Rating: 
Summary: "with one look .........
Review: .....this artwork will freeze your heart!It has a Medusa touch, you're slowly drawn into this grotesque, balletic interpretation of E.A. Poe's study of decay, delusion and eventual death? Well, maybe. The music by Rolande De Cande aptly punctuates the mood. [Excellent in "surround"]. Jean Debucourt, Marguerite Gance, Charles Lamay and [shudder!] the bespectacled/dome headed doctor Fournez-Gouffard as well as the servant Luc Dartagnan convey volumes with just a look ---- in the right direction. {You don't want to stay too long in their company, there might just be an unfortunate "occurrence"}. A primer lesson for any film student. This neglected work, lovingly restored to almost pristine youth well deserves to be visited, frequently! An inspiration to later works like "Suspiria"; "The Haunting" [original black and white version]and especially "The Innocents". Trivia: Poe may or may not have written this work "Under the Influence" - he favored the mix of laudanum {tincture of opium} and alcohol, Enough ! - According to Poe, he drank and partook of drugs to keep himself from going insane!
Rating:
Summary: Best Classic Poe Tale Ever!!!!!!!!!!
Review: A beautiful film with talented actors. Dreamy. Hypnotic. Highly surrealistic, artistic, and arresting. I immediately recognised that this must have influenced Dario Argento's surreal <i>Suspiria</i>, and, after some research, found out that in fact, it did (to think that this film inspired Argento is something that I really enjoyed finding out!) (The soundtrack to this film is also very appropriate, very unearthly, ethereal.)
Rating:
Summary: Very nice!
Review: A beautiful film with talented actors. Dreamy. Hypnotic. Highly surrealistic, artistic, and arresting. I immediately recognised that this must have influenced Dario Argento's surreal <i>Suspiria</i>, and, after some research, found out that in fact, it did (to think that this film inspired Argento is something that I really enjoyed finding out!) (The soundtrack to this film is also very appropriate, very unearthly, ethereal.)
Rating:
Summary: Very nice!
Review: A beautiful film with talented actors. Dreamy. Hypnotic. Highly surrealistic, artistic, and arresting. I immediately recognised that this must have influenced Dario Argento's surreal Suspiria, and, after some research, found out that in fact, it did (to think that this film inspired Argento is something that I really enjoyed finding out!) (The soundtrack to this film is also very appropriate, very unearthly, ethereal.)
Rating: 
Summary: Slow and Disturbing
Review: I knew very little about this story when I saw the movie, but it turned out to be an excellent horror movie. Not a modern slasher film, but something slow and creepy that gets under your skin. It's frightening, but for no apparent reason. Unfortunately not a movie that would get made today.
Rating:
Summary: Slow and Disturbing
Review: I knew very little about this story when I saw the movie, but it turned out to be an excellent horror movie. Not a modern slasher film, but something slow and creepy that gets under your skin. It's frightening, but for no apparent reason. Unfortunately not a movie that would get made today.
Rating: 
Summary: ALMOST UNWATCHABLE
Review: looked like some people got together after drinking all weekend and decided to 'make a movie'. it just looks [poorly made], and the music just doesn't do anything to conjure any mood other than dry boredom.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful film; really bad music!
Review: This is an absolutely fantastic spooky film which draws you in. The DVD presentation is very good, with an excellent print and excellent picture quality. The only drawback is that this is a French film and some stupid guy guy has to read all the titles and lines, and you can barely understand what he's saying through his strong French accent. The other thing about the soundtrack is the music. It's a cross between Irish folk music and church music. When I started this DVD I tried to turn off the sound, but then realized that there were no subtitles, so I was forced to listen to the bad music and that old French wretch throughout the film, but it's not TOO distracting. The audio is the only reason I didn't give this DVD 5 stars, and though I do prefer the 1949 version of this title this one has mesmerising cinematography and is really good for a silent film.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful film; really bad music!
Review: This is an absolutely fantastic spooky film which draws you in. The DVD presentation is very good, with an excellent print and excellent picture quality. The only drawback is that this is a French film and some stupid guy guy has to read all the titles and lines, and you can barely understand what he's saying through his strong French accent. The other thing about the soundtrack is the music. It's a cross between Irish folk music and church music. When I started this DVD I tried to turn off the sound, but then realized that there were no subtitles, so I was forced to listen to the bad music and that old French wretch throughout the film, but it's not TOO distracting. The audio is the only reason I didn't give this DVD 5 stars, and though I do prefer the 1949 version of this title this one has mesmerising cinematography and is really good for a silent film.
Rating:
Summary: Silent, sinister & solid version of Poe's tale
Review: This silent film by French avant-guarde film director Jean Epstein is a unique, and dark take on the classic Poe tale of premature burial and internal decay of the soul. Combining the story "The Oval Portrait" with the Usher story, Epstein and his actors create a solid narrative. The camera work is very powerful, helping to convey the nightmare within the story. If you enjoy silent films and Poe's work, I would highly recommend this one.
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