Edgar Allan Poe's Lighthouse Keeper

Low budget, but surprisingly good Edgar Allan Poe film based upon his last (and unfinished) story. There's a long history of excellent low budget Poe film adaptations that really started with Roger Corman and Vincent Price's "The Fall of the House of Usher," so that alone made me kind of like this film. I'm not familiar with this Poe story, but the film follows a castaway washing up on an unfamiliar shore. He follows a mysterious ethereal woman and later awakens at a lighthouse run by Vernon Wells (you know, Wez from "The Road Warrior." "YOU! You can RUN, but you can't HIDE!"). The film does a good job of capturing that old Roger Corman feel of a doomed household and doing it all with a straight face, though with a slight tongue-in-cheek. I'm not sure this film will interest casual horror fans or art-house fans, but for people who enjoyed the old Roger Corman Poe films, this was kind of a fun throwback treat.

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.

I liked this one quite a bit. None really knows what Edgar Allan Poe had in mind for the ending, he died before this story was finished, but I think the filmmakers did an excellent job of finishing the tale.

I have never read this piece of unfinished work by Poe, so I cannot compare. I have Poe's Complete Works but this one, although unfinished, was never added to the collection - I looked today for it in the book.

Worth watching if you like the older style of horror films and/or Edgar Allan Poe's tales. Bravo to the filmmakers for creating a good horror film for today's world... most of them today aren't actually horror but more of a simple gore fest to veg-out for viewing... this film instead works with the viewers mind as good horror should be.

9/10

3.4...??? Seriously?

Well, maybe if a person just doesn't like this type of old school Horror film or the Retro style of movies like this really bores them. Then yes, I guess so... But, when a person rates a film like this poorly when it is one that they wouldn't like anyway, does that help the rest of us to know HOW WELL it was done? See what I mean? For example, I personally loathe and detest Torture Porn Horror films, but I certainly do not come here and give movies like 'HOSTEL' low ratings, do I? Why...? Well, because that doesn't really help people who might actually LIKE those kinds of films and who want to know if a particular one is done well. So, likewise with this one.

Sorry about the long intro, it kind of bothers me when people do that here, because as I said, it's really not helpful to others who DO like these types of films. Well, you can probably tell by my rating that I really liked this movie (the reviews of the two other people so far here seem to agree...) This movie is indeed for people who actually DO like these kind of Old School Ghost Stories (can you say, 'THE FOG' anyone...? YES, the original, NOT the lame remake : ) So, if you are the kind of person who likes older style Ghost Stories (especially ones based upon Classics like Poe) then you will probably really enjoy this movie.

In my lowly and wretched opinion, I thought it was put together in a very effective and moody way with a lot of Classic style and atmosphere. I felt that it was told in a way that served the story very well and maintained a good level of Suspense. The acting, although not stellar, was decent enough and did not detract from the mood of the story. It IS a very simple story though, so you will need to keep your expectations reasonable. I'd say if you like modern versions of Classic Horror stories like Stuart Gordon's 'DAGON', for example (although this one is much simpler and likely with FAR less money) you should really enjoy this one.

Again, a good, old-fashioned, Old School, creepy and atmospheric Ghost Story. Nicely told and well done considering the clear limitations of how much money they could spend on it.

(P.S: Please be careful with Claudio's review below (above?) as it has some, I'm sure, unintended Spoilers in it!)

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.