The Tomb (2009)
"Ligeia" (original title)

Successful writer and scholar Jonathan Merrick falls under the spell of the irresistible, bewitchingly beautiful Ligeia. She's fighting a fatal illness and she will stop at nothing to ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Staininger

Writers:

John Shirley (screenplay), Edgar Allan Poe (short story "Ligeia")

Stars:

Wes Bentley, Kaitlin Doubleday, Sofya Skya

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wes Bentley	...	Jonathan
Kaitlin Doubleday	...	Rowena
Sofya Skya	...	Ligeia
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa	...	Len Burris
Joel Lewis	...	Eddie
Michael Madsen	...	George
Christa Campbell	...	Mrs. Burris
Jerome Samuel Lewis	...	EMT #1
Jared Sanz-Agero	...	EMT #2
Joe Hanrahan	...	Goth Pastor (as Joseph Hanrahan)
Lydia Hull	...	Bartender
Eric Roberts	...	Vaslov
Mackenzie Rosman	...	Loreli
Jeff Most	...	Russian Priest
Stephanie Reuter	...	Club Performer (as Stephanie Summers)

Storyline

Successful writer and scholar Jonathan Merrick falls under the spell of the irresistible, bewitchingly beautiful Ligeia. She's fighting a fatal illness and she will stop at nothing to defeat death, her one true enemy. She steals other people's souls and on her quest to immortality she tricks Jonathan into supporting her work, breaking him apart from his fiancé Rowena and pulling him into her dark, mysterious world. They settle down in an old manor by the Black Sea where Ligeia's everlasting presence slowly drives Jonathan to madness...

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Plot Keywords:

writer | horror movie remake | ghost | sex | based on short story | 

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexual content, language, violence and brief drug use

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

November 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Tomb

Filming Locations:

Balaklava, Crimea, Ukraine

Box Office

Budget:

$8,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jeff Most Productions, Most Films, Poe Vision

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Ligeia is introduced to the caretaker of the manor and his niece she says "Den Dobry", what she should be saying is "Dobry den", which is Russian for "Good Day".

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Connections

Version of The Tomb of Ligeia (1964)

User Reviews

Beware of Absinth

A professor, named Jonathan, in social arts notices a seductress that seems to appear at all of his lectures. He makes the mistake of approaching for she is much more menacing then Alicia Silverstone in "The Babysitter." She successfully conjures up a love spell on the Jonathan and convinces him not only leave his girlfriend, but to relocate to a Manor in the countryside. Meanwhile, the audience discovers she is secretly working on an Experiment to harvest human souls in order to achieve eternal life (a Tale From the Crypt episode comes to mind.).

Overall the movie deserves a C for it is fairer then poor, but doesn't scream in exclamation. The character Jon seemed awkward at times and a tidbit flatlined of emotions, Ligeia was represented well as the antagonist and gives a convincing performance. The manor doesn't disappoint and leaves a lot to the imagination; It has a Gothic touch that Poe fans will enjoy. I'll leave up to whether it's worthy of screening up to you, Dear reader.