Poe Today

Roman Polanski and Edgar Allan Poe have led very similar lives, just at different times in history. Roman Polanski was born in 1933 in France. In 1936 the family moved to Poland, and when Roman was 6, Germany took Poland. Roman's parents were sent to concentration camps. His mother died while there, but his father survived. They were reunited at the end of the war, but Roman suffered abuse from his father, and they didn't get along. Roman went to school in the late 40's, but his father wasn't pleased that he was taking film making classes. He broke into Hollywood with the horror, "Rosemary's Baby." This film was big, and inspired works like "The Exorcist" and "The Omen." In 1968 he married the actess Sharon Tate, but she died a year later at the hands of the infamous Manson family. After her death he returned to Europe. In 1974 Polanski made the hit "Chinatown." A story with Jach Nicholson as a detective. Soon after, he was charged of statuatory rape with a 13 year old girl. Getting a tip that he was going to be sentenced to prison, Polanski fled the country to France. He still has a warrant for his arrest if he ever enters the U.S. In France Polanski filmed "Tess" and dedicated it to Sharon. He didn't have another hit until the critically acclaimed "Pianist" was released based on WWII and concentration camps.
Polanski and Poe are similar in many ways. They both lost their mothers at young ages and were estranged with their fathers. Both lost their wives too soon, and dedicated their works to them. Both traveled a lot between the places they called home. Both wrote and made horror and detective stories. Both had many hardships in their lives. Polanski was accused of sleeping with a 13 year old girl, and Poe married a 14 year old girl (although it wasn't illegal then). For these reasons, I'd say that Roman Polanski is the person that most resembles Edgar Allan Poe.


				*Edgar Allan Poe* *Poe and Polanski*



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