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A list of horror and suspense film adaptations of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Note, these are primarily true adaptations of the works and not just inspired by or loosely based. Brought to you by Eric Myford, author of The Encyclopedia of Horror & Suspense Movies book series...
Oct 14, 2023 · Netflix's The Fall of the House of Usher is out now, but there are more Edgar Allen Poe movies and TV shows to binge. See the best Poe adaptations to stream now.
- 3 min
- Milan Polk
- House of Usher (1960) Roger Corman is a crucial figure in the history of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. The independent director stumbled upon a winning formula when he turned the short story “The Fall of the House of Usher” into the low-budget film House of Usher (1960), and proceeded to roll out seven more Poe adaptations over the next several years.
- The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) Corman and Price reteamed the following year for The Pit and the Pendulum, and managed to recapture lighting in a bottle.
- Spirits of the Dead (1968) Poe wrote many short stories, so it was only a matter of time before an anthology film was made to capitalize on their brief, punchy impact.
- Two Evil Eyes (1990) Another killer anthology. Two Evil Eyes (1990) provided an opportunity for two of the best horror directors of their generation, George A. Romero and Dario Argento, to tribute the writer who influenced their iconic styles.
Download The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe on His Birthday. Watch the 1953 Animation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” Narrated by James Mason. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” Read by Christopher Walken, Vincent Price, and Christopher Lee.
- The Avenging Conscience or “Thou Shalt Not Kill” (1914) Director: D.W. Griffith. Preserved by the BFI National Archive. D.W. Griffith’s silent film isn’t coy about its inspirations – its protagonist (Henry B. Walthall) finds a reflection of his besotted feelings for a young woman (Blanche Sweet) in Poe’s poem ‘Annabel Lee’ and later, denied his uncle’s (Spottiswoode Aitken) permission to marry her, draws murderous inspiration from Poe’s short story ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’.
- The Fall of the House of Usher (1928) Director: Jean Epstein. The stark black-and-white photography of this French film, based on Poe’s short story, emphasises the ghostliness of the desolate mansion in which it’s set, a contrast to the ornate richness of Roger Corman’s version released 32 years later.
- The Tell-Tale Heart (1953) Director: Ted Parmelee. This animated story of nighttime murder, carried out under the cover of darkness, is dominated by inky shadows and creeping silhouettes.
- Pit and the Pendulum (1961) Director: Roger Corman. Director Roger Corman reworks Poe’s tale of solitary confinement under the Spanish Inquisition into a riff on ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, folding in much of its mood and many of its themes – mysterious illnesses, family homes with a malignant atmosphere, hereditary pain, women buried alive.
A trio of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations about a cruel countess haunted by her cousin's stallion, a sadistic soldier haunted by his doppelgänger, and an alcoholic actor haunted by the Devil.
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Oct 11, 2023 · Here are the best Poe adaptations you can stream, from Roger Corman to ‘The Simpsons.’
