September 1, 2008 - 750107 - The Murders In The Rue Morgue

[wadenjulie]

This week's CBSRMT Show of the Week is presented
by forum member wadenjulie:

750107 The Murders In The Rue Morgue 48kbps (http://rapidshare.com/files/141945358/CBSRMT_-_750107_0198_The_Murders_In_The_Rue_Morgue.mp3) (17MB)

written by Edgar Allen Poe adapted by George Lowthar;
starring Paul Hecht, Guy Sorel, Corrine Orr, Dan Ocko .

Encode quality: Good
Episode #198
Commercials and News: No
Station: KCBS 740
Preview: No

Click link above to download mp3 .
Link may expire in 45 days due to storage limitations.

Yes, it was difficult to follow up last weeks excellent
episode, but this one is a nice try.

[FredinAZ]

The Edgar Allen Poe stories are the only episodes I actually remember from listening to RMT during the original run and I listened faithfully for about 5 or 6 months in 74/75; then came HS graduation and collage. Unfortunately, RMT wasn't something I continued, due to other interests at the time. But those few months made a permanent impression and when I thought of RMT, I thought of the Poe stories.

Since rediscovering the show recently and listening to the favorites of others, there are many episodes that I've enjoyed much more than the Poe stories. My top 10 favorites no longer include them, but they will always be special for the sake of nostalgia.

Aside from the story, something I found interesting in this one was the commerical break after the 3rd act for "Western Appliance TV & Stereo" and their 4th of July "price blast" promoting Mitsubishi VHS Hi-Fi (for $598) and big screen TVs... "6 months, same as cash, with no payments until 1990"; the commercials are part of the fun.

Fred

[CardsFan]

Like Fred, I love the commercials. The ads transport back to the 70's, 8 track tapes, Brim coffee and Threes Company. The news bulletins are also great, particularly the Watergate related stories from the early part of the decade.

I enjoy the Poe adaptations more than Fred. "Berenice" and "The Oblong Box" are two of my favorite episodes and "The Fall of the House of Usher" is good as well. This show was decent but nothing spectacular. I prefer the Sherlock Holmes stories.

[FredinAZ]

The reason I mentioned the details in the Western Appliance commercial is because I was taken off guard by the inconsistency with the technology available during the original airdates of "Murders in the Rue Morgue" and the technology being advertised.

Rue Morgue was originally broadcast in 1975 and repeated in 1979... several years before VHS "Hi-Fi" VCRs were available (or VCRs in general). Except for the Himan Brown narrations in 1998, I didn't realize RMT was rebroadcast after it ended in 1982. It would have been interesting if this one had included a news broadcast; I'm guessing it may have been aired sometime around June 1989..(?)

[Midnight]

It's possible it could have been broadcast in the late 80's. I know some of the episodes in my collection were acquired in the late 80's -- early 90's, because WHAM ,out of Rochester, N.Y., brought it back on the air-- in reruns-- as simply "Mystery Theater" minus the previews of the next night's broadcast (They sneaked in an extra commercial break, instead).
As for this episode itself, It's not the best RMT adaptation of An Edgar Allan Poe, I think "The Fall of the House of Usher" qualifies as that, but it is enjoyable. The romance between Paul Hecht and Corine Orr is a little too corny, but otherwise this is a very fun listen. Guy Sorel creates an excellent Dupin. As he lectures Pierre-- all the points of deduction Poe was trying to illustrate-- are well represented-- the sifting of facts which are pertinent from those trivial.
Overall, a good choice for SOTW!!
Until Next Time...............