Search - The Edgar Allan Poe Collection, Vol. 1: Annabel Lee and Other Tales of Mystery and Imagination on DVD

Is this really supposed to be Poe?

M. Ervin | Boston, MA | 11/13/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I teach my students that reading a book is always better than watching the movie because we can create our own images -- which may be very different (and more pleasing and/or accurate) than someone else's image....This video is the perfect example of this. I seriously don't understand how any of the videos on this DVD are connected to Poe's work.



"Annbel Lee" I have always felt to be romantic and full of sadness for the loss of his beautiful wife. I never imagined it be a dark tale. The video is made with puppets -- although Annabel Lee is made with a Barbie doll. The "winged seraphs of heaven" are portrayed as evil creatures with dark wings and black holes for eyes. When the narrator goes to lie at her grave, it is a dark, evil, all-consuming place. NOT AT ALL what I believe the poem to be.



"the Tell-Tale Heart" is in Spanish with English subtitles, and after watching it twice, I still don't know how it connects to Poe's story.



"The Raven" is the closest one -- it's in black-and-white and fairly acceptable.



I don't think I'd really recommend this if you're looking for a true comparison to Poe's works. I would recommend it to show how reading anything yourself is really the only way to go."