I’m rather partial to Samuel L Jackson’s reading of ‘Go the Fuck to Sleep’, to be honest. Nothing like poetry read by the right voice to calm the nerves.
MHiggosays
I remember that track. It’s from “Closed on Account of Rabies”, a two-CD collection of Poe readings and one of my favorite random findings while loitering at Borders instead of going to class. Iggy Pop reading The Tell-Tale Heart and Gabriel Byrne doing The Masque of the Red Death were great, too.
He had the wrong ‘accent’ for that – the phrasing seemed to muddle him and not come naturally. I’d guess Poe would have had a more English country accent than the Walken’s clipped one – perhaps more like the Islands off New England Nantucket?
I read Under Milkwood with a welsh accent rather than Burtons BBC/anglicised* one and it works so much better. Shakespeare works really well in a black-country accent of the UK midlands.
Wish we had recordings from then…
* I know Dylan Thomas spoke ‘posh’ but the characters are welsh and in his head I’m sure he heard them as such.
Raise your Christopher Walken with a Christopher Lee (and we all win!)
Al Dentesays
madtom1999 @3
Poe was born in Boston but was raised in Richmond, Virginia. He likely had a Southern accent.
DonDueedsays
Need more cowbell.
Rich Woodssays
@madtom1999 #3:
I read Under Milkwood with a welsh accent rather than Burtons BBC/anglicised* one and it works so much better.
The Beeb did a production of Under Milk Wood last year with an all-Welsh cast (Tom Jones, Sian Phillips, Iwan Rheon and others whom I can’t remember now). It was hypnotic.
Shakespeare works really well in a black-country accent of the UK midlands.
There’s a group who perform OP (original pronunciation) versions of Shakespeare, some of them at The Globe. The verse, the jokes; it all makes sense. I can’t recommend them highly enough.
Don Quijotesays
Is it just me, or does anybody else find musical accompaniment with poetry anoying and distracting?
Artorsays
Here’s one of my favorite renditions. Omnia is a Pagan band from Europe.
A Masked Avengersays
Damn. A splendid reading ruined with shit sound effects. There’s nothing like an accompanying electric guitar to set that gothic mood (and half drown out Walken’s voice).
Von Kriegersays
I see your Christopher Lee and match you Vincent Price.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/embed/zuGZ_wp_i9w]
I’m rather partial to Samuel L Jackson’s reading of ‘Go the Fuck to Sleep’, to be honest. Nothing like poetry read by the right voice to calm the nerves.
I remember that track. It’s from “Closed on Account of Rabies”, a two-CD collection of Poe readings and one of my favorite random findings while loitering at Borders instead of going to class. Iggy Pop reading The Tell-Tale Heart and Gabriel Byrne doing The Masque of the Red Death were great, too.
http://www.discogs.com/Edgar-Allan-Poe-Closed-On-Account-Of-Rabies-Poems-And-Tales-Of-Edgar-Allan-Poe/release/606174
He had the wrong ‘accent’ for that – the phrasing seemed to muddle him and not come naturally. I’d guess Poe would have had a more English country accent than the Walken’s clipped one – perhaps more like the Islands off New England Nantucket?
I read Under Milkwood with a welsh accent rather than Burtons BBC/anglicised* one and it works so much better. Shakespeare works really well in a black-country accent of the UK midlands.
Wish we had recordings from then…
* I know Dylan Thomas spoke ‘posh’ but the characters are welsh and in his head I’m sure he heard them as such.
Raise your Christopher Walken with a Christopher Lee (and we all win!)
madtom1999 @3
Poe was born in Boston but was raised in Richmond, Virginia. He likely had a Southern accent.
Need more cowbell.
@madtom1999 #3:
The Beeb did a production of Under Milk Wood last year with an all-Welsh cast (Tom Jones, Sian Phillips, Iwan Rheon and others whom I can’t remember now). It was hypnotic.
There’s a group who perform OP (original pronunciation) versions of Shakespeare, some of them at The Globe. The verse, the jokes; it all makes sense. I can’t recommend them highly enough.
Is it just me, or does anybody else find musical accompaniment with poetry anoying and distracting?
Here’s one of my favorite renditions. Omnia is a Pagan band from Europe.
Damn. A splendid reading ruined with shit sound effects. There’s nothing like an accompanying electric guitar to set that gothic mood (and half drown out Walken’s voice).
I see your Christopher Lee and match you Vincent Price.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/embed/zuGZ_wp_i9w]
…well, that didn’t work. :(
Maybe this?
The Raven recited by Vincent Price.
@13 Von Kreiger
I missed it by that much. *said in my best Maxwell Smart impression.
There’s a Simpsons episode where James Earl Jones reads it. Halloween/Treehouse of Horror from about the second season.
@Mrdead Inmypocket(#15)
It’s really too bad there isn’t a recording of Don Adams reading “The Raven.” That would have been awesome.