House of Usher the Movie

As we know, "The Fall of the House of Usher" has an eternally dreary setting. So much so, that it was difficult to find actors and actresses that I could imagine in these roles. Since the story's dark setting was such of such magnitude, I finally decided to reflect on movies that made me feel the same way. I reflected on the history of the Usher family -- the uneasiness it brought me, the mystery, and the panic. Immediately, the numerous films of Alred Hitchcock I've seen in the past came to mind. Vertigo, Pyscho, The Birds, and Rear Window were still fresh in my mind. The suspense and progression of these Hitchcock movies lined up well with the suspense of "The Fall of the House of Usher"; they had an extensive "build-up", ending with a revelation, or twist. If this movie were to have a director, Alfred Hitchcock would be the one. To this day thinking of these movies gives me shivers (I suggest watching them).

The 3 main characters in the story are Madeline, Roderick, and the narrator. The choice for Madeline was straightforward. Kim Novak, who played Madeleine (coincidence indeed) in Vertigo matches well with the story. Her character was unsettling all the way through, going from suicidal with bizarre tendencies, to being the main piece to a plot-twist. Her performance was well-tied to the role, a role that I believe would be similar in The Fall of the House of Usher: The Movie. For the narrator, I chose Lex Barker. I know him from Winnetou, a series about the wild-west, back when cowboys and Indians were uber-popular in Germany. He played the role of "Old Shatterhand", a friend to Winnetou whom he closed a very close bond with. Though the series may look different to me now, "Old Shatterhand" remains the same honest and helping character, who remains objective in times of chaos, and stays calm. Thus I decided to make him the narrator because such a role requires consistent neutrality, because the narrator would often observe and not always intervene. Finally, Roderick would be played by Rhys Ifans, who played Xenophilius Lovegood, a peculiar character in the Harry Potter series. He would match Roderick's tense character and pessimism.