When one thinks of Gothic horror, the first name to typically come to find is Edgar Allan Poe. Considered one of the masters of Gothic horror, his stories of mystery and terror have amassed a large fandom and have been adapted for the screen numerous times. But even more mysterious than the whodunit in his stories is the man himself. Though most of us are familiar with the later stages of Poe’s life, not many know who he was at the beginning. In THE PALE BLUE EYE, director Scott Cooper combines fact and fiction to give us a glimpse into a younger Edgar Allan Poe as he helps a weary detective solve an unusual murder.

For the release of THE PALE BLUE EYE, Nightmarish Conjurings’ Shannon McGrew spoke with actors Christian Bale and Harry Melling where they discussed everything from embracing their characters to their favorite Poe stories, and more.

In Scott Cooper’s latest film, THE PALE BLUE EYE, we’re transported to1830.  Located at West Point, in the early hours of a gray winter morning, a cadet is found dead. But, after the body arrives at the morgue, tragedy becomes savagery when it’s discovered that the young man’s heart has been skillfully removed. Fearing irreparable damage to the fledgling military academy, its leaders turn to a local detective, Augustus Landor (Christian Bale), to solve the murder. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, Landor enlists the help of one of their own to pursue the case, an eccentric cadet with a disdain for the rigors of the military and a penchant for poetry – a young man named Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling).

The film is directed by Scott Cooper and is based on the book by Louis Bayard. The film stars Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Timothy Spall, Charlie Tahan, and Robert Duvall.

THE PALE BLUE EYE arrives on Netflix on January 6, 2023. For more on the film, check out our review.