Phantom of the Rue Morgue is a 1954 American 3D horror film directed by Roy Del Ruth (The Terror; The Alligator People) from a screenplay by Harold Medford and James R. Webb (Cape Fear), a very loose adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe‘s short story The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Producer Henry Blanke previously oversaw Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933, uncredited). Warner Bros. were attempting to repeat the success they had with House of Wax the previous year.

Main cast:

Karl Malden (The Cat O’Nine Tails), Claude Dauphin, Patricia Medina, Steve Forrest (Night Gallery; Maneaters Are Loose!).

Plot:

France, 1870s: A string of strange murders occur in the Rue Morgue. The authorities are baffled, but they do have one man who may have the answers, Professor Dupin.

When Dupin is approached by the police to help, he agrees. Soon a set of suspects are found, including a sailor named Jacques and a professor named Marais, who is involved in unauthorized (and bizarre) animal experiments…

Reviews:

“Phantom of the Rue Morgue is wedged between two eras; it’s a leftover from the previous decade’s gothic murder mysteries and arrived just as theaters were beginning to be overrun by atomic age monsters and aliens. However, it’s difficult not to see both this and House of Wax as stylistic antecedents to the garish productions from AIP and Hammer a decade later.” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

“ … proves to be rather dull. Director Roy Del Ruth shoves numerous pop-up 3D effects out into the audience’s face with crude abandon – women screaming into the camera, a knife thrower throwing knives, a snarling ape, a dead body, a trampolinist and even one of the Flying Zacchinis trapeze artists. Charles Gemora, the makeup artist who became famous for playing apes during this era (and indeed also played the ape in the 1932 film) lurks about in a gorilla suit.” Moria

“Poe would never recognise it, but in it’s own way, aided by 3-D cinematography, the movie is good fun.” Alan Frank, The Horror Film Handbook

“The abysmal dialogue is full of psychoanalytical bilge, the murders are repetitive in the extreme (the best scene, paradoxically, is one in which the ape attacks a window-display dummy), and the 3-D effects are tamely restricted to the usual hail of hurled knives and clutching paws.” Phil Hardy, The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

Cast and characters:

• Karl Malden as Dr. Marais
• Claude Dauphin as Inspector Bonnard
• Patricia Medina as Jeanette
• Steve Forrest as Professor Paul Dupin
• Allyn Ann McLerie as Yvonne
• Anthony Caruso as Jacques the One-Eyed
• Veola Vonn as Arlette
• Dolores Dorn as Camille
• Merv Griffin as Georges Brevert
• Paul Richards as Rene the Knife-thrower
• Rolfe Sedan as LeBon (as Rolphe Sedan)
• Erin O’Brien-Moore as Wardrobe Woman
• Charles Gemora as Sultan, the Gorilla
• The Flying Zacchinis as Themselves

Choice dialogue:

Dr. Marais: “The more I see of people like this, the better I like my zoo!”

Dr. Marais: “But as a psychologist as well as a zoo keeper, I feel it is better to face up to an emotion than lock it inside.”

Jeanette: “Well, no wonder you understood her so well. You’re as mad as she is!”

Trailer:

Wikipedia | IMDb | Related: Going Ape! A Short History of Who’s Inside the Monkey Suit – article by Daz Lawrence

Tales of Poe is a 2014 American horror anthology film co-directed by Bart Mastronardi and Alan Rowe Kelly. It combines three of Edgar Allan Poe’s most popular stories: The Tell Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado and Dreams.

The film stars Adrienne King (Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th Part 2), Caroline Williams (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Halloween 2), Amy Steel (Friday the 13th Part 2, April Fool’s Day) Debbie Rochon (Model Hunger, Hell Town) and Lesleh Donaldson (Happy Birthday to Me, Funeral Home).

In the US, Wild Eye Releasing plans to distribute Tales of Poe on DVD and Digital HD in October 2016.

Reviews:

“Tales of Poe overcomes its budgetary limitations and manages to entertain its audience both visually and thematically. There are a few genuinely creepy moments that’ll chill your blood, and some fine performances that elevate the proceedings in a most elegant manner.” The Black Saint, HorrorNews.net

“Despite plenty of imagination, style and talent Tales of Poe is not the miracle that some reviews are painting it out to be. However, for precisely those reasons, it is a very, very good one. Thought-provoking and well-made, it is a feast for the eyes with a sterling cast and some real wit and imagination.” Hickey’s House of Horrors

“Tales of Poe is a refreshing ride into the mind of Edgar Allan Poe as it gives us three different and quite quirky takes on his work. My favorite would have to be The Tell-Tale Heart, everything about that segment just flowed so well and it was the perfect length. Loved it. Same goes for Dreams, I wasn’t familiar with that Poe story, but the visuals, the acting, it was a blast. But all in all, the segments came together well…” Chris Savage, Horror-Movies.ca

Wikipedia | IMDb | Facebook | Official site

The Conqueror Worm is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe about human mortality and the inevitability of death.

It was first published in Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine in 1843, but quickly became associated with Poe’s short story Ligeia after Poe added the poem to a revised publication of the story in 1845. In the revised story, the poem is composed by the eponymous Ligeia, and taught to the narrator in the fits of her death throes.

The poem seems to imply that human life is mad folly ending in hideous death, the universe is controlled by dark forces man cannot understand, and the only supernatural forces that might help are powerless spectators who can only affirm the tragedy of the scene.

Though Poe was referring to an ancient connection between worms and death, he may have been inspired by “The Proud Ladye”, a poem by Spencer Wallis Cone. That poem contained the lines “Let him meet the conqueror worm / With his good sword by his side.”

The Conqueror Worm also uses the word “evermore”, which would later evolve into “nevermore” in Poe’s famous poem “The Raven” in 1845.

Extract:

But see, amid the mimic rout,

A crawling shape intrude!

A blood-red thing that writhes from out

The scenic solitude!

It writhes! — it writhes! — with mortal pangs

The mimes become its food,

And the angels sob at vermin fangs

In human gore imbued!

Adaptations and influence:

In 1935, Baltimore-born composer Franz Bornschein wrote a three-part chorus for women with orchestra or piano accompaniment based on “The Conqueror Worm”.

British horror film Witchfinder General was retitled The Conqueror Worm for American International Picture’s US release, despite having nothing to do with the Poe poem.

The poem was rewritten and adapted as the first track to Lou Reed’s 2003 album of Poe adaptations and Poe-inspired songs, The Raven.

It was adapted as a song by the Darkwave act, Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows on the album Flowers in Formaldehyde in 2004.

Vol. 5 of the Hellboy comic book mini-series by Mike Mignola titled Hellboy: Conqueror Worm was based on the poem.

Goth musician Voltaire wrote a song adaptation of “The Conqueror Worm” and following the text of the poem verbatim. It was released in early 2014 on his album Raised by Bats.

Dark Horse Comics released Edgar Allan Poe Conqueror Worm, a one-shot comic by Richard Corben in November 2012.

The music video for “Curtain” by Australian extreme metal band Portal features an adaptation of the poem using puppets.

The album Dies Irae by the band Devil Doll is loosely based on “The Conqueror Worm”.

Wikipedia

Death Ward 13 is a 2017 American horror film directed by Todd Nunes (All Through the House aka A Nightmare Christmas) from a screenplay co-written with Tara Knight; the film is produced by Stephen Readmond and Christopher Stanley for Bone Crusher Films.

The film is “inspired” by the 1972 horror film Don’t Look in the Basement directed by S. F. Brownrigg. It is also inspired by Edgar Allan Poe‘s dark comedy short story The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether (1845).

Death Ward 13 is currently in pre-production in Los Angeles.

Plot:

1973: The Stephens Sanitarium for the Criminally Insane prepares to shut down permanently. Days before closing, four beautiful nursing students arrive to care for the last handful of “harmless” mental patients in a suspiciously understaffed ward.

Confronted by their violent charges, the nurses soon realize that they are trapped inside the asylum with a deadly crew of vicious lunatics. Each patient has their own perverse identity, their own personal demons, and their own violent agenda. Pushed to the brink of insanity, the young nurses find themselves in a gruesome fight for survival inside Ward 13…

Interview:

Adam Lee Price talks to Todd Nunes about this film and All Through the House for Fangoria

Wikipedia | IMDb | Official site

Lighthouse Keeper – aka Edgar Allan Poe’s Lighthouse Keeper – is 2016 supernatural horror film directed by Benjamin Cooper (Primitive) from a screenplay by Carl Edge. It is based upon Edgar Allan Poe’s 1849 final, unfinished short story, The Light-House.

The film is executive produced by Jeff Miller (ClownTown; Jolly Roger: Massacre at Cutter’s Cove; Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan). Andrea Wiersma (Puppet Master X) handled special makeup effects, and Gary Jones (Evil Dead 2) contributed digital effects.

ITN Distribution has acquired the film for North America. They anticipate a first quarter release next year on DVD and digital.

Main cast:

Vernon G. Wells (Mad Max 2) in the titular role, Matt O’Neill (Primitive), Rachel Riley (8213: Gacy House), Monty Wall (The Brink), S. Daxton Balzer (Primitive), Carl Edge, John Spencer File and Erik Chavez.

Plot:

A young man awakens alone on a remote beach, marooned there by a violent storm. Above the the rocky crags, a lighthouse stands like a sentinel. The man seeks the help of Walsh, the enigmatic lighthouse keeper, who insists they are the sole inhabitants of the peninsula.

However, the young man is haunted by fleeting glimpses of a beautiful young woman, and plagued by visions of hideous phantoms reaching out from the depths…

IMDb | Official site

The Raven is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe.

First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven’s mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man’s slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word “Nevermore”. The poem makes use of a number of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references.

The poem was partly inspired by a talking raven in the novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of ‘Eighty by Charles Dickens. Poe borrows the complex rhythm and meter of Elizabeth Barrett’s poem “Lady Geraldine’s Courtship”, and makes use of internal rhyme as well as alliteration throughout.

“The Raven” was first attributed to Poe in print in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845. Its publication made Poe widely popular in his lifetime, although it did not bring him much financial success. The poem was soon reprinted, parodied, and illustrated. Critical opinion is divided as to the poem’s literary status, but it nevertheless remains one of the most famous poems ever written.

The New World said, “Everyone reads the Poem and praises it … justly, we think, for it seems to us full of originality and power.”The Pennsylvania Inquirer reprinted it with the heading “A Beautiful Poem”. Elizabeth Barrett wrote to Poe, “Your ‘Raven’ has produced a sensation, a fit o’ horror, here in England. Some of my friends are taken by the fear of it and some by the music. I hear of persons haunted by ‘Nevermore’.” Poe’s popularity resulted in invitations to recite “The Raven” and to lecture – in public and at private social gatherings.

“The Raven” was praised by fellow writers William Gilmore Simms and Margaret Fuller, though it was denounced by William Butler Yeats, who called it “insincere and vulgar … its execution a rhythmical trick”. Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “I see nothing in it.” A critic for the Southern Quarterly Review wrote in July 1848 that the poem was ruined by “a wild and unbridled extravagance” and that minor things like a tapping at the door and a fluttering curtain would only affect “a child who had been frightened to the verge of idiocy by terrible ghost stories”

Poe wrote the poem as a narrative, without intentionally creating an allegory or falling into didacticism. The main theme of the poem is one of undying devotion. The narrator experiences a perverse conflict between desire to forget and desire to remember. He seems to get some pleasure from focusing on loss. The narrator assumes that the word “Nevermore” is the raven’s “only stock and store”, and, yet, he continues to ask it questions, knowing what the answer will be. His questions, then, are purposely self-deprecating and further incite his feelings of loss. Poe leaves it unclear if the raven actually knows what it is saying or if it really intends to cause a reaction in the poem’s narrator.

Popular culture:

• “The Raven” was recreated as a hallucination of Poe’s in the 1915 silent film The Raven. A fictionalized biography, it starred Henry B. Walthall as Poe.
• The 1935 film The Raven has Bela Lugosi as a Poe-obsessed doctor and co-stars Boris Karloff. The film has an interpretive dance of “The Raven”.
• In 1942, Fleischer Studios created A Cartoon Travesty of The Raven. A two-reel Technicolor cartoon that turned the story of the poem into a lighthearted comedy.
• A Bugs Bunny cartoon, No Parking Hare, has Bugs reading a few lines from the poem, starting with the words, “While I nodded nearly napping”. The comic he reads them from is stated as “Poe’s Kiddie Comics”.
• In 1963, Roger Corman directed The Raven, a comedy horror film with Boris Karloff and Vincent Price, very loosely based on the poem.

• In the 1967 stop-motion film Mad Monster Party?, Baron von Frankenstein tests his new potion on a raven, and lets it fly until it lands on a tree branch. Watching the resulting explosion, he says with a chuckle, “Quoth the raven… nevermore. Ah, I’ve done it — created the means to destroy matter!”
• The stop-motion short film Vincent (1982), by Tim Burton, features a protagonist named Vincent Malloy, whose “favorite author is Edgar Allan Poe.” As Vincent lies, seemingly dying, at the end of the film, he quotes the final couplet of “The Raven”.
• In the 1983 film The Dead Zone, Christopher Walken (as a school teacher Johnny Smith) quotes “The Raven” to his class during a lesson.
• In the 1986 film Short Circuit, the robot Number 5 (voiced by Tim Blaney) makes the comment “nevermore” in reference to a pet raven of Stephanie Speck’s (portrayed by Ally Sheedy).
• In the 1989 film Batman, Jack Nicholson (as The Joker) quotes “The Raven” to Kim Basinger’s Vicky Vale when he says, “Take thy beak from out my heart.”
• Hannes Rall directed an animated, German-language version of The Raven (Der Rabe) in 1998.
• In the 1994 film The Crow, Eric, the tragic main character, references “The Raven” after breaking down the door to Gideon’s pawn shop: “‘Suddenly, I heard a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.’ You heard me rapping, right?”
• A 2003 album by Lou Reed

• The film Nightmares from the Mind of Poe (2006) adapts “The Raven” along with three Poe short stories: “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Premature Burial”.
• In the 2005 film The Crow: Wicked Prayer the third sequel to The Crow, during the final battle between Jimmy and Luc, Jimmy tauntingly shouts “Quoth the raven nevermore, motherfucker!”
• A film entitled The Raven, which stars a fictionalized Poe, was released in March 2012.
• The Simpsons episode Treehouse of Horror parodies the poem in its third segment as Lisa reads the story to Bart and Maggie. In the animated segment, Homer serves as the protagonist, Bart takes the raven’s form, Marge appears in a painting as Lenore and Lisa and Maggie are angels. Bart complains that the poem is not scary, and at one point the raven says his catchphrase “Eat my shorts” instead of “Nevermore.”

The Raven

Wikipedia

The Premature Burial is a 1962 American horror film, directed by Roger Corman from a screenplay by Charles Beaumont and Ray Russell, based upon the 1844 short story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe. It stars Ray Milland, Hazel Court, Alan Napier, Heather Angel and Richard Ney.

Corman had made two successful adaptations of Poe’s works for American International Pictures (AIP) starring Vincent Price. He decided to make his own Poe film with financing through Pathe Lab. He wanted to use Price, but AIP had him under exclusive contract, so he cast Ray Milland instead. On the first day of shooting AIP’s James Nicholson and Sam Arkoff turned up, announcing Corman was working for them – they had threatened Pathe with the loss of their business if they did not bring the movie back to AIP.

Francis Ford Coppola (Dementia 13; Bram Stoker’s Dracula; Twixt) worked on the movie as dialogue director.

Guy Carrell (Milland), who is obsessed with the fear of death. He is most obsessed with the fear of being buried alive. Though his fiancee Emily says he has nothing to be afraid of, he still thinks he will be buried alive (a common fear and in reality an occasional occurrence). So deluded, he seeks help from a few people, including his sister, but he still is haunted by the fear of death and the sense that someone close wants him dead…

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.com

Reviews:

“Oh and Milland was fine, not much of a surprise since he IS an Oscar winner. I mean, he’s no Price, but who is? He’s got the perfect look, where you can buy him as a villain or a hero quite easily – a benefit during the back and forth finale. The rest of the cast is also pretty good…” Horror Movie a Day

“There is the nucleus of a good movie in The Premature Burial. Unfortunately, most of that nucleus is recycled from The Fall of the House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum, and three consecutive movies spent tinkering with the same material is at least one too many.” 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting

“A shocker rather than a chiller, Corman conjures up some colourful, cobwebbed Poe atmosphere with swirling mists, petrified corpses and dank atmospheric suspense; and Milland’s dream sequence is genuinely frightening.” Peter Fuller, The Spooky Isles

Cast and characters:

• Ray Milland as Guy Carrell
• Heather Angel as Kate Carrell, Guy’s sister
• Hazel Court as Emily Gault, Guy’s wife
• Alan Napier as Dr. Gideon Gault
• Richard Ney as Miles Archer
• John Dierkes as Sweeney
• Dick Miller as Mole
• Clive Halliday as Judson
• Brendan Dillon as Clergyman

Wikipedia | IMDb

Bone Chillers is a 1996 American comedy horror television series directed by Adam Rifkin (Director’s Cut; Psycho Cop 2; The Invisible Maniac) for Hyperion Pictures, based on a series of children’s novels by Betsy Haynes.

The thirteen episode series stars Esteban Powell, Trey Alexander, Linda Cardellini, John Patrick White and Saadia Persad.

Special effects were provided by the Alterian company (Cult of Chucky; Zombieland; The Craft; The Tommyknockers; et al).

In the US, the series was shown by ABC, whilst it was on the Disney Channel in the UK. Although released on VHS, Bone Chillers episodes have never been released on DVD.

Four freshmen at Edgar Allan Poe High School not only have to deal with the normal pressures of competing with the cool kids and the jocks, but also have to contend with all sorts of weird happenings. Assisting the main characters was Barry the custodian, who lived in the school’s basement. There was the feared cook of the school, Carl, the ditzy Miss Dewberry, and the evil Principal Percival Pussman.

At the end of each episode, original author Betsy Haynes would appear in an educational segment encouraging young viewers to exercise their imaginations…

Cast and characters:

• Esteban Powell … Brian Holsapple
• Trey Alexander … Kirk (Dahmer vs. Gacy; Charmed)
• Linda Cardellini … Sarah (Velma in the first two live-action Scooby-Doo movies)
• John Patrick White … Fitzgerald Crump (Children of the Corn 666; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; Phantom Town aka Spooky Town)
• Saadia Persad … Lexi
• Danielle Weeks … Tiffany
• Erick Avari … Doctor Lumbago
• Charles Fleischer … Arnie
• Josh Hecox …Doctor Feelgood

Wikipedia | IMDb

Extraordinary Tales is a 2013 international animated anthology horror feature film directed by Raul Garcia comprised of five Edgar Allan Poe stories (‘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’).

Each story is narrated by a different actor; the voice cast includes Christopher Lee (“Usher”), Bela Lugosi (“Tell-Tale Heart”), Julian Sands (“Valdemar”), Guillermo del Toro (“Pendulum”), and Roger Corman (“Masque”).

Cinedigm released a Blu-ray + DVD combo in the United States on February 2, 2016.

Extras include:

• The Art of Extraordinary Tales
• The Making of Extraordinary Tales
• Audio Commentary by Director Raul Garcia
• US Trailer

Reviews:

“Overall, for the big Poe fan, there isn’t much new ground struck here, nor are many of these versions decidedly memorable (I’d have to say that “Valdemar” and “Masque” were the standouts by far, the other three not doing too much for me visually), but it’s still an entertaining watch. At a mere seventy-three minutes, it’s a relatively quick sit…” Kyle Saubert, Allusions of Grandeur

“Animation rarely touches on horror- at least in the West- perhaps many assuming that animation simply can’t be scary. Yet this film proves that animation can deliver atmospheric chills with the best of them, and create memorable imagery that you won’t be able to get out of your head for some time. The ‘Usher’ segment is particularly strong in these regards.” Chris Perkins, Animation for Adults

“Aside from the annoyingly unimportant frame narrative, Extraordinary Tales is an enjoyable look at some classics of the horror genre by perhaps its most important founding figure. It demonstrates that the best stories age gracefully, and may just encourage some viewers to revisit (or discover for the first time) some of the earliest works of horror fiction.” Horror Talk

“The films can vary in overall quality, so they actually work better as a whole, as each builds on its predecessor’s sense of dread and misfortune. And while it may not live up to its titular “extraordinary” title, as a Poe primer, “Tales” is wonderfully wicked introduction for those who are willing to dance in the graveyard.” Rob Rector, Influx Magazine

” …in almost every case, the story has not been adapted so much as it has one of the various actors conducting an audio reading of it, which the animation is then used to in effect illustrate. Thus what we are getting are the stories told as they should be as opposed to their being padded them out.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“Director Raoul Garcia did a nifty feat in adapting five Edgar Allan Poe stories into animation form. Many of the stories have been done to death, so the animation is a novel way to keep them feeling fresh. He was also able to get a couple of genre all-stars to narrate the tales, some of them from beyond the grave. While the results are uneven at best, it’s no worse than most anthology horror films.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

Release:

The film premiered on 28 February 2013 at the Luxembourg City Film Festival.

IMDb

‘Darkness lives here’

House of Ravens – original title: P.O.E. Pieces of Eldritch (P.O.E. 3) – is a 2014 Italian horror anthology feature film based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe. The movie stars Gabriele Arena, Luca Magri, Ettore Nicoletti and Venantino Venantini.

Segments:

• Thou Art the Man – directed by Francesco Campanini
• Morella – directed by Ricky Caruso
• The Cask of Amontillado – directed by Domiziano Cristopharo
• King Pest – directed by Alessandro Redaelli
• Shadow – directed by Edo Tagliavini
• Never Bet the Devil Your Head – directed by Mirko Virgil

House of Ravens will be available on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing on December 11, 2018.

More Italian horror

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The Tell-Tale Heart is a 1953 American animated horror short film produced by UPA, directed by Ted Parmelee, and narrated by James Mason (Salem’s Lot; Frankenstein: The True Story). The screenplay by Bill Scott and Fred Grable is based on the 1843 short story of the same title by Edgar Allan Poe.

Paul Julian served as both designer and colour artist for film, and Pat Matthews was the principal animator.

A murderer’s increasing sense of guilt leads him to believe he can hear his victim’s heart still beating beneath the floorboards where he buried him…

Reviews:

“Carefully paced, keeping that all important rhythm, the film presents little visual motifs and auditory hints at the heartbeat before it begins. With archetypal horror like this, there’s little need for sophisticated technique, and The Tell-Tale Heart makes excellent use of the basics. It’s a creepy little treat…” Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film 

“UPA developed a unique and striking visual style for the cartoons they made in the fifties. and this may well be their masterpiece. The excellent narration by James Mason uses an abbreviated version of the story that manages to capture its essence […] The non-realistic animation uses abstract imagery in a powerful way, and it also makes wonderful use of sound and music as well.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“Chock full of surrealist imagery, the look of the movie feels like what would result when Salvador Dali had a nightmare. Undeniably painterly, but no less disturbing for it, the short still looks distinctive today. The unremittingly subjective camera angles place the audience directly in the mind of the killer, and the look of the short feels appropriately askew as a result, with angular character designs, and deep, inescapable shadows.” Jeremy Heilman, Movie Martyr

“One of the most discussed and imaginative cartoons of any era. It tells the famous Edgar Allan Poe story of the deranged boarder who had to kill his landlord, not for greed, but because he possessed an “evil eye.” The killer is never seen but his presence is felt by the use light-and-shadow to give the impression of impending disaster.” Total Short Films

Release:

Released in the USA on December 17, 1953 by Columbia Pictures.

The British Board of Film Censors made this the first cartoon to receive an adults-only ‘X’ certificate in the United Kingdom.

The short is included as a bonus feature on the first DVD release of Hellboy. It is also included, with commentary by Leonard Maltin and Jerry Beck, on disc 2 of The Jolly Frolics Collection.

An audio version was released on an album by Brunswick Records.

Trivia:

In May 1953, pre-production began on The Tell-Tale Heart, which originally was intended to be a 3-D film.

Image credits: Animation Treasures

Related:

More animated horror films

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Murders in the Rue Morgue is a 1932 American horror feature film directed by Robert Florey (The Beast with Five Fingers) from a screenplay co-written with Ethel M. Kelly, Tom Reed and Dale Van Every, plus [uncredited] John Huston. It was very loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe‘s 1841 short story of the same name. The Universal production stars Sidney Fox, Bela Lugosi, Leon Ames and Bert Roach.

This film was apparently produced as a compensatory package for Lugosi and Florey, after both were dropped from the 1931 Frankenstein. Florey was replaced as director by James Whale, as producer Carl Laemmle Jr. was both unsatisfied with Florey’s work on the project, and had given Whale first choice of any Universal property at the time.

Despite the film being pre-Code, violent sequences prompted Universal to cut its running time from 80 minutes to 61 minutes. Unfortunately, the box office returns for Murders in the Rue Morgue were disappointing, and Lugosi’s original Universal contract for Dracula was not extended.

Plot:

Sideshow lecturer Dr. Mirakle (Bela Lugosi) and his ‘ape with a human brain’ Erik (Charles Gemora) take an unhealthy interest in Camille L’Espanaye (Sidney Fox). Mirakle uses his servant Janos (Noble Johnson) to find out where Camille lives.

When a woman he kidnaps off the streets (Arlene Francis) fails a blood compatibility test, he murders her. She’s just one of several victims who end up dumped into the Seine. Mirakle is intent on subjecting Camille to his weird experiments — but what exactly is he trying to achieve?

Reviews:

“The narrow streets of Paris seem perpetually shrouded in a semi-mist, and the old buildings loom over the streets at improbable angles. Lugosi hams it up as he always did, but somehow the movie would be less without his peculiarly mangled style of acting.” Richard Cross, 20/20 Movie Reviews

“Lugosi supplies an essential touch of rudimentary European mystery through non-acting tricks and his bewitching deconstruction of the English language […] Florey lacked James Whale‘s narrative rhythm and Tod Browning‘s authentic empathy. The result is a case of style over substance, with the style supplied by others.” Alfred Eaker, 366 Weird Movies

“The film’s stronger elements — a woman’s death in Mirakle’s lab, another who is murdered and left stuffed in a chimney — come across even more powerfully thanks to the fine cinematography of the masterful Karl Freund (Metropolis) […] Director Robert Florey does a solid job of keeping the action moving and the audience on its toes despite a script that does have its occasional lame points.” Patrick Legare, All Movie

“Beefed up with interesting sets that recall German Expressionist horrors of the silent era, the film is mostly badly acted and poorly written, with Lugosi’s eccentric performance being the sole ingredient that makes if of interest today. The gorilla is mainly an actor in a laughable furry suit and mask…” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

” …a hugely enjoyable mess, often derided for its awkward acting and logic-challenged story. Lugosi’s Dr. Mirakle is a total nut-job whose carnival sideshow is little more than a display of an ape named Erik and a distorted lecture on evolution. It emphasizes evolution as a (still-potent) threat to religious beliefs and mocks the idea that a special divinity sets man apart from the rest of creation.” Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant

” …the Caligari-like sets are great, the use of light and shadows (especially in Lugosi’s presentation of the ape) is wonderful, and a great deal of wit is evident in the proceedings. It lags a little in the middle of the movie, and, despite the fact that Mirakle has a gorilla (played by Charlie Gemora), they keep intercutting shots of a real chimpanzee in key scenes…” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“It is always a nostalgic joy to watch Lugosi at the peak of his scenery chewing powers. Despite the drippiness of its romantic leads, it remains a fascinating example of the homicidal ape sub-genre. Arguably, it has yet to receive proper due for its lasting influence.” Joe Bendel, J.B. Spins

” …Robert Florey reaches back to German Expressionism and in particular The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1919). The streets of Paris are designed as a stylised world of arched black-and-white shadows, which gives the film a strikingly ornate look that many later, cheaper mad scientist films lack.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“The entire production suffers from an overzealous effort at terrorization, and the cast, inspired by the general hysteria, succumbs to the temptation to overact. Miss Sidney Fox and Leon Waycoff are the romantic leads and Bert Roach supplies some tepid comedy.” The New York Times, 1932

“Without music (in the early days of talkies, most films had no music track), the ape scenes are really bland and laughable and considering the sheer quality of most every other Universal horror flick to come out of their early cycle, the movie is a big letdown. One thing the film has going for it is it has a bit more implied violence…” Brett H., Oh, the Horror!

“The movie often falls back on comedy, and that definitely isn’t to everyone’s cup of tea. In spite of that, Murders in the Rue Morgue may be one of the more consistently morbid films from the era, often preying upon fears of scientific malfeasance and thinly-veiled implications of miscegenation to excite the audience.” Pre Code

“What the film does have in its favour is an attractively gothic look, with long shadows, atmospheric sets and the blessing of that photography, a few tricks such as grotesque closeups helping keep that air of menace. What it isn’t, despite the odd similarity to its source, is a decent Poe adaptation…” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“This 1932 horror may not boast the strongest of plots. But it’s certainly worth seeing for Lugosi’s electrically-charged performance. His portrayal of the Darwin-obsessed Mirakle yields up some creepy acting from the horror icon. And he’s sporting one of his coolest looks ever in this one.” The Terror Trap

Cast and characters:

• Sidney Fox … Mlle. Camille L’Espanaye
• Bela Lugosi … Doctor Mirakle
• Leon Ames … Pierre Dupin (as Leon Waycoff)
• Bert Roach … Paul
• Betty Ross Clarke … Mme. L’Espanaye
• Brandon Hurst … Prefect of Police
• D’Arcy Corrigan … Morgue Keeper
• Noble Johnson … Janos The Black One
• Arlene Francis … Woman of the Streets
• Ted Billings … Sideshow Spectator (uncredited)
• Herman Bing Herman Bing … Franz Odenheimer (uncredited)
• Joe Bonomo … Gorilla (uncredited)
• Agostino Borgato … Alberto Montani (uncredited)
• Iron Eyes Cody … Indian at Sideshow (uncredited)
• Christian J. Frank … Gendarme Using Snuff (uncredited)
• Charles Gemora … Erik, the Gorilla (uncredited)
• Harrison Greene … Sideshow Barker (uncredited)
• Charlotte Henry … Blonde Girl in Sideshow Audience (uncredited)
• Harry Holman … Victor Albert Adolph Jules Hugo Louis Dupont, the Landlord (uncredited)
• Edna Marion … Mignette (uncredited)
• Torben Meyer … The Dane (uncredited)
• Charles Millsfield … Bearded Man at Sideshow (uncredited)
• Monte Montague … Workman / Gendarme (uncredited)
• John T. Murray … Gendarme (uncredited)
• Tempe Pigott … Crone (uncredited)
• Dorothy Vernon … Tenant (uncredited)
• Michael Visaroff … Mirakle’s Sideshow Barker (uncredited)
• Polly Ann Young … Girl (uncredited)

Some images are courtesy of Pre Code

Related:

Going Ape! – A Short History of Who’s Inside the Gorilla Suit – article

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Nevermore: An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe is an acclaimed one-man live theatrical show starring Jeffrey Combs. Directed by Stuart Gordon and written by Dennis Paoli, Nevermore is a critically heralded experience that has delighted audiences for more than a decade.

Hailed as “a landmark performance” by the L.A. Times, Combs has toured across the country with his unique portrayal of the legendary Edgar Allan Poe.

Sleepy Hollow International Film Festival (SHIFF) has announced that Nevermore, will be part of the festival’s major events at the historic Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York. The performance will be featured at the festival, which takes place on October 10-13, 2019.

“This marks Nevermore’s Westchester County, NY, premiere, an event made extra special by the area’s bicentennial celebration of Washington Irving—a contemporary of Poe who was, from Poe’s perspective, also a rival. Combs recalls in a recent River Journal article, “I don’t think they ever met. I take dark delight in pointing out that Poe doesn’t have very nice things to say about Irving. Specifically, about Irving’s penchant for always having a moral to his stories while Poe was often criticised for being without morals.”

“SHIFF celebrates the Hudson Valley’s wellspring of American history, of classic literature, and the continuing legacy of supernatural writings and cinematic works that it has inspired,” says fest co-founder Taylor White. “We’re excited to have Nevermore as part of the festival because it encapsulates so many of these ideas—not to mention it’s a fantastic show, at the perfect time of year, in the perfect venue. We can’t wait for the crowd to experience it!”

As Combs added in the River Journal, “Poe was truly one of America’s great writers. I’m honoured every time I step on stage and recite his beautiful words.”

SHIFF, a celebration of outstanding genre cinema in the cradle of the American supernatural, takes place in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, NY, October 10-13, 2019, and features an exciting line up of film premieres, special screenings, and live events.”

The festival is currently accepting film and script submissions via www.sleepyhollowfilmfest.com

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The Conqueror Worm is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe about human mortality and the inevitability of death. It was first published in Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine in 1843, but quickly became associated with Poe’s short story Ligeia after Poe added the poem to a revised publication of the story in 1845. In the revised story, the poem is composed by the eponymous Ligeia...

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Death Ward 13 is a forthcoming American horror feature film directed by Todd Nunes (All Through the House aka A Nightmare Christmas) from a screenplay co-written with Tara Knight; the film is produced by Stephen Readmond and Christopher Stanley for Bone Crusher Films. The film is “inspired” by the 1972 horror film Don’t Look in the Basement directed by S. F. Brownrigg.

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‘When the light goes out, the terror begins’ Lighthouse Keeper – aka Edgar Allan Poe’s Lighthouse Keeper – is 2016 supernatural horror film directed by Benjamin Cooper (Primitive) from a screenplay by Carl Edge. It is based upon Edgar Allan Poe’s 1849 final, unfinished short story, The Light-House. The film was executive produced by Jeff Miller (ClownTown; Jolly Roger:

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The Raven is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven’s mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man’s slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student, is lamenting the loss of his love...

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Bone Chillers is a 1996 American comedy horror television series directed by Adam Rifkin (Director’s Cut; Psycho Cop 2; The Invisible Maniac) for Hyperion Pictures, based on a series of children’s novels by Betsy Haynes. The thirteen episode series stars Esteban Powell, Trey Alexander, Linda Cardellini, John Patrick White and Saadia Persad. Special effects were provided by the Alterian...

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The Tell-Tale Heart is a 1953 American animated horror short film produced by UPA, directed by Ted Parmelee, and narrated by James Mason (Salem’s Lot; Frankenstein: The True Story). The screenplay by Bill Scott and Fred Grable is based on the 1843 short story of the same title by Edgar Allan Poe. Paul Julian served as both designer and colour artist for film, and Pat Matthews was the...

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Extraordinary Tales is a 2013 international animated anthology horror feature film directed by Raul Garcia comprised of five Edgar Allan Poe stories (‘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’). Each story is narrated by a...

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