Spirits Of The Dead (1968)

Starring Brigitte Bardot, Alain Delon, Jane Fonda, Terence Stamp, James Robertson Justice

Directed by Roger Vadim, Louis Malle, Federico Fellini
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Famed directors Roger Vadim, Louis Malle, and Federico Fellini adapt tales of Edgar Allan Poe in this anthology featuring some of Europe's biggest stars.

This film certainly sounds intriguing, promising fresh takes on the works of Poe by acclaimed European directors with Bardot and Fonda among the cast, but if you're expecting gripping tales of horror, they're not to be found here.  The stories selected are among Poe's lesser known works, and the emphasis here is on the directors' visual style and presentation rather than building terror and suspense.  Although each tale has some horrific elements in it, they almost seem like afterthoughts, particularly in Fellini's vignette, which updates the setting to the present day to present a satire of film and celebrity akin to the director's 8 1/2.  Film scholars may find a wealth of artistry to dissect and analyze, but as a horror film I found it to be profoundly lacking.