Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

pointyfilippa The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

TheLittleSongbird In all honesty, Federico Fellini, whose directing and style I greatly admire, was one of two main attractions to Histoires Extraordinaries in the first place. The other was Edgar Allan Poe. And his segment is the best of the three for me. True, it is more Fellini than Poe with the protagonist like watching 8 1/2 or La Dolce Vita and the dream sequences and the quality of the art direction like 8 1/2 and Juliet of the Spirits, but I love that he adapted a story and put his own style into it. As ever it is beautifully filmed, with a nice score, is superbly directed by Fellini with his sense of nostalgia and themes interesting and boasts a mesmerising performance from Terrence Stamp. Louis Malle's segment is perhaps the most true to Poe's writing. It is straightforward storytelling but chillingly effective at it. It is handsomely filmed also, and Alain Delon as well as good-looking is very convincing. Sadly, the segment directed by Roger Vadim is a mess. It is nice to look at and Jane Fonda is always watchable, but the pace is dull, the direction is all over the place, the story never knows whether it wants to be a drama or a Gothic tale and Peter Fonda is simply wasted. Overall though it is a good and interesting film. And who can go wrong with the great Vincent Price narrating? I cannot see where you can personally. 8/10 Bethany Cox

airynellie I didn't care for "Metzengerstein" that much at all (in a nut-shell: Jane Fonda's character walking around in strange, skimpy outfits, chasing after her cousin whenever she wasn't at an orgy), but the next two were great. "Toby Dammit" was definitely the most disturbing movie of the trio, but the cinematography was incredibly beautiful; I'd give it a 10 just for that. But I liked the "William Wilson" segment the most, and I would (and have) watched it again and again just to see Alain Delon, who was at the peak of his exotic beauty in this film. A plus is that, in "William Wilson," he didn't have the regulation tan all the good-looking actors of the time seemed to maintain. I personally always thought that the tan detracted somewhat from his looks, making him look less unique, less refined. Come to think of it, there are actually two pluses when it comes to Delon -- he looks like a porcelain, icy angel, and he gets to put that expressive face to work for a very welcome change, instead of going through almost the entire movie with a stony expression (think "The Sicilian Clan").

rooprect It's reassuring to see that other IMDb reviewers have had the good sense to pan this disappointing film, at the risk of blaspheming against the great Vadim, Malle and Fellini.These directors may be talented & artistic in their own right; however in attempting to pass off this hodgepodge of attempted eroticism and 60s chic as *in any way* related to Edgar Allen Poe's stories, they exposed themselves as frauds. Either (A) they didn't bother to read the Poe stories, or (B) they read them but were so transfixed by their own egotistical agenda that they didn't pay Poe any mind.Imagine if Metallica plugged in their guitars, cranked the amps up to 11 and moshed out 3 chords claiming it to be Beethoven's 9th Symphony. That's the feeling you'll get after sitting through this film. If you're a Vadim/Malle/Fellini fan (Metallica), you'll dig it. If you're a Beethoven fan (Poe), you'll puke.METZERGENSTEIN...Here we begin with a bizarre porno version of Poe. OK, "porno" may be a bit extreme haha, but at the very least you have to call it a Barbarella version (including, I don't doubt, some of Jane's outfits coming directly from the set of that scifi romp). Vadim falls into old clichés of his own: the girl lying on a bed being pleasured by some man whilst from the pillow-cam we see the apathy in her eyes; the general lassitude and ennui of a woman who finds no satisfaction in hedonism. Cute stuff, but "Metzergenstein" ain't the place for it. And in addition to the Barbarella outfits and irrelevant erotic themes, Jane Fonda's awful American accent and unconvincing performance as a European countess made this the worst casting since Julia Roberts in that lousy version of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.WILLIAM Wilson...Here's a great Poe story about the madness that claims a man when he realizes that he is no longer unique in the world. If you really want to see a fantastic visual interpretation of this theme, go watch Star Trek episode #27 "The Alternative Factor". But here, Malle glazes over that central theme and instead focuses on... any guesses...? yup, eroticism, sadism and debauchery. Ho hum. Brigitte Bardot's role is a complete fabrication to accomplish that end, and once again the director distorts a classic Poe story into a masturbatory catharsis of his own unrequited sexual issues. Do it on your own time, Malle. I thought we're here on Poe's dime.TOBY DAMMIT....The absolute worst of the three and possibly the worst film I've seen since "Staying Alive". At least Fellini showed some tact in changing the title, but his departure from the original plot, theme and humour of the story is so vast, I wonder if he just picked this reel out of his private collection of home movies, stamped "Edgar Allen Poe story" on it and submitted it to this collection. I strained very hard to find any thread of familiarity with Poe's works, but there was absolutely none.The original Poe story ("Never Bet the Devil Your Head") is a short and hilarious dark fable about a man who constantly exclaims "I'll bet the devil my head..." On a foggy morning, the devil takes him up on his offer. The result is the sickest and silliest thing you've ever read. This was Poe, the comedian, at his finest (yes, Poe wrote many comedies. Also check out "A Predicament" and "Devil in the Belfry" if you want a taste of his witty, satirical works).This Fellini version? It's bland, soulless, and not funny at all (unless you consider it funny to see a drunk stumbling over himself for 45 minutes). Here Fellini's egotistical rant is about an artist struggling with the hypocrisy, pretense and mediocrity of cinema. Most of it is set at an awards ceremony where Fellini beats us over the head with sarcasm, cynicism and that classic "sour grapes" attitude that we find in all Fellini films dealing with cinema. Note the sarcastic jabs at "the critics", a recurring theme in Fellini's films. For someone who considered himself above the critics, Fellini sure spent a lot of time talking about them. At any rate, I feel like Fellini just took some outtakes from 8 1/2, spliced them together and sold it as a Poe story. Worst "adaptation" ever.I think I put more effort into typing this review than any of the three directors put into making a Poe movie.

The_Void Spirits of the Dead is an anthology based on the writing of the great Edgar Allen Poe; but anyone going into this expecting something as entertaining as Roger Corman's Poe films is liable to be sorely disappointed as entertainment was clearly not high on the filmmakers' list of priorities. The film is split into three stories; each of them directed by one of the 'greats' of international cinema. While I'm a big fan of any film that bears his name in the writing credits; I do have to admit that aside from a couple of poems, I have not read anything by the great writer. However, from the films I have seen; I do have a very good idea of Poe's style - yet this film really doesn't encompass that at all and in fact, I was really surprised to find that this film is often labelled as 'horror', as while some of the stories in this anthology are slightly unsettling; the film is more of an arty drama on the whole and despite the fact that it's based on Poe's writings; it's not a must see for horror followers.Apparently, there's an American and International version of this film; and unfortunately I saw the International version so I missed the narration by the great Vincent Price. The first of the three stories is entitled "Metzengerstein" and directed by Roger Vadim; from whom the disappointing Blood and Roses is the only film I've seen. The most interesting thing about this story is the casting; with the director's then wife Jane Fonda starring alongside her brother Peter Fonda. The story concerns a cold and unflinching baroness falling in love with cousin. The story doesn't get boring really; but it is very slow. The second story is the most disappointing; directed by Louis Malle; it's a weird story of dual identities, made interesting only by the ending and the casting of Brigitte Bardot. Fellini's segment is the final one and probably the best of the three, although it's not the director's best work by a long shot. Terence Stamp gives a chilling portrayal at least. Overall, this film may appeal to art house fans; although there's better art house films than this and horror fans will get their kicks elsewhere too.