decided to venture into the mind of Poe for my next review. My selection for the evening was Brain Damage Films, POE: Project of Evil (AKA P.O.E. 2) from 2012.

Plot/ In this twisted horror anthology, eight talented Italian directors present their takes on the disturbing tales of Edgar Allan Poe, each in a very personal and modern way. Prepare to experience the terror of POE like never before!

Before I get deep into my review let me start by saying if you are a Poe purest you should stay away from this film. If, like me, you enjoy strange anthologies and love the master of macabre, than you may enjoy this one. Clearly art house cinema, this Italian entry has a lot to like, as it uses the classic Poe tales as a backdrop for surreal journey’s into the macabre. The acting is solid, the cinematography top notch, effects really work. Unfortunately, for many this is not the straightforward horror flick they will expect and much of the incoherent and bizarre interpretations will go over their heads. This one is clearly not for everyone as the combination of violence and nudity sit outside the typical world of Poe. However, in the end, I totally enjoyed it. This was one of the more original films I have seen in some time and one of the more intriguing art house cinema pieces that has made their way onto video store shelves. If you enjoy strangeness and can watch it with an open mind, check it out; it is worth it.

The Raven (2012)

 

 

As any reader of the blog will know, I am a huge Edgar Allan Poe fan. I have collected his writings, movies based on his material and even dressed like him. Honestly, his works have inspired much of who I am. With that in mind, I could not wait to sit down and watch The Raven in the comforts of my living room. Yes, I understand these movies are often a sketchy proposition, but as a fan, you have to watch.

 

 

Plot/ When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's works, a young Baltimore detective joins forces with Poe to stop him from making his stories a reality.

 

 

When I saw that this movie was being filmed, I was really not looking forward to it. Do not get me wrong, I love everything Poe, but I feared that this one would fall into the category of Poe inspired films that fell short. Fortunately, my fears were wrong. This movie is much better than I could have imagined and was an interesting take of the last days of the literary genius. What I really liked was the dark and graphic way they combined different parts of Poe classics. These ideas within this layered story worked well with the solid acting, characterizations, and effects. More importantly, it portrayed Poe as a human and author, and did not try to create something more than he was. In the end, this was one of the better Poe themed movies that I have seen and one that should be seen. If you have not watched it, check it out.

Requiem for the Damned (2012)

I was going to did out The Wicker Man, instead, I decided to venture into the darkness that is Edgar Allan Poe. I love Poe and the deep stories he created. He was truly a genius and he was lost before his time. While The Raven is all the rage, I decided to venture into something different, the 2012 Indie entry, Requiem for the Damned.

Plot/ For nearly two hundred years his stories of the macabre have shocked and terrified audiences. And now, inspired by five of Poe's most terrifying tales, five filmmakers have banded together to create the ultimate tribute to the master: Edgar Allan Poe's Requiem For The Damned - featuring adaptations of : The Fall of the House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Black Cat, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Murders in the Rue Morgue.

I will have to admit, as a Poe fanatic, I hate watching failed interpretations of his works. While, I personally enjoy some of the modern twists, they have to be done right, and that is often a tall order. In this flick, Allegheny Image Factory did their best to apply modern twists to his works, some worked, while some did not (The Tell-Tale Heart was bad, very bad). For me, the flick was uneven, scripting off and acting all over the place. Honestly, it had an extremely low budget almost student film type quality. I did like the surreal feel of The Black Cat (although, it was too over the top) and The Pit and the Pendulum was intriguing in what seemed like a post-apocalyptic world. Unfortunately, as a whole, this flick is flawed and definitely will not appeal to everyone, watch at your own risk!

The Pit and the Pendulum (1991)

After enjoying Dorian Gray, I was finally able to sit down and watch another period piece, the 1991 Stuart Gordon adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum.

Plot/ It is the time of the Spanish Inquisition. Maria does not like what is going on during the "Auto De Fe". When she speaks out, she is arrested and accused of being a witch. Torquemada has plans for her!

Like many, I strayed from watching this adaptation of the classic Edgar Allan Poe tale. To be, honest, I thought that the Corman / Price classic was perfect in so many ways that an updated version was not needed. However, after sitting down to this flick last night, I may have been wrong. Director Stuart Gordon crafts a tale of atmosphere and dread, which is truly better than I ever imagined. True, it does not feature a tremendous amount of gore or violence, but it does contain an interesting blend of scenes that are terrifying. The acting is solid with Lance Henriksen maybe having his most powerful performance. In the end, this is much better than many believe and recommended to fans of Poe, Gordon and anyone into historical based atmospheric horror.

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

As my celebration of Vincent Price comes to an end, I decided it was time to jump into his Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. For those that do not know, Poe is my favorite author of all time and have even dressed up as Poe for Halloween. My choice tonight was one of my favorites, The Pit and the Pendulum from 1961.

Plot/ Francis Barnard goes to Spain, when he hears his sister Elizabeth has died. Her husband Nicholas Medina, the son of the most renowned torturer’s of the Spanish Inquisition, tells him she has died of a blood disease, but Francis finds this hard to believe. After some investigating he finds out that it was extreme fear that was fatal to his sister and that she may have been buried alive! Strange things then start to happen in the Medina castle.

This may be one of my favorite performances of Price, He is absolutely terrific, providing this character with tremendous depth and sympathy. As a huge Poe fan, this adaptation written by Richard Matheson, is not really a faithful adaptation, it is a cleverly written story that fuses many different Poe's short stories in one. Yet, the movie comes across with such a chill and eeriness within the beautiful atmosphere created by Roger Corman, who did a masterful job at continually mounting the suspense until the climatic end. This is a great movie and another must for all Price fans to see.