Comic-Con 2011: John Cusack calls Poe ‘godfather of Goth’

John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe in "The Raven" (Relativity Media)

John Cusack really got into the role of Edgar Allan Poe for his part in James McTeigue’s upcoming thriller “The Raven,” due out next year and named for the landmark poem. The film, which is set in the last five days of Poe’s life and centers on a serial killer who’s using Poe’s writings as inspiration for his murders, was on display Friday during the Relativity panel in Hall H, and Cusack wowed the audience with his knowledge about the writer: “I saw some of Hunter S. Thompson in Poe — his unflinching ability to delve into the abyss and come back. He reminded me of Hunter in that way.”

He told stories of Poe’s antics: “He was invited to the White House, got drunk, was kicked out.” And of his tragic life: “Poe’s mother died of tuberculosis. Poe’s first wife died of tuberculosis. ‘The Raven’ made him a rock star, but he didn’t have the copyright, so he didn’t make any money.” The 45-year old actor clearly has great appreciation for the character he embodied: “He was the godfather of Goth.”

Co-stars Alice Eve and Luke Evans were also on hand to chat up the movie with director McTeigue — and share their own horror stories from the production. Eve, in particular, told stories of eating a lot of dirt in scenes where her character is buried alive: “James would throw it in my face. We were in Serbia, in the winter. I had a spit cup next to me. So … Method.”

– Nicole Sperling

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