Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971 film)
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| Murders in the Rue Morgue | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Gordon Hessler |
| Written by | Edgar Allan Poe (story) Christopher Wicking Henry Slesar |
| Produced by | Louis M. Heyward |
| Starring | Jason Robards Herbert Lom Christine Kaufmann Adolfo Celi Maria Perschy Lilli Palmer Michael Dunn |
| Cinematography | Manuel Berenguer |
| Edited by | Max Benedict |
| Music by | Waldo de los Ríos |
| Distributed by | American International Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 87 min / 98 min restored director's cut |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Murders in the Rue Morgue is a 1971 American horror film directed by Gordon Hessler, starring Jason Robards and Herbert Lom.[1] It is ostensibly an adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe story of the same name, although it departs from the story in several significant aspects, at times more resembling Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. In an interview on the film's DVD, Hessler said that he thought everyone already knew the ending of the story, so he felt it necessary to reinvent the plot. According to IMDB.com, the film was banned in Finland in 1972.
Plot
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The story revolves around an early 20th century theatre troupe in Paris specializing in gory, naturalistic horror plays in the fashion of the Grand Guignol. The director, Cesar Charron (Jason Robards), is presenting Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue". Cesar's wife, the actress Madeline (Christine Kauffman), whose mother (Lilli Palmer) had been murdered by axe, is haunted by nightmares of an ax-wielding man. Then, suddenly, Rene Marot (Herbert Lom), a former lover of Madeline's mother thought long dead after being horribly disfigured on stage, mysteriously returns and begins murdering members and ex-members of the acting troupe, confounding the Paris police, who initially suspect Cesar.
Cast
- Jason Robards as Cesar Charron
- Herbert Lom as Rene Marot
- Christine Kaufmann as Madeleine Charron
- Adolfo Celi as Inspector Vidocq
- Maria Perschy as Genevre
- Michael Dunn as Pierre Triboulet
- Lilli Palmer as Mrs. Charron
- Peter Arne as Aubert
- Rosalind Elliot as Gabrielle
- Marshall Jones as Luigi Orsini
- María Martín as Madam Adolphe
- Ruth Plattes as Orsini's Assistant
- Rafael Hernández as Member of Repertory Company
- Pamela McInnes as Member of Repertory Company
- Sally Longley as Member of Repertory Company
- ( (john mansell) as Member of Repertory company
Production
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Release
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Reception
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Restored director's cut
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American International Pictures cut the film against Gordon Hessler's wishes, removing 11 minutes of footage and adding color tints to the flash forwards and flashbacks. The ending was also slightly altered. In 2002, a director's cut appeared on American cable television, restoring the missing footage and the film's ending. The MGM DVD release of the film is in the restored director's cut format. A featurette is included with director Hessler describing filming, working with the actors, restoration, etc.
References
- ^ Thompson, Howard. "New York Times: Murders in the Rue Morgue". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
