Spirits of the Dead

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Spirits of the Dead ★★★ Histoires Extraordinaires; Tre Passi nel Delirio; Tales of Mystery; Tales of Mystery and Imagination; Trois Histoires Extraordinaires d'Edgar Poe 1968 (R)

Three Edgar Allan Poe stories adapted for the screen and directed by three of Europe's finest. “Metzengerstein,” directed by Roger Vadim stars the Fonda siblings in a tale of incestuous lust. “William Wilson” finds Louis Malle directing Delon and Bardot in the story of a vicious Austrian army officer haunted by a murder victim. Finally, Fellini directs “Never Bet the Devil Your Head” or “Toby Dammit” in which Stamp plays a drunken British film star who has a gruesome date with destiny. Although Fellini's segment is generally considered the best (and was released on its own) all three provide an interesting, atmospheric vision of Poe. French and Italian with subtitles. 117m/C VHS, DVD . IT FR Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda, Carla Marlier, Francoise Prevost, James Robertson Justice, Brigitte Bardot, Alain Delon, Katia Christine, Terence Stamp, Salvo Randone; D: Roger Vadim, Louis Malle, Federico Fellini; W: Roger Vadim, Louis Malle, Federico Fellini, Daniel Boulanger, Barnardino Zapponi; C: Tonino Delli Colli, Claude Renoir, Giuseppe Rotunno; M: Nino Rota, Diego Masson; Nar: Vincent Price, Clement Biddle Wood.