Watch Two Evil Eyes

Two Evil Eyes is a horror anthology movie from 1990, directed by George A. Romero and Dario Argento, based on two short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. The movie is constructed from two stories, "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" and "The Black Cat," each taking up about 50% of the film's runtime. The movie stars Adrienne Barbeau, Harvey Keitel, Ramy Zada, and Tom Atkins.

In the first story, "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar," Jessica Valdemar (Adrienne Barbeau) and her lover Dr. Robert Hoffman (Ramy Zada) attempt an experiment in which the dying husband, Ernest (Bingo O'Malley), is hypnotized at the point of death, in order to keep him alive in that state. The experiment is successful, but soon things take a macabre turn as the wife and doctor begin to have other ideas.

In "The Black Cat," we see Harvey Keitel as Roderick Usher, a photographer who is struggling with his dark impulses. After a night out, Usher comes home to find his cat has gone missing, assuming his lover Annabel is responsible, he takes out his frustrations on the cat he has found prowling in his yard. But as the situation spirals out of control, Usher begins to see horrific visions.

The construction of the movie is notable in that it brings two of the most famous directors in the horror genre together, each of them taking one of Poe's stories and giving their own interpretation. While some aspects of the stories were changed in order to fit them for the format of film, they stayed true to the grimy, gothic atmosphere of Poe's tales.

The performances in the film are generally strong across the board. Keitel and Barbeau, veterans of the horror genre, both give convincing portrayals of individuals spiraling out of control. Ramy Zada, who was not as well known, but is a standout as he brings a certain charm to his role as Hoffman. Supporting performances were generally good but were somewhat hamstrung. Tom Atkins, for instance, plays a police detective investigating the events in the second story, but does not have a lot of screen time.

The film benefits from two distinct tones. The first story, "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar," is a slow-burn affair that stresses the psychological deterioration of the protagonist. This story is Bergman-esque at times, with its focus on characters and their motives. The second story, "The Black Cat," is more of a visceral experience, with depictions of gore and horror being more explicit.

The movie is a definite must-see for fans of horror films, as it is a love letter to Poe's work, as well as a showcase for two of the horror genre's most iconic directors of the 20th century. That said, the film is definitely lacking the polish of a mainstream horror film; the budget was low, the effects are standard for the time, and the framing of the stories is not perfect, but those looking for a more literary and grounded take on the genre will find much to enjoy in this film.

Two Evil Eyes is a 1990 horror movie with a runtime of 2 hours. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1 and a MetaScore of 61.