I mentioned in another thread that I just watched a movie, "Stonehearst Asylum" on netflix that was based on an Edgar Allan Poe story. It got me thinking about Poe as a writer. I remember reading "The Gold Bug" in elementary school. It was so different from anything else I had ever read. I loved his stories. I remember watching the old movies, like the Pit and the Pendulum. He's also one of the only poets that I actually enjoyed reading - "Annabel Lee and "The Raven". He definitely had a unique mind and a different way at looking at things.
Did you know that Poe also wrote what was possibly the first detective story, in Murders in the Rue Morgue, before Sherlock Holmes was created? I also like his poetry and some of his stories. I agree that Poe is an interesting and original writer. His personal life was also rather strange and there is still a mystery surrounding his death.
There is a new musical coming up about Poe! Here is a rehersal clip. 'NEVERMORE" http://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay.php?colid=924383#.VOSQYvmUfNE If I were back in the States I'd be sure to check it out.
I think I will pass on that movie, Richard. i used to like to read Edgar Allen Poe when I was a teenager, and even had some very old copies of his books (thrift store find): but now I like happier things. I also don't ebjoy musicals. We started to watch a newer releaseof the Pit and the Pendulam, but it looked so gruesome that we turned it off in the first scene. I liked movies much better when they just left all of the awful stuff to our imagination, and were not so specific with all of the details as they are now. Actually, I almost never watch movies anymore, simply for that reason. When I do watch a movie, it is usually one of the older ones, or at least one that is more uplifting.
I agree that some movies are trash, pure and simple. Now, although I have not posted any of my gory stories here, I do love writing horror. Musicals I love. From the very moment I hear the orchestra tuning up in the pit to the end, I am enthralled. I actually watched "Dream Girls" 6 or 7 times. When "Chorus Line" closed in Los Angeles, I actually flew up to San Francisco for their opening there!
I think the most interesting thing about Poe was that he seemed to truly be mad. At the very least he certainly had some mental issues of some sort. A bit of insanity seems to make for amazing writing and story telling. Something about it makes us creative.
That's true. I believe that most artistic, creative people do think differently than the rest of us. I think that artists see things differently, musicians hear things differently. That's the amazing thing about the human brain. We only use a small portion of it. It's just sad that so many creative people do seem to suffer with mental issues.
I did read some place that Poe had some mental problems. His stories are too dark for me, when I was younger I liked a few of his stories but finaly decided not to follow his stories. I also love musicals, West Side Story is one of my favorites.
I only read The Fall of the House of Usher from Edgar Allan Poe, and I can't really say that I enjoyed it. It had a really dark, but unique style that didn't manage to captivate me.
One of the things about Poe is, you have to consider the times he was living in. Back then, they rarely drank water. And he was a pretty heavy alcoholic and probably a marathon drug user. Probably absinthe. Definitely will bring out the dark psychosis in a person. Plus, he had lost his wife, and in those days, it was considered to be romantic to grieve deeply for your soulmate. Thus, the acceleration of his alcoholism. And his dark dreams became his signature works.....
I was at a garage sale the other day and chanced upon a book about Edgar Allen Poe, The Man Behind the Legend. Although I have only skimmed the pages, I look forward to sitting down and reading it in its entirety.. Seeings that I am Richmond VA right now, I thought it would be fun and give more depth to the book, if I go and visit some of Poe's landmarks in town. First on my list will be the museum and then walk the ground of the publishing company that he worked for in days past. Think I will go visit the grave-site of his mother, too. Legend has it he spent many hours here. When I get done reading this book on Poe, I just might wander up for a quick trip to NYC to catch the The New York State Ballet. As I just read an article, there will be performance on 26 SEP featuring “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Raven”. Thus brings me to my question, any other fans of Edgar Allen Poe?
YES. I am a fan. I have a book of all his writings and have read most of them, several more than once.
I am not really a fan of Edgar Allan Poe but his poems are popular in high schools here. The Raven is one of Poe's masterpieces that is a sad one with a tinge of suspense and horror. Another poem that I partly remember is Annabel Lee. Our teacher would be reading Annabel Lee with her accent and pauses that gave excitement to her class. But admittedly, we were excited not really with the poem but with our teacher's style of reciting the poem. Now you can imagine when our teacher recited Nevermore.
When I was a teenager I had an old book (or maybe it was a set, I can't remember anymore) and it was printed in the early 1900's . I loved reading all of those stories, and read them over and over. I liked them all, and the "Murders in the Rue Morgue" was one of my favorites. I have never been big on poetry, but I did like "The Raven" and of course the sad story of Annabel Lee.
Yes! I have always loved Poe, and his writings. My favorites are The Masque of the Red Death, and The Raven. I won't give you any spoilers Avigail, LOL, but the details of his life (and death), are very sad and interesting. He is one of those geniuses, like Van Gogh, who just tugs at my heartstrings!