Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

A lot of fun.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

A boarder becomes increasingly horrified by the nasty eye of his landlord, and plans to kill him. However, he hasn't taken the power of a guilty conscience into consideration. One is faced with a challenge when adapting something that is already impeccable in its original form. To make one's work worth producing and, for others, to take in, one must truly do justice to what made it so. Poe's short story has chilled countless people for more than a century, with its downright disgusting descriptions, how direct he is in the rendition of pure terror, and of the immersion into madness. Many of his words are used here, with a pristine performance by James Mason bringing them to life. The sound FX and eerie music further enhance this retelling, and completing the trifecta is the vivid, at times surreal animation. Never a tale of people but one of states of mind, of emotion and mood, this barely shows faces, it is not a clear, chronological narrative, no, rather, you feel what our narrator felt, and while you undoubtedly want to distance yourself from his actions, you can't look upon the situation from the outside, with judgment and clarity, you are pulled in, and drown in the insanity. The dark, dingy colors, the sparse detail, indeed, at one point, even... sheer black. Silence. This is how you adapt this magnificent author, R.I.P. There is disturbing content in this. I recommend this to any fan of Gothic horror. 8/10

UPA's adaption of Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart is perhaps the studio's most unique representation of their attitude of animation: presenting an artist's point of view as well as staying true to the source material of a previous author's intent. James Mason is perfect as the first person narrator of his descent into madness concerning the murder of an elderly man whose white eye proves to be a very unsatisfying distraction to him. Lots of atmospheric music combined with some of the most intense abstract images and a dark screen for nearly 30 seconds contributes the most effective thriller moments in animation history. This is highly essential viewing for lovers of UPA and Poe.

Just tonight I saw this short in a presentation of animated films as part of the Milwaukee International Film Festival. I found myself literally watching this with my mouth hanging open in awe. The animation is not groundbreaking in the various techniques used, but the ways they are used, and the ways they are merged to create brilliant, original techniques in their own light, are astounding. The use of numerous versions of a full paintings to animate things like the changing of a light source is shocking in it's simple, yet immense effectiveness. The music is very minimalistic, but very appropriate for the film. James Mason is haunting in his narration. This film is one of the most beautiful, unconventional, and effective uses of the animation art form in American film history. It is a shame that it is not available on video, though it may be that the only way to really experience it fully is in a theater. In that case it is a shame that it isn't played very often.UPDATE...The film is now available as an extra on the DVD for the original theatrical version of the film Hellboy. The only reason I can see for this is that Hell Boy director Guillermo del Toro must be a fan of it. The film Hellboy isn't bad, but the DVD is worth it for this short alone. And it can be had quite readily in used shops for a very good price (I've seen them as low as $9.99).

I don't know how this one does not rate a 10. Outside of the Exorcist it is the only movie/film that really scared me. James Mason is masterful in this animated re-telling of the Poe classic. The still animated style and use of shadow and eery music is too good. I have to own this and show it to my kids when i get some. In the dark, there is nothing scarier than Poe.