This Horror Movie Is by Far the Best Edgar Allen Poe Adaptation — and It’s Streaming for Free

Because of his reputation as King of the B-Movies, it's easy to discount the skill and craft Roger Corman brought to the films he directed. That's especially true of his Edgar Allan Poe adaptations, particularly The Masque of the Red Death, which represents an artistic apex for the poet laureate of exploitation films. Although made on a tight schedule with a limited budget, the Poe cycle — comprised of eight films adapted from the author's short stories — saw Corman stretching himself stylistically and thematically. And in a post-pandemic world run by a billionaire class that closely resembles a monarchy, The Masque of the Red Death feels more relevant than it ever did.