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Five of Edgar Allan Poe’s best-known stories are brought to vivid life in this visually stunning, heart-pounding animated anthology featuring Sir Christopher Lee, Bela Lugosi, Julian Sands, Roger Corman and Guillermo del Toro. Murderous madmen, sinister villains and cloaked ghouls stalk the darkened corridors of Poe’s imagination, as his haunting tales are given a terrifying new twist by some of the most beloved figures in horror film history.
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER
Roderick Usher calls for help to a long-time friend as his mental state decays with the mansion he inhabits. Being the last member of the Usher’s family line, Roderick’s mental illness worsens with the death of his beloved sister... The Fall of the House of Usher features a baroque and colorful but expressionist look, with strong pencil textures on its puppet-like characters.
Narrated by Sir Christopher Lee (Dracula, Lord of the Rings, The Wicker Man)
THE TELL-TALE HEART
The perfect crime is unmasked by a murderer’s conscience and the innocent victim who haunts him from beyond the grave. The story of a murder, narrated in first person by the remorseful criminal, disturbed by the heartbeat of his victim... The Tell-Tale Heart is all black and white - without any shade of grey - and inspired by the work and graphic style of comic-book artist Alberto Breccia.
Narrated by Bela Lugosi (Dracula, Ninochka, White Zombie)
THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF MR. VALDEMAR
A doctor, fascinated by the occult, is curious to see what happens to an individual placed under hypnosis while dying. Unfortunately, a friend agrees to become the subject of his experiment... The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar’s color scheme and visual style emulates the four-tone look of 1950s EC Comic Books, but with a unique 3D feeling
Narrated by Julian Sands (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Leaving Las Vegas, The Killing Fields)
THE MASK OF THE RED DEATH
Prince Prospero seals himself and his friends in a castle to escape a deadly pestilence that is ravaging the countryside. But when the group indulges in a costume ball to distract themselves from the suffering outside their walls, the Red Death, disguised as a costumed guest, arrives to claim their lives... The Mask of the Red Death is oil paint oriented and draws its inspiration from Egon Schiele’s intense portraits and twisted designs. This segment sees moving paint and Bruegel-like colors come to life along with the 3D characters and sets.
Narrated by Roger Corman (The Little Shop of Horrors, House of Usher)
THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
The Pit and the Pendulum is told by an unnamed first-person narrator whose credibility rises as he is subjected to increasingly fantastic tortures under the reign of the Spanish Inquisition. This last segment mimics mid-19th century photography, mixing sepia tones with grainy paper texture. Playing with two-dimensionality and stillness in design, the animation is brought to life through subtle but effective camera movement.
Narrated by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, Pacific Rim)
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Dark Out
A late night program reminding you why sometimes it’s good to be afraid of the dark.