Wonderful, inspiring PBS American Masters show: Edgar Allan Poe: Premature Burial! Completely overturns the myth that Poe was insane, murderous and a lost drunkard, more like a character in his stories and not the real genius himself. The first obituary and elegy to Poe was written by a deep rival, whom Poe had mercilessly trashed in reviews.

It also shows that in the early 1800's ornate monuments began to be very popular in cemetaries and since mortality rates were 3 times higher than today, with seemingly healthy people suddenly struck down, that a national cult of death arose that provided rich soil for Poe's literature.This show is a FABULOUS literary tutorial and the actor portraying Poe is wonderful.

[vimeo.com]