Edgar Allen Poe
Edgar Allen Poe
Friday Jul 31, 2020
Friday Jul 31, 2020
Short Story:
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar (1845)
The Black Cat (1843)
Film:
Two Evil Eyes (1990)
The Italian-American horror two parters is directed by George A Romero and Dario Argento where each film their favourite Edgar Allen Poe story.
The film stars Adrienne Barbeau, Harvey Keitel, Sally Kirkland, Kim Hunter, John Amos, Julie Benz, E G Marshall, Madeline Potter and Martin Balsam.
Romero's side of the film has special effects by Tom Savini. Both films were filmed in Philadelphia .
We urge all our listeners to listen to this fantastic podcast – The Story Geeks available by clicking on this link: iTunes: or Website: or TuneIn Radio
Opening Credits; Introduction (1.32); Story Geeks – What to Watch This Week (8.20); Forming the Plot (12.33); Film Trailer (14.37); Lights, Camera, Action (15.39); Epilogue (57.36); End Credits (1:15.39); Closing Credits (1:17.08)
Opening Credits– thanking Purple Planet Music for our fantastic Opening Credits.
Closing Credits – Rose Garden – Lynn Anderson – taken from the album Rose Garen – copyright 1970 Columbia Records
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Saturday Jul 04, 2020
Saturday Jul 04, 2020
Short Story:
The Oblong Box (1844)
Film:
The Oblong Box (1969)
The 1969 British horror film is directed by Gordon Hessler and starring Vincent Price and Christopher Lee. This is the first film that stars together these two icons.
Initially as a follow-up from the team that brought Michael Reeves and Vincent Price together for the Witchfinder General, Reeves became ill and Hessler stepped in to take over direction making some changes within the script.
Set as a satire of the detective story, Poe delivers through the narrator's grotesque misinterpretations, a clever satiric version of the detective hero.
Although the film was a box office success, it is known as one of the lesser Poe projects released around this time.
We urge all our listeners to listen to this fantastic podcast – The Story Geeks available by clicking on this link: iTunes: or Website: or TuneIn Radio
Opening Credits; Introduction (1.32); Story Geeks – What to Watch This Week (02.14); Forming the Plot (5.39); Film Trailer (24.29); Time Slingers Book Release – Death of a Bounty of Hunter (27.18); Lights, Camera, Action (28.52); Epilogue (49.41); End Credits (52.59); Closing Credits (1:02.13)
Opening Credits– thanking Purple Planet Music for our fantastic Opening Credits.
Closing Credits – No More Words – Berlin – taken from the album Love Life – copyright 1984 Geffin Records
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Available through Amazon
Friday Jun 05, 2020
Friday Jun 05, 2020
Short Story:
The Premature Burial (1844)
Film:
The Premature Burial (1962)
Directed by Roger Corman and based on the short story of the same name, this would be the third film in the Corman - Poe cycle.
The film stars Ray Milland, Hazel Court, Alan Napier, Heather Angel and Richard Ney. The screenplay by Charles 97 Faces of Dr Lao) Beaumont and Ray (Mr Sardonicus) Russell.
The story centres around a man who has a fear of being buried alive. Interestingly enough, the film's assistant director is Frances Ford Coppola.
We urge all our listeners to listen to this fantastic podcast – The Story Geeks available by clicking on this link: iTunes: or Website: or TuneIn Radio
We are joined by Rondo award winner of 2020 Rod Labbe.
Opening Credits; Introduction (1.32); Story Geeks – What to Watch This Week (14.41); Forming the Plot (17.23); Film Trailer (51.54); Time Slingers Book Release – Death of a Bounty of Hunter (54.23); Lights, Camera, Action (56.51); Epilogue (1:42.19); End Credits (1:53.32); Closing Credits (1:54.19)
Opening Credits – Thanking Purple Planet Music for our fantastic Opening and Closing Credits.
Closing Credits – You Can’t Stop The Beat from the motion picture soundtrack ‘Hairspray’.
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All rights are reserved.
Friday May 01, 2020
Friday May 01, 2020
Short Stories:
The Black Cat (1843)
Morella (1835)
The Cask of Amontillado (1846)
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar (1845)
Film:
Tale of Terror (1962)
With a screenplay by Richard Matheson, it is the fourth film in the eight films of the Corman-Poe Cycle. The film is an anthology format with three short films connected by a narration by Vincent Price who appears in all three stories.
The film stars Peter Lorre, Debra Paget and Peter Lorre. The film took three weeks to film and complete.
The film inspired merchandising with comic book adaption and a Matheson released paperback novelisation released in 1962.
We urge all our listeners to listen to this fantastic podcast – The Story Geeks available by clicking on this link: iTunes: or Website: or TuneIn Radio
Opening Credits; Introduction (1.32); Story Geeks – What to Watch This Week (08.02); Forming the Plot (10.22); Film Trailer (43.44); Time Slingers Book Release – Death of a Bounty of Hunter (45.47); Lights, Camera, Action (48.20); Epilogue (1:06.07); End Credits (1:11.16); Closing Credits (1:13.05)
Opening and Closing Credits – thanking Purple Planet Music for our fantastic Opening and Closing Credits.
Saturday Apr 04, 2020
Saturday Apr 04, 2020
Short Story:
Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841)
Film:
Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)
The 1932 pre-Hays film and second film to star Bela Lugosi was originally cut due to violent themes upon its initial release. The film is directed by Robert Florey.
The expressionistic style of the film would give a nod to the German expressionistic style made famous in Germany.
The director wanted to keep as close to Edgar Allan Poes story as possible in keeping with the 1840's setting of Paris but Universal would not agree so the film was given an update to reflect the time. Universal would push for more romance and sex appeal as subplots.
We are joined by Rod Labbe and special guest co-host Angela Dyson, author of the Love Detective series. You can follow Angela Dyson via her Website: or via her Facebook: or via Twitter:
We urge all our listeners to listen to this fantastic podcast – The Story Geeks available by clicking on this link: Apple iTunes or Website: or TuneIn Radio.
Opening Credits; Introduction (1.35); Story Geeks – What to Watch This Week (15.44); Forming the Plot (19.24); Film Trailer (58.20); Lights, Camera, Action (59.51); Epilogue (1:26.08); End Credits (1:40.11); Closing Credits (1:44.04)
Opening and Closing Credits – thanking Purple Planet Music for our fantastic Opening and Closing Credits.
Saturday Mar 07, 2020
Saturday Mar 07, 2020
Short Story:
The Black Cat (1843)
Film:
The Black Cat (1934)
Directed by Edga G Ulmer (set designer for Metropolis) would direct this pre-Hayes film based on the Edgar Allen Poe film of the same name. It would be the biggest Universal box office smash of that year.
This would be the first of eight films to pair up Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.
The film is very loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe's classic short story. In fact, it is so loosely based that the Poe story is almost non-existent. The film involves a nightmare that involves necrophilia, ailurophobia, drugs, a deadly game of chess, torture, flaying, and a black mass with a human sacrifice.
We are joined by The Literary License Podcast Dark Shadows co-host Tom Diamon.
Opening Credits; Introduction (1.32); Forming the Plot (16.09); Film Trailer (33.59); Lights, Camera, Action (35.39); Epilogue (1:23.04); End Credits (1:30.53); Closing Credits (1:33.26)
Opening and Closing Credits – thanking Purple Planet Music for our fantastic Opening and Closing Credits.
Thursday Jan 30, 2020
Thursday Jan 30, 2020
Short Story:
Fall of the House of User (1838)
Film:
House of Usher (1960)
The 1839 narrative short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It is a Gothic short story with themes of madness, isolation, family and metaphysical identities. The main characters of Roderick and Madeleine Usher are twins who are the exact doppelganger of each other. Poe was inspired by Usher estate in Boston, MA.
In 1960, Roger Corman would direct and Richard Matheson was write the screenplay which would be the first of the Poe films they would do for AIP. Shot in just fifteen days and starting Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey and Harry Ellerbee would mark AIP to graduate into widescreen technicolour filming. The film is now considered a classic and is part of United States National Film Registry as being deemed culturally, historically and aesthetically significant.
Opening Credits; Introduction (1.32); Forming the Plot (07.43); Film Trailer (50.36); Lights, Camera, Action (53.07); Epilogue (1:32.04); End Credits (1:36.56); Closing Credits (1:39.06)
Opening and Closing Credits – thanking Purple Planet Music for our fantastic Opening and Closing Credits.
Friday Jan 03, 2020
Friday Jan 03, 2020
Short Story:
Ligeia (1838)
Film:
Tomb of Ligeia (1964)
Published in 1838, this short story by Poe would be rewritten many times. Telling the story of Ligeia, a woman who beautiful with odd features who dies with the narrator being obsessed. He remarries the complete opposite of Ligeia named Rowena. When Rowena dies, Ligeia may be reborn within Rowena’s body. There has been debate through the years of whether the story is a satire of Gothic fiction.
In 1964, Roger Corman would finish his series of Poe films with The Tomb of Ligeia with screenplay by Robert Towne (Chinatown). Vincent Price was cast in the film as he had a contract with AIP who was financing the film. Towne though Price to be too old and wanted Richard Chamberlain. When Corman told Towne about Price being cast, Corman added that he shouldn’t worry as they hired Marlene Dietrich make-up artist for Price.
Opening Credits; Introduction (1.32); Forming the Plot (13,59); Film Trailer (47.55); Lights, Camera, Action (50.30); Epilogue (1:18.22); End Credits (1:21.51); Closing Credits (1:24.11)
Opening and Closing Credits – thanking Purple Planet Music for our fantastic Opening and Closing Credits.
Friday Dec 06, 2019
Friday Dec 06, 2019
Short Story:
Tell Tale Heart (1843)
Film:
Tell Tale (2009)
The unnamed narrator tries to convince the sanity of himself as he describes the murder that they committed. The 1843 short story would give full details of dismemberment of a body and hiding. Ultimately the narrators guilt or mental sanity will come in focus when he starts hearing the dead man’s beating heart.
Tell Tale is a 2009 science fiction horror drama film centre around a man who has a heart transplant as he looks for the man who murdered the donor before a similar fate befalls him. The film came out quietly but has an impressive cast which includes Josh Lucas, Lena Headey and Brian Cox who are directed by Michael Cuesta and produced by Tony and Ridley Scott.
Opening Credits (.25); Introduction (3.09); Forming the Plot (7.47); Film Trailer (31.13); Lights, Camera, Action (34.27); Epilogue (56.57); End Credits (58.42); Closing Credits (1:00.45)
Opening Credits – It’s Christmas Eve by Alex Khashkin from the album A Christmas Horror Story
Closing Credits – Jingle Bells by Ella Fitzgerald from the album Ella’s Swinging Christmas
All songs available from Amazon.
All rights reserved.
Sunday Nov 03, 2019
Sunday Nov 03, 2019
Story:
The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether (1845)
Film:
Stonehearst Asylum (2014)
The 1845 short story by Edgar Allan Poe centres on an unnamed and naïve narrator visiting a mental asylum in the southern provinces of France. It deals with a new treatment for patients called soothing, they are granted the freedom and roam the grounds in normal clothing. The doctors humour their hallucinations and fantasies without contradiction. For example, if patient thinks he is a chicken, the patient is treated like a chicken and given corn to eat.
Stonehearst Asylum or Eliza Graves as it is also known is a loosely based adaption of the source material. Taking its cue from the horrors of Victorian medicine, the film would star David Thewlis, Kate Beckinsale, Jim Sturgess, Michael Caine, Jason Fleming and Ben Kingsley.
Opening Credits (.25); Introduction 5.56); Forming the Plot (17.04); Film Trailer (41.38); Lights, Camera, Action (45.51); Epilogue (1:04.21); End Credits (1:13.08); Closing Credits (1:14.49)
Opening Credits – Inmates (We’re All Crazy) by Alice Cooper from the album From the Inside
Closing Credits – From the Inside by Alice Cooper from the album From the Inside
All songs available from Amazon.
All rights reserved.
Saturday Oct 05, 2019
Saturday Oct 05, 2019
Short Story:
The Pit and the Pendulum (1842)
Film:
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
The 1842 short story from Poe is about a man’s torment in prison during the Spanish Inquisition although Poe does skews historical fact to fit the fabric of his story. The short story uses the senses to instil fear into the reader unlike is previous work which dealt more than supernatural. The death anxiety that the narrator experiences ingrains itself into the mind of the reader.
In 1961, with a script by Richard Matheson, Roger Corman send ferore into Edgar Allan Poe would star Vincent Price, Barbara Steele and John Kerr. The film would be a huge influence with Italian horror with Bava’s The Whip and the Body and Argento’s Profundo Rosso. Stephen King has stated that this is one of the most important films of 1960’s horror.
We are joined by Rod Labbe, esteemed film historian and journalist of classic films and one of our favourite guest co-host.
Help save the fin trad by signing the petition. It only takes a minute of your time and you too can help these creatures back from the brink of mass extinction. https://www.sharkallies.com/nofinfl-support-sign-on
Opening Credits (.25); Introduction 3.01); Forming the Plot (13.40); Film Trailer (45.31); Lights, Camera, Action (49.29); Epilogue (1:39.29); End Credits (1:42.32); Closing Credits (1:45.36)
Opening Credits – The Pit and the Pendulum by Les Baxter from the soundtrack album The Pit and the Pendulum
Closing Credits – Torture by Berlin from the album Pleasure Victim
All songs available from Amazon.
All rights reserved.
Sunday Sep 08, 2019
Sunday Sep 08, 2019
Short Story
Masque of the Red Death (1842)
Hop Frog (1849)
Film:
Masque of the Red Death (1964)
The 1842 short story is an allegory about the inevitability of death. The Gothic short story is has risen to controversy with what is the titular disease which scholars continue to debate today. The original earned Poe $12.00 and would be published in Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Monthly.
In 1964, Roger Corman would bring the tale to the screen in all of its widescreen Technicolor splendor which would be part of the Corman Poe films starring Vincent Price in the lead role. Two sub plots are used in the classic screenplay written by Charles Beaumont and R Wright Campbell which incorporated Leap Frog, short by Poe himself and Torture of Hope by Augste Villiers de l’isle-Adam.
Interesting fact is award winning director Nicholas Roeg (Don’t Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth).
We are joined by Rod Labbe, esteemed film historian and journalist of classic films and one of our favourite guest co-host.
Opening Credits (.25); Introduction (3.22); Forming the Plot (12.39); Film Trailer (1:05.53); Lights, Camera, Action (1:10.26); Epilogue (2:21.33); End Credits (2:24.10); Closing Credits (2:26.19)
Opening Credits – Prelude/The Old Woman and the Red Death by David Lee from the soundtrack album The Masque of the Red Death
Closing Credits – Our Perfect Disease by The Wombats from the album The Wombats Proudly Present…The Modern Glitch
All songs available from Amazon.
All rights reserved.
Sunday Sep 01, 2019
Sunday Sep 01, 2019
Season Two Review
Jon Wilson, Keith Chawgo and Vickie Rae look over Season 2 and reflect what we loved and what we disliked about our season.
We also discuss what is coming your way in Season Three and share what surprises we have in store coming your way for 2019/2020.
We Must Stop The Fin Trade
Even though the fin trade is not the only problem, it is by far one of the biggest issues we are facing when it comes to saving sharks. Some shark populations have declined by more than 90% in recent decades due to overfishing, and this fishing of sharks is mostly profitable because of the high value of fins. Some of the species involved are being driven to the brink of extinction. Whether it is the cruel act of finning or the legal market for shark fins, at the core of it all is greed; to make money off a product that is valued as a status symbol.
Click on the this Link to sign the petition: https://www.sharkallies.com/nofinfl-support-sign-on
Opening Credits – Carry On Wayward – Cast of Supernatural the Musical – taken from the album Supernatural The Musical
Closing Credits – Edgar Allan Poe – London Cast – taken from the album Snoopy The Musical.
All songs rights reserved.
All songs available through Amazon.