Relativity Media has decided to mark the 162nd anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s death with the first look trailer at their new film The Raven featuring John Cusack as the famed writer whose fiancee (Alice Eve) has been kidnapped by a serial killer on a murder spree that mimics Poe’s work. Poe teams with Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) in an attempt to solve the case. V for Vendetta helmer James McTeigue directed the film.
Along with the trailer Relativity sent over a series of “unusual facts about Poe” which I have included below the trailer. Give it a watch below and see what you think.
The Raven hits theaters on March 9, 2012. You can get more info on the film including a detailed synopsis right here.
- Poe wrote a fabricated news story of a balloon trip across the ocean to garner attention and publicity in New York City.
- Poe was a champion for higher wages for writers and international copyright law, as his writings were continuously published without him getting credit or compensation.
- Prior to becoming Poe’s wife at the age of 13, his female cousin Virginia acted as a courier, delivering letters to Poe’s lady loves.
- From 1949 to 2009, a mysterious figure has left a half-empty bottle of cognac and 3 roses on Poe’s grave on his birthday.
- Poe formulated rules for the short story, including that it should relate a complete action and take place within one day in one place.
- Poe was deeply interested by cryptography, the creation and translation of secret codes, and was very proud of his ability to translate them. He would challenge readers of various publications where he worked to send him codes to decipher and, by all accounts, he seemed able to unlock the secrets to any he received.
- Poe’s lifelong dream of owning and operating his own publication never came to fruition.
- Poe met with Charles Dickens while Dickens was in the US on a lecture tour, and solicited his help with getting published in England–nothing ever came of it.
- Poe’s grandfather was an important figure in the American Revolution, contributing a large sum of his own money to outfit local branches of the Continental Army. His wife, Poe’s grandmother, personally sewed over 500 soldiers’ uniforms for Lafayette’s troops as they passed through Baltimore.
- Poe joined the Army in 1827, lying to recruiters about his age and name. He also published his first collection of poetry during this time. He achieved the rank of Sergeant Major.
- Poe experienced periods of extreme destitution, often having to burn his furniture to keep warm during the winter.
- Poe successfully sought expulsion from West Point. That being said, he was one of the top students in his class.
- Wrote poetic tributes to all the pivotal women in his life.
- Poe had two biological siblings, but all were raised in separate foster homes.
- Poe’s childhood hero was Lord Byron.
- The Poe House and Museum in Baltimore is in jeopardy of being closed in mid-2012 due to Baltimore City budget cuts. The city eliminated the Museum’s funding in 2010.
