The last segment " Dreams " was very interesting with some Lynchian vibes but the first two stories were bad. Especially the casting/acting. Directors have a unique style of their own, but the results are kind of disappointing.
10 Reviews
Amateur hour in every department
Percepto3 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
My review is based on the 1st story and the first 15 minutes of the 2nd, I couldn't last any longer.
The acting is terrible but the screenplay is worse. The first story "The Tell Tale Heart", may well have been scary on the page as Poe wrote it, but there is no story here to speak of. A nurse goes to look after a reclusive woman who was once a beautiful movie star. Now she is ugly, old and scarred, and, for some unexplained reason has a white eye! This eye somehow (it's not even explained why) forces the nurse to kill the old woman who (we find out later) is dismembered and hidden beneath the floorboards.
Cue a young police man who calls to investigate a "scream". In another ridiculous scene he is seduced by the nurse whilst the floorboards shake because the heart is making a noise. This scene looks like it was made by first-time film students.
The 2nd story begins just as badly as the first with stunted dialogue and a completely unengaging storyline.
I'm sure the last 2 stories are masterworks, I'll never know, I got out while the going was good!
I never rate films
Sikjuices28 October 2019
Like watching a student film
miss_toucan20 February 2022
This seem very amateur and poorly made. The acting was pretty terrible, the stories and dialogue were weak and a poor interpretation of Poe's work. I have no issue with modernizing Poe but do it well!
I think some of these excellent reviews might be from friends of cast and crew and not unbiased viewers.
I think some of these excellent reviews might be from friends of cast and crew and not unbiased viewers.
Poetic justice that this bombed.
mark.waltz16 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Some stories can be switched from a Gothic era to modern times and not need any adjustments. Most of Edgar Allan Poe's stories require A period setting or at least a mystical atmosphere. It's easy to see why this ended up going directly to video, and has probably sold only 100 copies or so based on its intake. It is one of the most repulsive anthology horror films I have ever seen, disgusting and without motivation for even had been made. I have seen several adoptions of social stories, good and bad, and none have been as unnecessary and un-poetic as this one. Hammy performances of the worst kind dominates, with the murderess from "The Tell-Tale Heart" the worst culprit, a vamp of such repulsiveness, given absolutely no motivation, a completely unappealing succubus. The 1942 MGM short had more detail and artistic merit than this, and its conclusion destroys the point of what Poe was trying to do in his stories. His motivation was never to repulse, and that's all that this part of the film is all about.
For the second part, "Cask of Amontillado", there's the camp presence of former Village People star Randy Jones, and literally, you can't stop the horror. At least the visuals are stunning, surrounding the beautiful greenery around the estate, but the effort to make it surreal is not aided by the claustrophobic photography. The acting may be as bad as the first part, with characterizations completely vapid, but it's slightly campier so that means there are a few unintentional laughs, mainly at the idiotic characters expense. Jones seems to be trying to emulate singer Robert Goulet years after his death. Another character (Jones' vindictive wife) looks like Divine, Brenda Vaccaro and Lainie Kazan morphed together into one frauish nightmare, without their style or charisma, and details about the casting isn't surprising. Vincent Price, Joyce Jameson and Peter Lorre did this story better justice in 1962.
The third part, based upon the poem "Dreams", was one I was not familiar with, and It suffers from minimal dialogue even if the visuals are stunning, although after a while the stylistic filming becomes a bit too much. The use of original illustrations from "Alice in Wonderland" was a very good metaphor, but it takes forever for anything to happen. It becomes like a music video without a song, one lasting 45 minutes and becoming extremely gross after a while with the innards of it's female focus being pulled out. It takes a sick mind to come up with something like this, and that can describe all three filmmakers who participated in this travesty. The last laugh has to go to Bela lugosi's line from the 1935 version of "The Raven", where he shouts out, "Poe, you are avenged!" The reviews and reception of this film, shows that indeed, audiences will not take kindly to a poor rendition a literary classics.
For the second part, "Cask of Amontillado", there's the camp presence of former Village People star Randy Jones, and literally, you can't stop the horror. At least the visuals are stunning, surrounding the beautiful greenery around the estate, but the effort to make it surreal is not aided by the claustrophobic photography. The acting may be as bad as the first part, with characterizations completely vapid, but it's slightly campier so that means there are a few unintentional laughs, mainly at the idiotic characters expense. Jones seems to be trying to emulate singer Robert Goulet years after his death. Another character (Jones' vindictive wife) looks like Divine, Brenda Vaccaro and Lainie Kazan morphed together into one frauish nightmare, without their style or charisma, and details about the casting isn't surprising. Vincent Price, Joyce Jameson and Peter Lorre did this story better justice in 1962.
The third part, based upon the poem "Dreams", was one I was not familiar with, and It suffers from minimal dialogue even if the visuals are stunning, although after a while the stylistic filming becomes a bit too much. The use of original illustrations from "Alice in Wonderland" was a very good metaphor, but it takes forever for anything to happen. It becomes like a music video without a song, one lasting 45 minutes and becoming extremely gross after a while with the innards of it's female focus being pulled out. It takes a sick mind to come up with something like this, and that can describe all three filmmakers who participated in this travesty. The last laugh has to go to Bela lugosi's line from the 1935 version of "The Raven", where he shouts out, "Poe, you are avenged!" The reviews and reception of this film, shows that indeed, audiences will not take kindly to a poor rendition a literary classics.
My Review Of "Tales Of Poe" Anthology
ASouthernHorrorFan10 March 2015
Somewhere between the mystical feel of Jean Cocteau's "Orpheus" and the Gothic horror of Roger Corman's "The Tomb Of Ligeia" sets a modern classic out of step with what is typically taken in by today's horror film."Tales Of Poe" by Bart Mastronardi, and Alan Rowe Kelly calls back to the classic days of horror's love affair with Gothic horror as a genre. The film is a fantastically macabre exploration into the iconic works of Edger Alan Poe, from a modern perspective that pays homage to the Father of modern horror. The film contains Poe's three, more recognizable, stories of the macabre starting with the chilling tale "The Tell Tale Heart".
In Mastronardi and Kelly's retelling, the story takes on a true scary story personality that steps into a methodical tempo of dark story telling. There is an element of 'AHS: Asylum" and "Tales From The Crypt" that puts the horror in the head of a psychotic admitted into a Psychiatric Hospital for women. I have to say that I liked the more visceral, tactile perspective that goes for shock and thrills of a good scary story. "The Tell Tale Heart" classic themes still reside in this revision, only they exist only to give reference, not point. Mastronardi and Kelly have their own interpretation that is chilling, and intense in a very unique way.
The second in the anthology is Poe's The Cask of Amontillado as told in "The Cask". This short continues on that tempo reminiscent of the Gothic style, but without a doubt there is an atmosphere of murder mystery theatre. The actual style chosen by the directors differ greatly from the style shown in "The Tell Tale Heart". Here there is a more contemporary noir feel that pulls you into the story. "The Cask" is a bit of a melodrama that swims in the macabre, but in this retelling of the story the horror short carries a more recognizable value found to be in the vein of "Tales From The Crypt".
The final tale told in "Tales Of Poe" is the notable "Dreams". By far the most advanced of the short films, Mastronardi and Kelly create a whimsical journey of dark fantasy. Told as contemporary fairytale of sorts, "Dreams" takes on the classical prose of legendary journeys through the underworld, that supernatural sliver between life and death. It is heavy in surrealism with a nice, controlled element of the experimental film. That same dark, haunting tempo continues here with a noticeably mesmerizing pace. "Dreams" fits comfortably somewhere in between William Hjortsberg, Ridley Scott's "Legend" and Neil Jordan's "The Company Of Wolves" in vision, creativity, and fantasy. Every scene holds a surreal cult of personality and yet moves in rhythm as one really artistic piece.
Overall, "Tales Of Poe" succeeds in bringing forth a deservedly embraceable revision to the great Gothic horror stories of Edgar Alan Poe. There is enough that separates this tribute to the world of Poe from the other Poe stuff out there without loosing the substance and signature of the original tales. The anthology is a strong, above par indie film that has quality production value, original concepts, and real flare for the macabre that is addictive. The special effects are unique to their own stories, with the diversity shown in these three updates, that horror fans of all subgenres and Poe fans will connect with. The soundtrack and effects set the tone perfectly in creating a suspenseful, dark overture to the blend of classic and contemporary. Definitely check out "Tales Of Poe", the film stands out in style and step from the current horror tastes circulating out there now.
In Mastronardi and Kelly's retelling, the story takes on a true scary story personality that steps into a methodical tempo of dark story telling. There is an element of 'AHS: Asylum" and "Tales From The Crypt" that puts the horror in the head of a psychotic admitted into a Psychiatric Hospital for women. I have to say that I liked the more visceral, tactile perspective that goes for shock and thrills of a good scary story. "The Tell Tale Heart" classic themes still reside in this revision, only they exist only to give reference, not point. Mastronardi and Kelly have their own interpretation that is chilling, and intense in a very unique way.
The second in the anthology is Poe's The Cask of Amontillado as told in "The Cask". This short continues on that tempo reminiscent of the Gothic style, but without a doubt there is an atmosphere of murder mystery theatre. The actual style chosen by the directors differ greatly from the style shown in "The Tell Tale Heart". Here there is a more contemporary noir feel that pulls you into the story. "The Cask" is a bit of a melodrama that swims in the macabre, but in this retelling of the story the horror short carries a more recognizable value found to be in the vein of "Tales From The Crypt".
The final tale told in "Tales Of Poe" is the notable "Dreams". By far the most advanced of the short films, Mastronardi and Kelly create a whimsical journey of dark fantasy. Told as contemporary fairytale of sorts, "Dreams" takes on the classical prose of legendary journeys through the underworld, that supernatural sliver between life and death. It is heavy in surrealism with a nice, controlled element of the experimental film. That same dark, haunting tempo continues here with a noticeably mesmerizing pace. "Dreams" fits comfortably somewhere in between William Hjortsberg, Ridley Scott's "Legend" and Neil Jordan's "The Company Of Wolves" in vision, creativity, and fantasy. Every scene holds a surreal cult of personality and yet moves in rhythm as one really artistic piece.
Overall, "Tales Of Poe" succeeds in bringing forth a deservedly embraceable revision to the great Gothic horror stories of Edgar Alan Poe. There is enough that separates this tribute to the world of Poe from the other Poe stuff out there without loosing the substance and signature of the original tales. The anthology is a strong, above par indie film that has quality production value, original concepts, and real flare for the macabre that is addictive. The special effects are unique to their own stories, with the diversity shown in these three updates, that horror fans of all subgenres and Poe fans will connect with. The soundtrack and effects set the tone perfectly in creating a suspenseful, dark overture to the blend of classic and contemporary. Definitely check out "Tales Of Poe", the film stands out in style and step from the current horror tastes circulating out there now.
Tales of Poe should not be missed
mookamoon1 December 2016
A unique, creative and well-acted film, with wonderful spins on the original stories of Poe. Alan Rowe Kelly and Debbie Rochon are stand- outs in this creepy, dark, often haunting film that definitely leaves you wanting more from these filmmakers. The last chapter, "Dreams" was vivid, disturbing, yet beautiful at the same time. Kudos! I own other films from Alan Rowe Kelly and his characterizations never cease to amaze me. He is a true horror chameleon and, as an actor myself, quite an inspiration. In Tales of Poe I saw a more polished film, with subtle touches that brought it to a special level of horror, yet had a raw quality that also made you squirm. A must see.
Artists bring the Art of Poe to Life!
davisnoise18 June 2021
Is without a doubt top of my list for favorite film of Poe's work. The Tell Tale was not only an awesome take on the story but brought themes of Bergman's Persona and Aldrich's Baby Jane... Hands in the air, that was fantastic approach pulled off perfectly! Cask was done with such wit right in the vein of Fellini, Bunuel, Losey and Waters. Dreams invoked the spirit of many Avant-Garde filmmakers and proves You all fit right in there too and it is absolutely beautiful and unnerving. I wish there is a future of more Tales in your hands to come. My only complaint is I wish the dvd had commentary.
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