E.A. Poe Archives | Otaku No Culture

The Terror and Little Shop of Horrors - Film Masters Release — **Available to purchase on Amazon USA**

Everything you want to know about Roger Corman‘s The Terror but were afraid to ask regarding this latest Film Masters restoration is all nicely packed into a documentary and essay included in this home video release. It’s out just in time for this film’s anniversary! What’s presented is a very clean and upgraded colour pallette to highlight this gothic work.

And to complete the analysis, it includes a bonus HD print of The Little Shop of Horrors. As a fan of the musical, to watch it in its original form made me appreciate both works! There are moments of dialogue that laid the seeds to songs like “Suddenly Seymore,” and “Dentist!”

However, this latest is all about Corman’s homage to Edgar Allan Poe. Nearly every frame pays tribute to what defines this master of macabre’s tales, and to watch it restored didn’t present a lot of flaws as I thought. While those bits are more with the narrative element, the visual one looked quite concrete! From the set designs to the tropes, it’s easy to tell. The video essay does a great job as explaining how this movie came to be, the hurdles faced (which also includes getting Karloff to agree to star in this work) and why it should be remembered as a testing ground for the still young filmmaker–who happened to think that he should take advantage of what’s available for him to use before these contracts expire. Also included in this release is Ballyhoo Motion Pictures “Hollywood Intruders: The Filmgroup Story” (part two).

Continue reading “Roger Corman’s The Terror (1963) is This Week’s Film Masters Striking Release!”

Show times:
October 20, 21, 27, 28 at 7:00pm and 9:00pm
October 24, 25, 26, 30, 31 at 8:00pm

Tickets available via www.thecastle.ca or call 250-592-5323 to book.
This show will also return for 2018 during the same month. Interested? Consider making a trip to Victoria, BC to experience Halloween 2018 like never before.

Launch Pad Theatre‘s adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe‘s best known stories into one work is not wrapped under the masque of, but with the approach of the Red Death. This seminal work is also the title of this production. It acts as a container for other narratives as audiences are treated to a partial tour of the historic Craigdarroch Castle located in Victoria, BC. A few new areas are used so the hosts of this gathering — Prospero (David Radford), Virginia (Christina Patterson), Christopher (Jared Gowen), Elizabeth (Diana Nielsen) and Vincent (Trevor Hinton) — can divert everyone from the chaos outside. Instead of the gothic, this take is set in the 70’s at the height of the disco craze.

Life in this palace is pretty groovy. Prospero tells us why we have all gathered and to prevent discord from happening, folks are broken up into smaller groups so the party can continue in other chambers. Here and away from their leader’s prying ears, personal stories are shared and they are from the master of the macabre’s library of works. Three out of the eight tales will get heard in one night. As for which of them will be known depends on the colour-coded key folks get to choose before the start of the show.

Continue reading ““It’s Very Deep & Groovy” When Launch Pad Theatre Dances to E.A. Poe’s Red Death”