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Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the most sublimely silly products to emanate from Roger Corman's studio, The Raven has the very loosest of connections with the Edgar Allen Poe poem that gives it its title and which Vincent Price intones sepulchrally at the beginning. A retiring magician, Craven (Price) has opted out of the power struggles of peers such as Dr Scarabus (Boris Karloff) to brood on his dead wife and bring up his daughter. The arrival of Bledlo (Peter Lorre), an incompetent drunk whom Scarabus has turned into the raven of the title, involves him in everything he had renounced--life is complicated further by the arrival of Bledlo's son Rexford, played by a staggeringly young Jack Nicholson. The special effects are almost perfunctory, yet the culminating magical duel between Price and Karloff is inventive and charming; this is one of those films that looks as if the actors enjoyed making it; while the script by Richard Matheson has a blithe awareness of its own shortcomings that makes it hard to dislike.
On the DVD: The Raven comes to DVD with very boxy remastered mono sound, but is presented in its original widescreen 2.35:1 ratio, formatted for 16:9 TVs. The only extra is the original theatrical trailer. --Roz Kaveney
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), German ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Italian ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Dutch ( Subtitles ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), German ( Subtitles ), Italian ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: In this tongue-in-cheek movie inspired by Poe's poem, Dr. Craven is the son of a great sorcerer (now dead) who was once himself quite skilled at that profession, but has since abandoned it. One evening, a cowardly fool of a magician named Bedlo comes to Craven for help- the evil Scarabus has turned him into a raven and he needs someone to change him back. He also tells the reluctant wizard that Craven's long-lost wife Lenore, whom he loved greatly and thought dead, is living with the despised Scarabus. ...The Raven
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I have a great deal of affection for this film, which I first saw as a teenager when it came out. Not the typical Corman adaptation of Poe, but I very tongue in cheek (and very nearly camp) version. Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff shamelessly ham it up and spoof their own images and careers. A very young Jack Nicholson is as wooden as he is straight and never stands a chance against three veteran scene-stealers. There are also a couple of forgotten starlets who were hired more for their cleavages than any other talent. The budget is low, the effects prehistoric, but the performances, script and direction more than make up for it. This film could only have been made in the Sixties. If the three stars were slightly past their peak, they are still full of fun and mischief. Vincent Price in particular seems to be forever saying to the audience: "I know it's nonsense and you know it's nonsense, but it's fun, isn't it?" Even so, it is Peter Lorre who gets some of the best lines. When entering a crypt, he looks around at the dust and decay and cobwebs and comments dryly: "Hard place to keep clean, huh?" Not a horror film (unless you count Nicholson's horrible acting), not one for Poe purists, but much more a very offbeat entertainment. Get out the popcorn and enjoy.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you've never seen this film, you must. If you like Roger Corman/1950-1960's schlock horror, you must see this film. I've always been a fan of Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre. What a bonus, a film with all three! And to top it all, it's based on an Edgar Allan Poe tale (okay, so it is very loosely based). The film tells the tale of 3 wizards, Peter Lorre is sort of the bait, with Vincent Price and Boris Karloff pitting their magical knowledge against each other - yes, the good guy does win! Also appearing in one of his very early roles, is a very young Jack Nicholson (as he did quite often in early l960's Corman films) as Peter Lorre's son. Great viewing - a pleasant time is guaranteed for all.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I first saw this film about 8 years ago it wasn't a great copy,one we had taped from the tele but i loved it.At the time i thought it was really scary and being only 10 could not work out how they do all the (special effects) and i do use this term loosely. However i really enjoyed the film and it became one of OUR regular saturday night in movie.Untill our video player blew up ruining the film. Since then i have been searching everywhere for it, with no luck untill now. I reccomend this film to anyone who doesnt mind ancient effects and a bit of gore.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An amusing piece of vintage Vincent Price
An hilarious adaption of the book by Poe. Vincent Price hams it up splendidly.
the DVD was well packaged by the seller and dispatched superfast.
I am glad to own it.
the DVD was well packaged by the seller and dispatched superfast.
I am glad to own it.
Published 29 days ago by keely comet
An amusing tale
I bought this as I collect films starring Jack Nicholson. In this film he appears as a very young man, in contrast to some of the others stars. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Sd Smyth
The raven
Very good viewing! special type film from 1960 or so, especially for fans of Boris Karloff and Vincent Price!
Published 19 months ago by Mr. S. C. Wilde
Fantastic horror spoof
A really wonderful send up of the old Gothic Horror genre with all the old stalwarts hamming it up for all they're worth along with a very young Jack Nicholson - he looks like he's... Read more
Published on 14 May 2010 by William Atherton
The Raven, 1963; 2004 MGM release - A classic, a veritable classic.
Starring three of the Horror genre's finest - Karloff, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre (along with a very young Jack Nicholson), directed by Roger Corman and `based' on a tale by... Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2010 by Victor
The Raven
Terrific performances from veterans Karloff,Lorre and Price and an interesting almost debut from a young Jack Nicholson make this macabre comedy a joy to watch. Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2010 by Ken McCormac
Comic Relief in a rather bleak film repetoire
I must have seen all the Roger Corman horror films - Pit and the Pendulum, the Fall of the House of Usher, The Masque of the Red Death instantly come to mind. Read more
Published on 10 Sep 2008 by Glen1975
Utterly bewitching
This film is excellent. It stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff and the lovely Hazel Court. The story is slightly silly, but very entertaining. Read more
Published on 21 Oct 2007 by John Ryan
price and corman at their best.
this is without a doubt one of the best collaborations between vincent price and director roger corman. Read more
Published on 4 Aug 2006 by Mr. A. E. Ward Davies
Peter Lorre is a puddle of jam
Rating Explanation
I watch and own a huge number of films and can sit through most
dross. My ratings are based on my personal response to films,not
any standard of... Read more
Published on 24 Jan 2006 by Fiona Mac
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