La Chute de la maison Usher (The Fall of the House of Usher) (1928)
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100% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
78% of users liked it
(347 ratings)
The French silent film La Chute de la Maison Usher is adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's Fall of the House of Usher. Director Jean Epstein studiously avoids cheap shocks in this tale of hereditary madness, choosing instead a tightly controlled, spookily subtle technique. The hero, having indirectly… More The French silent film La Chute de la Maison Usher is adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's Fall of the House of Usher. Director Jean Epstein studiously avoids cheap shocks in this tale of hereditary madness, choosing instead a tightly controlled, spookily subtle technique. The hero, having indirectly caused the death of his beloved, stubbornly tries to resurrect her spirit by devoting himself to painting and sculpture. Epstein conveys the twilight zone between life and death with lingering dissolves and brilliant utilization of slow motion. The production design of La Chute de la Maison Usher, together with the earlier Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, obviously inspired the "look" of Robert Florey's 1932 Poe derivation Murders in the Rue Morgue. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Rating, Runtime
- Unrated, 48 min.
- Directed By
- Jean Epstein
- Genres
- Drama, Horror, Art House & International, Classics
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1928 Wide
- On DVD
- Apr 3, 2001
Critic Reviews
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The Fall of the House of Usher resides within its sealed world, as if -- yes, as if buried alive.
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Sean Axmaker, Parallax View
A strange mix of Gothic design, modern austerity, expressionist angles, graceful camerawork and surreal effects, it's an atmospheric classic...
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Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
The film denies us the safe distance between viewer and viewed, and it does this so effectively that its horrors are occurring all around us.
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, Empire Magazine
The mixture of English Gothic, French Grand Guignol and American low-budget thrills make for an intoxicating brew.
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Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Through kaleidoscopic composition, Epstein affects Rorschach-like chiaroscuro, every image a dense, sludgy viscera, a looking glass held up to the audience and characters, daring us to pass through.
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Cast
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Marguerite Gance -
Jean Debucourt -
Charles Lamyas The Guest
