American Masters

Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive

Best known for his Gothic horror tales and narrative poem “The Raven,” Poe’s stories are the basis of countless films and TV episodes, and have inspired even more, as has his name and image. Determined to re-invent American literature, Poe was an influential – and brutally honest – literary critic and magazine editor, who also invented the detective protagonist with his character C. Auguste Dupin.

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.

Previews + Extras

  • The story of Wally Coberg: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The story of Wally Coberg

    S31 E8 - 4m 46s

    Filmmaker Eric Stange tells the story of Wally Coberg, the now-deceased filmmaker who conceived Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive.

  • Hear the story of Edgar Allan Poe's only novel: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Hear the story of Edgar Allan Poe's only novel

    S31 E8 - 2m

    Edgar Allan Poe's only novel, "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket," was written at a time when Americans were beginning to clash over the idea of slavery. A violent story documenting a racial clash aboard a ship in the South Seas, the story was not well received and is still debated today.

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