I know next to nothing about the original Murders in the Rue Morgue story. I knew it was a famous horror story... but that's about it. (I just would have guessed Poe - because who else is there? - and I would have been right.) I guess I remember reading Clive Barker's homage to the tale (which I think had a killer gorilla, if I recall)... what I'm getting at is I have no real attachment to the original story. Which is fine... because after a little wikipedia research the film has very little to do with the story anyways.
But the overall tone and setting seem kind of in line with what I'd expect a Hollywood Poe adaptation to do. It's a period piece, set in the early 1900s, and while the murders that do take place are occasionally gory, they aren't far enough out of line to make this feel like a slasher (or get it an R-rating - it's PG-13). But apparently the only real connective tissue between the story and this film is that it takes place at a theater where a stage version of "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is being performed. The film itself seems to borrow heavily from Phantom of the Opera, as our main killer guy has an acid burn on his face and a familiar looking mask and cape. He's also smitten with a particular actress, and goes to great lengths to make her notice how much he loves her.
Anyways, the gist of the story: Jason Robards (who I've never seen not as a really old man - he's cool!) is Cesar Charron, the leader of a theater troupe. Many years ago, the troupe experienced some nastiness, as one member was horribly disfigured during a performance, and another (Cesar's love interest) was murdered under very mysterious circumstances. But time heals all wounds, and 20+ years later the theater is thriving and Cesar is now married to Madeleine (the daughter of the old murder victim). But all of a sudden members of the troupe start being murdered again, and a mysterious masked man is seen lurking about the theater. In order to escape with their lives, Cesar, Madeleine, and the rest of the troupe must look deep into their past, digging up painful memories and exposing long hidden secrets.
So it's not you're typical whodunit. While there is a cop hanging around (a delightful Adolfo Celi), the main focus is on checking out Cesar and the people from his past who might want revenge on him and the troupe. You actually figure out who the real killer is early on, so the bulk of the mystery and intrigue comes much more from a "why" angle than a "who."
And overall Murders in the Rue Morgue is pretty enjoyable. The film has a good, period-appropriate feel - the sets and the costumes are cool, but not overdone. There are some kind of a surreal sections to the film as well, as Madeleine is prone to night terrors and hallucinations. Plus, our maniac has a little person helper who seems to enjoy using his diminutive stature to weird people out. And the mystery is genuinely intriguing. There aren't a ton of moving parts to keep track of, but it isn't insultingly simple either.
Horror-wise, nothing here is off the charts creepy or gory or anything like that. It's not necessarily a "fun" film, but I don't think it wants to alienate the mystery-loving demographic by being too mean-spirited or graphic. And the times that do get a bit nasty are usually fake - as in the violence is usually taking place during a play the troupe is putting on. So the film kind of gets to have its cake and eat it too.
The only aggravating parts of the film are when things try to get a little too fun. There are several scenes that take place in a street carnival (and especially one that takes place in a brothel with a lot of singing and dancing ladies) where the loud music and everyone's insistence on having "fun" just becomes grating. I'm guessing director Gordon Hessler was going for an over-the-top tone, or perhaps give the viewer a tonal overload of fun to contrast with the horrors taking place in the theater. But it just doesn't work. These scenes are pretty tough to sit through and kind of slow down the film momentum-wise. (I will say the way Hessler uses the carousel is pretty cool though.)
But it's not enough to derail thing by any means. Murders in the Rue Morgue is a well-made film with a well-spun story at its center - even if it pretty much abandons the plot of its namesake. It's got good performances from a game cast and the times it works far outnumber the times it doesn't. Plus, a guy in a monkey suit figures prominently into the action, which is always a bonus.
I would recommend this film.
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