Edgar Allan Poe's Lighthouse Keeper

It's hard to determine if decency or disappointment will win in my head. I want to like this movie, but it was a bit too corny. I do enjoy Poe and I do enjoy low budget movies and like to give them a chance. I'm just so conflicted on this one. Would I watch it again? Quite possibly. Not a complete waste of time. Just odd.

The story is complicated while it says its scary But it isn't, I don't Know why people will like this movie but this is one of my worst movie I have watched! Totally disappointing! AND THE COVER OF THE MOVIE LOOKS LIKE A GOOD ONE, NO SPOILERS BUT LOUSY MOVIE!!

To all of the people involved in this movie, which if you waited to the credits isn't very many, thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU, for making such a beautiful movie.

This has to be the most visually beautiful horror movie I have ever seen and it was a joy and a pleasure to watch. I cannot tell how close to Poe's original story it kept to, though it has given me an incentive to root out my copy of Poe's tales and have a read, which is a marvellous bonus.

The story is set somewhere between the 1930's and the 1960's and the sets have been expertly set to give you the exact right feel. There's hardly any knick knacks in the lighthouse, as these times were a less clutter-some place. The only tech in the house is a gramophone; the lights are candles and oil burners; the stove is an iron wood burner; even the spices in the rack are in tins. This alone is a nice touch; right down to the costumes.

The story is a slow burner which starts out as a smouldering ember and works into an all out forest fire. There are three major characters; The Lighthouse Keeper, Walsh, portrayed brilliantly by veteran actor Vernon Wells. giving a believable performance as a man who, though not happy to be alone, has adapted to the solitude of being by himself, making him gruff, argumentative, and self-righteous. J. P. played nicely by Matt O'Neill, is the sole survivor of a storm washed up on the Lighthouse's beach. While waiting for the ferry to take him off the island strange things occur to him, he hears voices, bumps into a strange and mysterious woman, and wonders why the candles have to remain lit. Rachel Riley gives a good performance as Nora, the mysterious woman who lives in the woods on the island and fall in love with J. P., though she may have something to do with the lighthouse keeper.

Benjamin Cooper does a fantastic job of unravelling the dark secrets of the characters; and though their secrets are very very dark Cooper makes a bold decision to shoot the majority of the movie in glorious daylight. The scenery is so colourful and attractive I wanted to become the lighthouse keeper. The camera shots are artistic and engaging. I loved the fact that you could also see everything in the night shots; there was either moonlight or candlelight, which added to the great depth of the filmography (something you don't usually rate in a horror movie). There were a couple of scene's that were jarred and disjointed, but I can forgive that because all the rest are so well done.

If you like ghost stories filled with mysteries and a few twists then I would recommend this. When the movie started I thought I wouldn't like it, the rain in the storm was fake and it was a period piece. Though, as the film progressed I became impressed with everything about the story and movie, to the point where this is now one of my favourite horror films.

Love Edgar Allan Poe, from reading his timeless stories and the Roger Corman and Vincent Price films where the best of them were creepy and entertaining. Based on an unfinished short story, 'Edgar Allan Poe's Lighthouse Keeper' intrigued me with a great concept and the reviews here were nowhere near as bad as feared.

Especially when the rating was very low, which from personal experience recently has not been a good sign. Most of my recent low-budget viewings with low rating and mediocre to terrible reviews have been as bad and in some cases even worse. But I went with my gut instinct and saw 'Edgar Allan Poe's Lighthouse Keeper' anyway because it did seem like it would be one of my better recent low-budget viewings. And it actually was, not perfect and the potential is not completely lived up to but in no way is it wasted.

Starting with the good things, Vernon Wells is great and generally the main performers were better than average. The music is both quirky and ominous and the direction when the film gets going is assured. 'Edgar Allan Poe's Lighthouse Keeper' wisely plays it straight with a little tongue-in-cheek going on and appreciated and admired the more ambitious storytelling when the action properly kicked in.

The characters were not as annoying as feared and don't make as many frustrating and illogical decision making like some films seen recently did (this is always also including bigger budget films that were box office successes if variable critically). Parts are creepy and there is are a few fun set pieces. The threat actually has personality and generated creepiness.

Low budget however does show, the film did need a grander and more elaborate setting while the photography can be too claustrophobic and the effect ropy at best. The dialogue has a lot of cheese and awkwardness and the secondary cast are wooden and some of the chemistry bland.

As said, 'Edgar Allan Poe's Lighthouse Keeper' can drag and the first third is really uneventful and makes one want to bail. Then there is the ending which is rushed and on the wrong side of silly.

Overall, better than expected though very flawed still. 6/10 Bethany Cox

I like this movie not only because it is typically Poe, but because it brings back an age of classic horror movie genre. The acting I'll admit was rather flat line but the story is what nightmares are made of, and I would recommend it to anyone who maybe trying to come up with a horror movie ideas of their own. Nowadays too many directors confuse gory slasher movies with horror and that should never be the case, good horror movies may display certain elements of gore for the shock effect, however, true horror movies has the ability to stay in the sub-conscience and when you hear things that go bump in the night; it will have the ability for the viewer to recall what they are relating their present apprehension with.

Gabriel C. Doe Jr.