Christopher Lee reads Edgar Allan Poe - 1: The Fall of House of Usher

[@paulacatcatballou3907]

Finally finding the best voice to read this story one of the masters of horror himself Christopher Lee..

[@LucyLioness100]

I have multiple audiobooks narrated by him in my library. His voice is so calming yet can be terrifying depending on the story (Dracula particularly). This is the best rendition of this tale I’ve ever heard; Sir Christopher Lee reciting ‘The Haunted Palace’ within the narrative is beyond rapturous

[@Dayanera]

@@LucyLioness100 I agree! I've listened to a lot of different versions of this story. And my goodness he is literally PERFECT. I really, really think he nailed it

[@everythingsstillromanticright]

@@LucyLioness100 9

[@Itsallindica]

Homer Simpson and Bart read Poe almost as well. Quoth the raven, “eat my shorts.”

[@lazydog67]

Absolutely. There's no better, not even Vincent Price.

[@gailjacquelinemrsgray2507]

I love listening to Christopher lee readings he has such charisma about him and a awesome reader.

[@NicoleRoseForbus]

agreed!

[@willnash7907]

had :*(

[@mrmrsmarshall9110]

'an' awesome.....

[@blowitoutyourcunt7675]

Try horror babble's KZbin channel!

[@AusNav09]

@@mrmrsmarshall9110 Yes indeed.

[@emonael]

"dreary" is such a beautiful word

[@puffinbilly9894]

christopher lee & poe. what a treat

[@VanSolo-uk]

Fantastic :) I bought this from ASDA with a voucher when I was 9, by the time I was in my teens the two tapes were stretched, snapped & repaired several times but still got used most weeks... then lost when I left home. Started to listen to these and can recite word for word ... lol Thanks Mc

[@ralph0149]

I keep imagining Lord Summerisle, reading this to the children of the island, on the beach, with the smoldering embers of the Wicker Man in the background.

[@Sweet_Z_Official]

You know this is absolutely brilliant when Dracula, himself, is reading Edgar Allan Poe.

[@dawnjb8095]

I definitely borrowed this cassette tape from Sutton Coldfield Library when I was in England 28 years ago. I did not understand much of it at the time, but now I do a little bit better. It all brings back memories of the English countryside with dark, cold, wet and lonely winter time. Thank you for uploading.

[@ceilingsandfloors]

Christopher Lee reads this fucking perfectly. He way he captured the mood of that climax towards the end was beautiful. I must try and find some more readings he did.

[@stevehall5299]

Absolutely superb, this man had such intelligence, and elequence, an intimate knowledge of what is required to narrate Poe, perfect.

[@heywen]

Christopher Lee reading Poe is so relaxing.

[@marisp2588]

Doesn't get any better than Christopher Lee. Man was a legend.

[@LucyLioness100]

While I do also enjoy Basil Rathbone’s recitation of this iconic tale, by far this reading by Sir Christopher Lee is the greatest. His timbre hauntingly conveys Poe’s prose with a flow between enchanting yet also underlying terror; his reading of “The Haunted Palace” sends chills down my spine yet also creates the imagery Poe creates with his verse

[@sdovas]

Lee could read the phone book and make it sonorous and engaging.

[@filmnoir50]

Thanks for the upload! I love this man. RIP, Sir Christopher.

[@TheVoiceOfDonnaBayliss]

Seeing the latest Netflix series drew me back to the original audiobooks narrated by Christopher Lee that I remembered my own childhood. This is narration in its most perfect presentation…how wonderful to hear them again after so long. Thank you!:-)

[@chlov]

this guy is a legend. saving all english students

[@TheRedAirOn]

Is this the full story?

[@Comfortdoll]

"The Fall of the House of Usher" always scared me as a kid, not because of the story, but because I have relatives named Usher and part of my brain was afraid their issues would happen to us, lol. I still loved Poe though

[@Darvit_Nu]

I love this reader's voice pitch, tone and inflection. A good reader makes an already very good story more interesting to listen to. ♥️ Thank you for posting this. Edgar Allan Poe is one of my top favorite writers.

[@opelrobertson5635]

He has the best and most interesting voice! Could listen to it all day!!

[@WolfMaiden11]

No matter what he reads, Christopher Lee always makes it interesting. I just love listening to the sound of his voice as he reads; I can almost imagine sitting across from him in an armchair by the fire place on a stormy night, a book open on his lap, the flames in the hearth dancing as he reads aloud while a storm rages outside, lightning occasionally flashing across the dark, dancing skies...

[@memecraft8876]

Love the imagry

[@FrederickTheGrt]

He could read the detailed description of VD from a medical dictionary and it would be both riveting and spectacular.

[@WolfMaiden11]

@@FrederickTheGrt Exactly

[@glamdolly30]

What a melodious voice Christopher Lee had - the perfect storyteller.

[@davidbailey5231]

When I was literally a babe in arms and crying in the night, my mother (in pace requiescat) would walk around our home with me in one arm and a collection of Poe in the other. I can vividly recall the wonder I felt, though of course I cannot have understood more than a fraction of what I was hearing, when she read aloud The Fall of the House of Usher, Ligeia, and A Descent into the Maelstrom. This may sound like rampant bull, but I wouldn't dishonor my mother's memory. It left me with a love of literature, particularly Poe. What a wondeful gift.

[@WolfMaiden11]

It doesn't sound like bullshit; it sounds like a precious memory and gift she gave you...

[@h.calvert3165]

Your mother was obviously a woman of genius & soul. Poe would have honoured her. 🌹

[@jnaranjo7891]

Quoteth the Rayveness- “ rampant bull**** nevermore.”

[@__mastershifureads__]

💗💗

[@mwmann]

Isaiah 53 would have raised the barnacles across your spine !!!!!

[@mamamiabenjamia]

the narrator in the story is one damn good friend. i can only dream of a friend like that to sit and read to me and indulge my fancies while i go nuts.

[@mephistophelesgoestowork4368]

Christopher Lee is one of the coolest people who ever lived. Absolute legend.

[@andrewdavidhunt9433]

I actually had this as a child Thank you so much

[@petem216]

love this. lost the tapes. thanks

[@terecee1204]

My favourite author and the perfect voice Christopher. Thank you.

[@starrikiru]

it is an HONOR to listen to a story read by CHRISTOPHER LEE HIMSELF

[@andrewhunt5366]

These recordings were fantastic I had this as a kid. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@tobypack6328]

Simple Fantastic

[@raphaeldantona1550]

Darkly beautiful!!! Awsome!!! =)

[@paulacatcatballou3907]

Raphael D'Antona Your name is Beautiful.

[@andrewhunt2913]

thank you x I grew up with this xxx

[@alanbourbeau24]

The fall of the house of usher is one of my favorite stories. I listened to it one time when I did something that was wrong and obscene. My dad found out what happened and was angry at me. Listening to this story made me feel calm and relaxed.

[@peterbeadman9010]

Please expand.

[@DarkeningSkies1]

Only Poe could describe someone getting the creeps when riding up to a house so delectably poetically...

[@Madmen604]

Wonderful theatrical, resonent voice for this reading. Wonderful.

[@neilangus4401]

Yes Christopher's Shakespearian Vocal training always makes for Rich narration

[@blazing_orchids]

wonderful reading but i wish i knew it was abridged because i was trying to read along

[@jerryjohnson8485]

Very good adaptation of the story and very good reading, well done

[@marcmauhay]

Twice the pride, double the fall

[@gutocardoso1977]

What a disappointment finding out that this is an abridged version with several omissions. Lee's voice and narration is amazing, perfect for this, but you don't simply edit Poe.

[@konaaukai5541]

I agree. Poe's general rule of thumb when writing a short story was to keep it short enough to complete in one sitting. He also did not believe in wasting words, that every word needs to add to the story (driving plot, building atmosphere, etc.) or be removed. To abridge something so meticulously crafted feels insulting.

[@Fadem12forReal]

Just enjoy it

[@DenkyManner]

@@Fadem12forReal Just enjoy the needlessly butchered version. Come on now.

[@markweatherill]

Well, Poe does write like he was being paid by the word, but doing a Reader's Digest job on him is, I agree, an unwarranted liberty.

[@brucevaughn2886]

First read this story in elementary school. Over the years I’ve enjoyed reading it multiple times. This abridged version does no appreciable violence in to the story.

[@josephb3193]

This is what I call literature. ❤️

[@miyahantman8325]

CHRISTOPHER LEE RLLY ATE THAT UP LIKE...

[@jeanettesdaughter]

The finest first sentence in one of the finest opening paragraphs in English literature! Du Maurier comes a close second in Rebecca. Revery…and then voici! we are there.

[@thefisherking78]

Who else is here because of Netflix? Love it!

[@nickmiller5543]

Classic. Cris Lee good as it gets

[@egojonesband]

Count dooku out here helping me pass literature class

[@mwmann]

I know not what other men may say, but as for me, give me Sir Christopher Lee or give me death !!!

[@StephenLuke]

This video was released 1 month after Christopher Lee’s death on June 7, 2015.

[@maelewis25]

If you set the speed of the video lower, it's even better.

[@jobromo123]

Im trying to read a long with the book and he keeps skipping parts

[@MrTStoddart]

This would be even better if I could hear the record playing. ;) Thanks for uploading.

[@paulfitzpatrick954]

Splendid. Splendid!

[@PlayNiceFolks]

Damn, that is young Lee. Brilliant

[@nataliya2641]

Hello from Moscow. Subscribed.

[@stinkyratman]

Dude that voice is nutty

[@Pickleyboi]

Don't you love being forced to listen to a story that you already were forced to read.

[@nadine8162]

Unfortunately, this is not the full version :(

[@JuanGarcia-vh7zo]

I thought I was losing my mind at first. Something wasn't right. But no, my mind is not lost. After starting the video over, I realized what was wrong. The story has been edited big time! WTF!

[@cecilyerker]

This is amazing but the version he’s reading has a lot of lines missing, presumably cut for time. It makes it frustrating to read along to.

[@outragedamerican1149]

why are large sections of text skipped in this reading?

[@lisbeth9668]

outraged american to make a more theatrical reading perhaps?

[@blowitoutyourcunt7675]

Abridged version?

[@andrewhunt5366]

It is an abridged recording. It states so on the box.

[@kassidy3539]

I agree, I'm reading the abridged version, but it skips large chunks

[@FrankieParadiso4evah]

Poe himself couldn't have read it better...

[@dmx5439]

Subscribed 😊

[@stanochocki8984]

While in College, in the early 70's; a Psych Prof. gave our class copies of an article from a Medical Journal, in which amateur sleuth Doctors would per descriptions given by an author: diagnosis said maladies. I wish I still had it, for their 'guessed' diagnosis for the Family Usher was given, as well as for the sister.....ergo, today--would be treatable. I believe it was mostly due to: diet and too much a lack of 'fresh blood'--genetically. Has anyone else ever come across, articles doing such things?

[@Goddess-of-Beer]

Haven't heard of that, but sounds quite interesting. That reminded me of a documentary about Poe's death. There were a few doctors who diagnosed Poe with heavy metal poisoning from a story he wrote. It was called Dead Men's Tales.

[@apex2000]

RIP Lord Lee

[@AnomalyINC]

I like windows, too.

[@beanzy66]

Still got the tapes of these. Any chance of the other one?

[@jamieundead1232]

This is abridged

[@jbizzle4922]

GANDALF!

[@johnpoole3871]

No...the other wizard.

[@whistle-blower2749]

Err no. Saruman

[@Anon26535]

You remember our venerable house? Opulent and imperial?

[@bernarddougcook6787]

In the very first line, didn't Poe write it as "o'er" many a quaint and curious..., and not "over"??

[@DouglasKane-d1s]

This is why God invented audiobooks!

[@shadetreader]

Another cautionary tale reminding us that inbreeding is a bad idea

[@saroman_valar]

... and I thought I can understand english language pretty well... :/

[@curuvari2247]

Hey where is the part about the opium :/

[@SpencerMusicSchool]

I love listening but Christopher Lee skips many sentences.. So this is an "abridged version"

[@Filbi]

Is this abridged?

[@jaysmart6158]

Get the book here --> amzn.to/2OCZEyY affiliate

[@dashcamcreate1587]

Is there a text available of this reading?

[@GhostsOfJenova]

Dashcam Create Yes it's called a book...

[@wiltedwillows5292]

anyone else here for school?

[@tweakiepop]

Vaporous miasmas

[@mdyothe]

He skips a lot of the story in his reading

[@rocioalejandralenerogonzal2921]

66. 6 h. 6.

[@bobmorane4463]

8:00

[@DoubleMJPierce]

It skips

[@alexismelgar1597]

Can someone spoil it for me it’s an assignment and i just want to get it done 😭

[@Dr.Pepper001]

Doesn't sound like Christopher Lee.

[@scaridaghostly]

This does not sound like Christopher Lee

[@eduardo_corrochio]

Wrong. It is his voice.

[@scaridaghostly]

@@eduardo_corrochio I didn't say it's not his voice. I said it doesn't sound like him. I've just never heard him this young before.

[@eduardo_corrochio]

@@scaridaghostly Oh! Now I get what you meant. If you like his movies (LOTR, Star Wars, etc) you could try his older stuff ... like the series of British movies from the late 1950's through the 1970's where he played Count Dracula, or the drive-in flick Horror Hotel (aka City of the Dead), or the anthology movie Dr. Terror's House of Horrors. He really had a good deep voice in his prime. I still find it cool that Lee not only played Dracula but also the Frankenstein monster and the mummy, in other films. He might be the only actor who has done all those roles. Also: he turned down the role of Doctor Loomis in John Carpenter's 1978 thriller Halloween, and later told Carpenter it was a huge mistake.

[@Swagalicious007]

Idc

[@killianro]

Lifeless, Vincent Price is way better.