American Masters

History Series / 11 Seasons

American Masters, committed to producing comprehensive film biographies about the broad cast of characters who comprise our cultural history.

1h 51m / TV-14

Filmmaker Roger Corman on "The Fall of the House of Usher"

58s

Filmmaker Roger Corman was initially drawn to Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" because of the macabre setting. After the film was a great success Corman was asked to continue adapting Poe's works for cinema, going on to make "The Pit and the Pendulum," among others.

Filmmaker Roger Corman's dream-like world of Edgar Allan Poe

3m 15s

In adapting Edgar Allan Poe's writing for cinema, filmmaker Roger Corman wanted to emphasize the insulation of the unconscious mind. He worked on a closed sound-stage to create a hazy, dream-like world.

Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive - Trailer

3m 5s

Discover the real story of the notorious author, starring Denis O’Hare as Edgar Allan Poe. This new documentary explores the misrepresentations of Poe and reveals how he tapped into what it means to be human in a modern and sometimes frightening world. Narrated by Kathleen Turner.

Mash-up: Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"

8m 13s

Listen to a compilation of Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem "The Raven," read by Megan Marshall, Marilynne Robinson, Paul Lewis, Matthew Pearl, Jeffrey Meyers, Jerome McGann, Stuart Gordon, James Hutchisson, Harry Lee Poe, Scott Peeples, Ben Schnetzer, Chris Sarandon, Chris Semtner, Garrison Keillor and Roger Corman.

See inside the mind of a ranting and raving Edgar Allan Poe

34s

In a scene inspired by artist John Sartain's memoir, "Poe's Last Days," Denis O'Hare embodies the caricature of a nervous, ranting and raving Poe, possibly hallucinating, dipping in and out of sanity.

Edgar Allan Poe: The Five Biggest Myths About Poe

2m 6s

Edgar Allan Poe's mysterious death and obituary filled with falsehoods contributed to his mythic legacy. How well do you know Edgar Allan Poe? See if you can separate fact from fiction.

Denis O'Hare on Becoming Poe

1m 39s

Actor Denis O'Hare (American Horror Story, This Is Us) discusses the "tough" job of preparing for the role of Edgar Allan Poe: "There's so much information about him, and in a way you have to filter out all of the biases you have about who you think he is and get to who the man really was." The man he discovered was emotionally intense, brilliant and creative.

The Deaths of the Women in Poe's Life

1m 53s

Throughout his life, Edgar Allan Poe lost the women he loved, including his mother, adoptive mother and wife, many to tuberculosis. Their absence played a huge role in his writing. According to Poe, who often focused on death and loss in his works, "the death, then, of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world."

Denis O'Hare brings to life "The Man of the Crowd"

59s

"There are some secrets which do not permit themselves to be told..." Follow Edgar Allan Poe (portrayed by Denis O'Hare) as he traces the steps of a solitary man through a crowded street.

Experience Poe's dramatic readings of "The Raven"

3m 1s

After the extremely successful release of Poe's "The Raven," he became famous for his dramatic readings of the poem. Tony Award-winning and Emmy-nominated actor Denis O’Hare ("This Is Us," "American Horror Story," "Take Me Out," "True Blood") stars as Poe in this documentary.

The fake news behind Edgar Allan Poe's reputation

2m 35s

When Edgar Allan Poe died under mysterious circumstances, his literary rival, Rufus W. Griswold, wrote a high-profile obituary filled with falsehoods that cast him as a lunatic and a madman.

Remembering Fats Domino

1m 47s

In this clip from the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, Fats Domino performs his version of "Blueberry Hill." Domino's recording of the song became an international hit, and exemplified his brand of New Orleans rhythm and blues morphed into rock and roll, which appealed to black and white audiences alike. Rest in peace to a true pioneer. Watch the full episode of Fats Domino and the Birth of Rock 'n' Roll

Tyrus

2m 24s

Until his death at the age of 106, Tyrus Wong was America’s oldest living Chinese American artist and one of the last remaining artists from the golden age of Disney animation. The quiet beauty of his Eastern-influenced paintings had a pioneering impact on American art and popular culture.

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