Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #153929 in DVD
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Running time: 86 minutes

Customer Reviews

A delicate mixture to watch over and over again!
Take a Richard Matheson comedy screenplay on a Poe story, direct it by Roger Corman, throw in some overpretentious spooky castle sets, a good deal of Boris Karloff, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre, all in their best mood, and a dash of Jack Nicholson.
Mix and...
Voila!
The result could only turn out as a dream for a true horror-flick fan. This is a treat for any fan of Boris, Vincent, Peter, Roger, Jack or the genre (some kind of bizarre horror-comedy) in general.
The story owes very little to Poes original poem, it has only borrowed vague elements from it in the opening scenes, but is still one of the real treasures in the Poe/Corman series.

Storyline sum-up: (SPOILER WARNING)
The film opens on a "midnight dark and dreary" with Vincnet Prices creepy voice reading the Poe poem "The Raven". We soon find ourselves in some kind of strange D&D land, early 16th century. Dr Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price)is a sorcerer mourning his late wife Leonore in his old castle. He is surprised by a raven "entreating entrance at his window lattice." He learns that the raven is amateur sorcerer Dr Adolphus Bedloe (Peter Lorre)who has been enchanted by the evil grandmaster of all sorcerers, Dr Scarabous, and from here on the film takes on an abruptly comical turn.
The set of to the dungeon laboratory to find an antidote for Bedloe. After some complications Bedloe returns to normal and recognizes a photograph of Leonore, claiming that he saw her in Scarabous castle that very evening. Cravens doubt him at first, but after Bedloe convincing him, Craven, Bedloe, Bedloes son, Rexford (Jack Nicholson !), and Cravens daughter Estelle (Olivia Sturgess)sets of to Scarabous remote mountain castle.
After an adventuric journey the arrive at the creepy castle (sets reused in "The Terror"). Inside they are confronted by Scarabous (Karloff in his very best, he REALLY seems to enjoy the part) who asures them that he has nothing to do with Cravens wife, and has not taken control over her spirit, as Craven believs. Scarabous manages to convince Craven and invites them to dinner, at wich Bedloe gets drunk and challanges Scarabous on a magic duell in wich he is "accidentally" turned into a pile of rasperry jam.
Scarabous who has created a thunder storm gets the company to spend the night at his castle. Know it is revealed that Leonore (Hazel Court) is alive, she has left Craven for Scarabous welth and power. Scarabous has a plan, in wich Bedloe helps him, to conquer the powers of Craven.
...

The potion mixturing scene, the duell between Scarabous and Bedloe and the final battle is masterpieces of comedy, and some moments they can get completely hilarious.
Vincent Price does an average good performance. He doesn't really reach up to the class of "House of Wax" or "Dr Phibes" but is stil highly enjoyable, with his usual charm and elegance. If you want to see a Poe film with Price at his absolutely best, watch "House of Usher" or "Pit and the Pendulum" instead.
Karloff, aging as a fine wine, never seem to had more fun. He is totally unrestrained as he smiles, glees, laughs and completely chew the scenery up with his hammy, lisping british accent, with wich he innocently asures; "Afraid, my dear? Theres nothing to be afraid of..." Look out for other highlight lines such as "Oh, dear! He really shouldn't have tried for that particular experiment, it requires such an enormous concetration" and his absolutely hilarious final line; "I'm afraid i just dont have it anymore".
Peter Lorre is superb as the total coward, uncureable drinker and rotten villain, Dr Bedloe. He gets the greatest share of good lines and brings up many laughters during the films 90 minutes playtime. The scene with the mad servant in Cravens castle, the dinner at Scarabous home and the final scenes is his absolute highlights.
And as for Jack Nicolson, well, he seems to have been in desperate need of a paycheck in 1963. Hes performance isn't really much to look for, despite his charisma, but a fan can make a nostalgical fiest only by his presence.
A fantastic horror-comedy, perhaps the greatest ever made. It isn't very frightening, but a masterpice none the less. Highly recommended for any classic horror fan and a real "clash of the titans".
A delicate mix to watch over and over again!

A great B-movie!
The Raven stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff as three wizards. It has everything a B-movie needs: terrible dialog, special effects that border on non-existence, and much more. It is highly entertaining, and a great laugh (even though it is billed as "the macabre masterpiece of terror!")

As a special extra, a very young Jack Nicholson plays Peter Lorre's bumbling son! THIS IS A MUST-SEE!

Great cinematic fun...
The combination of the actors and directors in this film is classic; Price, Karloff and Lorre are a lot of fun to watch and feed off each other. The magic-death match sequence itself is possibly Corman's greatest achievement. Simply unbeatable.