Halloween Horror Movie Review: The Fall of the House of Usher (1928)
Title: The Fall of the House of Usher
Release Date: October 4, 1928
Director: Jean Epstein
Production Company: Les Films Jean Epstein
Main Cast:
- Jean Debucourt as Roderick Usher
- Marguerite Gance as Madeline Usher
- Abel Gance
- Charles Lamy as the guest invited to the mansion
- Fournez-Goffard
- Luc Dartagna
Synopsis (via Letterboxd):
Convinced that his family is tainted by generations of evil, Roderick Usher is hellbent on stopping his sister Madeline’s wedding to prevent the cursed Usher bloodline from expanding. When her fiancé Allan arrives at the crumbling estate to claim his bride, Roderick goes to ruthless—even deadly—lengths to keep them apart.
My Thoughts:
A nightmare vision of obsession, dread and decay is less a story than moods and impressions. I’m not even sure if it would’ve made any difference if my French were strong enough to fully translate the intertitles. This movie feels like it’s on a continuum between The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and a music video for a Jim Steinman song. This is Luis Buñuel’s second credited work as co-writer and assistant director, although he had a falling out with Epstein and left the production.
Rating: ***1/2
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