15 Best Creepy Horror Movies Inspired By Edgar Alan Poe (According To IMDb)

Edgar Allan Poe is often considered the catalyst of American horror and the godfather of the modern detective story. So it makes sense the master of terror would be the inspiration for many feature films and screen adaptations.

With his tales of premature burials, ominous birds, and haunted masquerades, Poe’s work is a treasure trove of horrifying inspiration. Take a look at these films courtesy of IMDb for a proper sampling of pictures based on and inspired by Poe’s works.

Updated August 5th, 2020, by Zach Gass: Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most adapted authors in film history. Although the writer never lived to see his stories and poems brought to life on the big screen, the realm of cinema certainly has no shortage of features and short films dedicated to his work. One thing noteworthy about Poe’s filmography is certainly how diverse it is when it comes to horror. From black comedies to straight-up slasher flicks, it seems that his work is pretty open to interpretation. The more the merrier, right? Good, bad, gruesome, or gory, there are plenty of Poe pictures to choose from.

15 The Raven (6.4)

What better way to begin a list of Poe movies than with a film that casts the father of the modern detective story in a murder mystery inspired by the author’s own works.

In this highly fantasized account of Poe, the author is pitched into a battle of wits and the game of cat-and-mouse with a murderer who uses his books as the basis for his crimes. While it might not be the most factual, it’s certainly entertaining.

14 Extraordinary Tales (6.4)

True fans of the author might be a tad insulted at the low rating this film received and that sentiment is certainly shared. Be that as it may, Extraordinary Tales is practically a love letter to Poe’s greatest works.

Featuring such classics as “Fall of the House of Usher,” and “Masque of the Red Death,” all brought to the viewer with different animation styles, narrators, and even a final appearance by Christopher Lee, no Poe fan should go without this film.

13 Stonehearst Asylum (6.8)

Stonehearst Asylum might be hard for some fans to swallow, but those who read “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether” will no doubt catch the familiar motifs, namely inmates running the asylum. Aside from the loose adaptation of Poe’s short story, it is essentially typical Victorian drama with a heavy gothic atmosphere.

It is also a decent adaptation with decent performances, and what more is needed?

12 The Black Cat (7.0)

Don’t let the lack of color fool you. For a film released in the 1930s, The Black Cat is one of the darkest, eeriest, and most unsettling productions of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff’s respective careers.

While loosely based on Poe’s short story of the same name, the film is much more of a psychological horror film van adaptation of the author’s work. With scenes of torture, black magic, and unholy rituals, it definitely made use of the lack of Hayes Code and rating system.

11 The Tomb of Ligeia (6.6)

Vincent Price is to Poe what Depp is to Burton. His performances might not always be incredibly horrifying, but he never fails to be entertaining. The Tomb of Ligeia toes the line between shocking horror film and grotesque love story.

Haunted by the memory of his dead wife, a man’s sanity and relationship with his new beloved are ripped apart in this adaptation of Poe’s short story. It’s certainly a must-watch for fans of gothic cinema. 

10 Tales of Terror (6.9)

Tales of Terror is a fine example of his work. This film is more of an amalgamation of Poe’s works made into an anthology than one full narrative, featuring pieces from The Black Cat, Morella, and The Case of M. Valdemar.

 It’s a cheesy flick, but definitely fun. Viewers will see Price playing catch with the severed head of Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone as an evil hypnotist, and some psychedelic effects that gave Roger Corman his directorial reputation.

9 The Raven (7.0)

Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Edgar Allan Poe seem to be a trio of horror icons that work exceptionally well together. 1935’s The Raven has little to do with an ominous evil bird, but rather a mad doctor who commits murders inspired by the author’s work.

Perhaps John Cusack’s version took more than a few notes from this one? Though it could have definitely used a disfigured butler.

8 House of Usher (7.0)

Based on Poe’s Fall of the House of Usher, the film sees the story given a darkly romantic twist by having the twisted Rodrick Usher be the protagonist’s brother-in-law who buries his fiancee alive.

It’s not the greatest Poe film in Price and Corman’s catalog, but it has creepy mansions, premature burials, and an uber-creepy Price performance that completes the checklist for ’60s horror cinema.

7 The Masque of the Red Death (7.0)

Easily one of the goriest and most frightening entries on the list has to be Vincent Price’s Masque of the Red Death, based on the short story of the same name. If there was one actor perfect for Poe, it was Price. His performance as the sinister satanist Prince Prospero is as cold and cruel as they come.

The film is a dark and twisted adaptation that the author would absolutely love. With murder, dark rituals, and a dance macabre finale, it’s often considered the perfect Poe film in spite of its imperfect rating on IMDb.

6 The Pit and the Pendulum (7.1)

Vincent Price’s “The Pit and the Pendulum.” is a slightly looser adaptation of Poe’s short story, but one that doesn’t skimp on the gruesome and grim.

The film makes more than adequate use of its Spanish Inquisition-inspired motifs, as well as a dual performance from Price. It might not resemble the original story identically, but it certainly captures the mood and essence that Poe conveyed.

5 An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe (7.5)

For those seeking more of Vincent Price’s over-the-top acting and Poe’s grim and gruesome writing style, there’s no better example of this than An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe. 

This TV movie is essentially a one-man-show featuring Price performing various stories from Poe’s work, but it’s more entertaining than it sounds. Price dons a variety of disguises for different characters, and it comes off as goofy as it is creepy.

4 The Crow (7.6)

Not all adaptations on the list need to be 100% accurate, as shown by other entries on this list, but they do need to be inspired by one of Poe’s famous works. There is perhaps no gothic film more iconic than The Crow. 

Based on the comic book of the same name, which in turn was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven,” the movie has all the dark atmosphere and ambiance one would expect from the classic author. With murder, revenge, and a dash of paranormal, Poe would be proud.

3 The Lighthouse (7.6)

While this film definitely has elements of Lovecraft present, in reality, it is actually a very loose adaptation of Poe’s final piece of the same title. The film concerns the dwindling sanity of two lighthouse keepers isolated at their titular charge.

Visions of horrifying monsters and tensions rise as the two begin to lose grips on reality. It’s definitely one of the most emotionally intense films on the list.

2 Fool’s Fire (8.1)

There are many words one might use to describe Julie Taymor’s Fool’s Fire. Words like dark, disturbing, nightmarish, and hallucinogenic come to mind. These are all perfect descriptors of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Hop-Frog.” 

Fool’s Fire is an artsy adaptation of Poe’s work that uses puppetry, animation, and disturbing visuals to tell the tale of a deformed jester’s revenge plot against a castle full of grotesque royals. Not a watch for everybody, but definitely one for Poe fans.

1 Vincent (8.3)

Was anybody honestly expecting a Disney cartoon to make the list?  The film uses elements from Poe as well as classic horror tropes to explore the mind of a strangely imaginative young boy, who happens to be obsessed with the author’s works.

It’s dark, twisted, and visually impressive in a way only Tim Burton can bring. It even features Vincent Price narrating the affair. Submitted for the final spot, we have this seriously spooky short film.

About The Author