Edgar Allan Poe Film Showing

News item published on: 2015-10-28 14:20:33

Between 1960 and 1964, Roger Corman made eight motion pictures based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe that have become known as the “Poe Cycle," with seven of the eight starring Vincent Price. The films met with critical and box office success and made Vincent Price a star. Roger Corman, known as the King of the B movies, translated the horror and fantasy of Poe’s literary masterpieces into worldwide cult film legends on a lean budget and tight schedule. The first of the Poe Cycle films was "The Fall of the House of Usher," starring Price as the foredoomed Roderick Usher. "The Pit and the Pendulum" followed in 1961 with Price playing Nicholas Medina, the son of a Spanish Inquisitor. Corman heightened the drama by taking out every other frame during the editing process to make the pendulum appear to move twice as fast. 

As part of The Big Read, the first two movies in the Poe Cycle will be shown at The Hattiesburg Library in November.  The showings are free and open to the public.  Movie Madness refreshments will be provided by the Hattiesburg Public Library's Friends of the Library.

November 5 - Poe Cycle Movie Madness
Film showing of The Fall of the House of Usher starring Vincent Price
Hattiesburg Public Library, Meeting Room, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

November 19 – Poe Cycle Movie Madness
Film showing of The Pit and the Pendulum starring Vincent Prince
Hattiesburg Public Library, Meeting Room, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

In May 2014, University Libraries received a Big Read grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to fund programming promoting Poe and his works to the local community. This initiative will support innovative reading programs designed to encourage people to read, discuss, and celebrate the Poe’s writings. The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment of the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. Big Read activities are a result of collaboration between University Libraries, the College of Arts & Letters, and the Library of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County.

If you have questions about this event, contact Jennifer Brannock at Jennifer.Brannock@usm.edu or 601.266.4347 or Sarah Mangrum at Sarah.Rials@usm.edu or 601.266.4251. For more information about upcoming events, visit www.lib.usm.edu/bigread.