One really wonders what made these so different 3 movie directors to make such 3 different movies from 3 less known E. Allan Poe's novels. The first one directed by Roger Vadim is a complete failure. Mr. Vadim replaced the poetry, phantasy and mystery of Poe's work by a lot of cheap eroticism, depicting orgy scenes of third class brothel in a movie which is supposed to take place in 16th century if we give credit to most of the attire shown. It is true that in introduction Poe is supposed to say that epoch is irrelevant in the context of the story but that would require a totally timeless atmosphere not one of 16th century mixed up with Miss Fonda's attire, a mixture of Barbarella's clothes with medieval attire notwithstanding a generous view of her bare legs. Peter and Jane Fonda, two good performers seem totally lost in this uninteresting, dull and very clumsily narrated story. Then comes the story directed by Louis Malle a much more competent director than Vadim, if we remember such masterpieces as Les Amants and Le Feu Follet. Mr. Malle gives us much more consistent direction creating a much more credible atmosphere either by the convincing scenery or the adequate attire. The screenplay is again a bit poor but that's not his fault perhaps. The story of a man haunted by his duplicate is not very original indeed. But Alain Delon makes a good performance and you vibrate much more than with Vadim's movie. Finally we enter Fellinian universe with the 3rd movie. Federico Fellini brings us the usual lot of half freaks half normal people with his incomparable touch of humour but always caricaturing types we may meet in everyday life giving way to our inner fears, fancies and anxieties. This has little to do with Poe of course which is the mere pretext even because the story takes place in 20th century. The end of the story is a bit inconclusive but we may pardon it on account of the vividness of the narration. So we have here more than 3 different stories, 3 quite different narration styles.
Review of Spirits of the Dead
