The Raven

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Hector I I wanted to watch the series of films Corman devoted to Poe, and this one was inspired by a Poe poem, The Raven. The film is very much in keeping with Corman's burlesque films of the time, such as The Little Shop of Horror. We follow the story of a magician, Vincent Price, who was very much a part of the horror films of the time. He plays a rather passive magician who isn't doing much in his (beautiful) castle, when a raven arrives to wreak havoc on his somewhat dull and indolent life. It's a film I found quite funny, it doesn't take itself too seriously and it's quite enjoyable, a bit like Polanski's Vampire Ball but less successful. The sets are pleasantly gothic, except perhaps for the view of the villain's castle. As in The Little Shop of Horror, the film features the very young Jack Nicholson, and it's very funny because you can recognize the look in his eyes and the way he raises his nose. A good gothic-comic romp released the same year as the more serious The Curse of Arkham, adapted from Poe with a title that clearly refers to Lovecraft. Oh yes, one last thing: I'm sure that the battle of magicians throwing light rays at each other inspired Lucas for Star Wars ! Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/21/25 Full Review Jay W This is a very strange film. So strange that it helped with the creation of Marvel's Dr. Strange. It is so unashamed of the crazy world they created that it just throws the audience in with no warning. Typically, in a movie like this, there would be some P. O. V. Character. A character that would be the audience surrogate and react to all the wild things going on. But not this film, they just go with it. One of the big selling points of this film is the all-star cast of horror and acting legends. Directed by Roger Corman, it has Peter Lorre, Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson. And they are dressed in silly outfits as they travel to a castle to participate in a grand wizard duel. That's really all I have to say. If it sounds awful, this isn't the movie for you. If that description sounds like fun, then you're who this movie is for. Quote the raven never more. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 11/21/24 Full Review Dave S It’s one thing to take liberties when turning a short story into a feature length film, as Roger Corman did with his Edgar Allen Poe adaptations. However, when you take Poe’s most iconic poem, The Raven, and turn it into a rollicking comedy about combative 16th century magicians, it feels a bit disrespectful and unnecessary. The cast is impressive (Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Jack Nicholson) and seems to be having a lot of fun and the sets and cinematography are both impressive, but the comedy never reaches the level of being even remotely funny and the special effects, especially during the final showdown, are embarrassingly bad. Best advice? Stick to Corman’s classics (House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, etc.) if you’re interested in his Poe adaptations. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 10/21/24 Full Review Jędrzej D This is my favorite film of Corman's Poe Cycle. With these low budget amusement park Haunted Hause type stage sets, props and nice comedy aspects it would lighten any Halloween. I watched this unprepared and every face that appeared on screen was a lovely surprise. It is such an all star cast that a regular watcher in the year 2024 should recognize at least most of the cast. I loved the duel and it's goofy special effects but it drags a bit too long. That's my only complaint. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/19/24 Full Review Dr. Michael J. B I use this movie for my film classes a lot. Students enjoy seeing a poem adapted into a goofy 60s horror-comedy. While the wizard-battle at the end is limited by the dated technical effects and Corman's budget constraints, it's still one of the best third acts in cinema. While other Corman adaptations of Poe are better in a technical sense, this one is enjoyable and is a good starting part for studying Corman films. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/06/24 Full Review Suzanne G Loved these classic horror actors showing a baby Jack Nicholson the ropes. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/05/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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