The Literary License Podcast

By Keith Chawgo

October 3, 2020

The Literary License Podcast: Season 4: Episode 141 – EDGAR ALLEN POE: The McClain Lindquist Interview – Tell Tale Heart

BassMint Productions new short film, Edgar Allen Poe’s Tell Tale Heart is a beautifully shot and crafted short film that uses visual and hearing styles to bring its dark twisted story to the audience.  Keeping closely linked with the classic gothic novel, McClain has taken a story that has been told numerous times before and put his stamp on it.  This is probably one of the most truest forms of the story to come to screen.

The film starts out and captures its audience from the very beginning and builds to its ultimate conclusion.    Sonny Gimsley as the narrator enthrals the audience as we are slowly thrown into his method of madness.  Using close ups and sound design to emphasise this gives kudos to the production. Gimsley holds the audience in the palm of his hands as the audience are led by the hand to his despair and demise.  A special mention has to be mentioned to James G Morris who plays the old man.  This is a difficult part to get across and Morris is able to show a man who is hideous to look at but able to show the gentleness and caring side within the grotesque exterior.  This could have been easily done as a pantomime villain but Morris gives this character heart. This does help the audience truly experience the horrendousness of the crime that is committed against him.

Lindquist knows how to keep the tension taunt and he slowly builds to the exciting and bloody conclusion without using tired and tried conventions giving the film a look and feel all its own.  Production and sound design are excellent and are top grade without being in your face, they help paint the landscape of the narrative whilst set and photography places the audience into the visual beauty of the piece.

It should be mentioned that using a timeless framing helps bring this forward to a modern audience which is an interesting move considering that Poe normally fits squarely in the gothic storytelling and some films tend to get caught up in this.  This often leads to stoic storytelling and sometimes a dated feeling that feels out of touch with a modern audience.  Lindquist avoids this and gives modern audience something to rejoice in whilst showing off the flourishes of Poe without getting lost in the text.  In fact, he celebrates Poe and highlights him to show that his stories are just as important today as when they were written.

Overall, this is a fantastic and enjoyable film that hits all the marks.  The tension is taunt and builds at a good pace, excellent performances from the actors and the team behind the production.  A film that delivers on all that it tries to achieve; and more, until its bloody conclusion.  The film stays with you long after the end credits play and will haunt even the most hardened genre fans.  This film is a triumph and it has made me excited to see what comes next from this very gifted director.

Review can be found at: https://llpodcast.tumblr.com/post/631316608366919680/bassmint-productions-new-short-film-edgar-allen