9 Best Edgar Allan Poe Adaptations for Fans of the Macabre

Whether you were introduced to Edgar Allan Poe through a literature class or the 1990 “Treehouse of Horror” episode of The Simpsons, the chilling feeling that runs down your spine while reading his work is universal. His short stories and poems focused on themes of grief, madness, and terror in Gothic settings.

Over the years, many have adapted Poe’s works into films and TV shows. This can be tricky for some, as creating a full-length movie from a short story means expanding on Poe’s ideas. Critics and fans have certain expectations from a story adapted from Poe, and the expansion can be brilliant or disastrous. Here are nine adaptations that succeeded in expanding Poe’s stories to be the Gothic horrors they were meant to be.

1. House of Usher (1960)
2. The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
3. An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe (1970)
4. Two Evil Eyes (1990)
5. Masters of Horror Season 2, Episode 11: “The Black Cat” (2007)
6. Extraordinary Tales (2013)
7. Stonehearst Asylum (2014)
8. The Bloodhound (2020)
9. The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

House of Usher (1960)

Something you’ll notice in this list, if you didn’t already know, is that Vincent Price starred in many of the Poe adaptations. The combination of Poe and Price, both kings of horror in their professions, created a true thrill, one of the best of which is House of Usher.

House of Usher, or, in some markets, The Fall of the House of Usher, was part of director Roger Corman’s eight-film Poe collection. It stars Price as Roderick Usher, a man who is convinced his family is cursed and does whatever he can to prevent his sister from marrying and carrying on their bloodline. The curse of madness threatens to consume them all, but trying to stop the curse also seems to drive them further to insanity.

The Masque of the Red Death (1964)

Another of Corman’s Poe adaptations, The Masque of the Red Death follows Prince Prospero (Price) as he secludes himself and his noble guests in his castle to keep safe from a plague spreading nearby. This film often takes creative liberties when adapting Poe’s story into a visual medium, but the Gothic spirit remains true.

There is an interesting addition of Satanism to the film, where Prospero is a Satanist and convinces two women to join his satanic cult. This added element helps build the suspense and gives a satisfying payoff when the identity of the Red Death costumed figure is revealed.

An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe (1970)

An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe is less of a traditional movie and more of a filmed dramatic reading of four of his stories. It once again stars Price, who makes the one-man show feel electrifying. He reads and acts out “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Sphinx,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.”

If you are a Poe purist and don’t want any creative liberties in the adaptations, this is your best bet. Price really commands the stage and draws you in from the very beginning.

Two Evil Eyes (1990)

Two Evil Eyes is an anthology of two films, directed by George A. Romero and Dante Argento. These directors had previously worked together on the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead and decided to join hands once again for the adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories. While they only adapted two of Poe’s works, they also included plenty of references and Easter eggs to Poe’s other tales.

The two films in the anthology are The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar and The Black Cat, with Romero directing the former and Argento directing the latter. The first film tells the story of Jessica Valdemar (Adrienne Barbeau) and her lover (Ramy Zada), who are haunted by the undead corpse of Jessica’s husband. The second film follows Rod Usher (Harvey Keitel) as he kills his girlfriend’s (Madeleine Potter) cat, just for it to keep reappearing.

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Masters of Horror Season 2, Episode 11: “The Black Cat” (2007)

Masters of Horror is a television series where each episode takes on a horror story, created by a “master” horror director. Season 2, Episode 11 was directed by Stuart Gordon, known for his horror films The Re-Animator and From Beyond. For the episode, Gordon adapted Poe’s short story, “The Black Cat.”

What’s interesting about this adaptation is that it delves into Poe’s thought process of writing the story rather than telling the story itself. Poe becomes increasingly irritated with his wife’s cat and begins to imagine what he might do to it. Turning Poe into his own unreliable narrator is a creative choice that makes this episode all the more eerie.

Extraordinary Tales (2013)

Extraordinary Tales is an animated anthology of five different Poe stories. But don’t let the animation deter you: these tales are not for young kids. In fact, the animation is able to portray the intense emotions and creeping unease in a way that isn’t possible in live-action film.

The five stories included in Extraordinary Tales are “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Masque of the Red Death.” Actors famous in the horror genre lend their voices to narrate these tales. Christopher Lee, Julian Sands, Guillermo del Toro, and even archived audio of Bela Lugosi bring Poe’s stories to life in a new way.

Stonehearst Asylum (2014)

Stonehearst Asylum, which was previously titled Eliza Graves, is loosely based on Poe’s “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether.” It features a star-studded cast, including Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Caine, and David Thewlis.

In the story, a young doctor (Sturgess) is intrigued by the new methods of treating the mentally ill, introduced by Dr. Silas Lamb (Kingsley). He travels to Stonehearst Asylum, where Dr. Lamb practices, to learn more about the treatments. But he comes to realize that something at the asylum isn’t right, and the doctor begins to question his sanity and that of everyone around him.

The Bloodhound (2020)

The Bloodhound is a modern take on “The Fall of the House of Usher.” It may not be set in Gothic times, but the film proves that the words of Poe are timeless. The atmosphere is just as claustrophobic and tense, and the themes of isolation and loss of sanity still thrive.

The story follows Francis (Liam Aiken), who is invited to stay at his very wealthy friend’s home. JP (Joe Adler) lives in a mansion with his twin sister (Annalise Basso) and literally has stacks of money hidden around his house, but feels lonely. Francis and JP get along fairly well for not having seen each other in years, but strange and terrifying events begin to occur during Francis’s visit. Is living rent-free worth losing your mind?

The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

Created by Mike Flanagan, the mind behind The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and Doctor Sleep, the Fall of the House of Usher limited series is more of an ode to all things Poe. It is also set in modern times, but it weaves together several of Poe’s tales to create a haunting combination of horror and love of the 19th-century writer.

In the show, Roderick (Bruce Greenwood) and Madeline Usher (Mary McDonnell) run a lucrative pharmaceutical empire, but have to solve the mystery of their family dying off early if they want to continue living successfully. Each of the eight episodes covers one of Poe’s works in addition to the overarching plot, melding each terrifying tale into one fantastic adaptation.

Which of these adaptations have you seen, or do you want to see? Just remember to pace yourself with this list; we wouldn’t want you losing your mind!