The Raven (1935)
B&W – 61m
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 – Fullscreen
Title Poem by Edgar Allen Poe. Dir.: Lew Landers (Louis Friedlander).
Starring: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lester Matthews, Irene Ware, Samuel S. Hinds & Ian Wolfe.
A brilliant Surgeon (Lugosi) obsessed with the works of Edgar Allen Poe (particularly the title poem) saves the life of a beautiful dancer (Ware) but goes mad when he can’t be her man. To help him with his revenge scheme he enslaves a criminal on the run who he gave a purposefully botched facial surgery to (Karloff). Universal Studios has branded this a, “horror,” film. It may have been horror at the time of it’s release but now would pass as a thriller. To those who can still appreciate it for what it was when it was released, it is still horror. To those who are expecting a 1970’s or forward depiction of horror, this will come off as a light thriller that is slightly melodramatic. If you can keep an open mind though, there are a few places in this film where you may have to remind yourself to breath.
Note: Boris Karloff would go on to be in another same–titled movie that had little to do with the classic Poe poem. In that film he is teamed with Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Hazel Court, Olive Sturgess and Jack Nicholson. It is directed by Roger Corman with a script by Richard Matheson.
Out Of Print on VHS and Laserdisc but currently on DVD
The Raven (1963)
C. – 86m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen
Dir.: Roger Corman. Screenplay by Richard Matheson. Title Poem by Edgar Allen Poe.
Starring: Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Hazel Court, Olive Sturgess and Jack Nicholson.
Price, Lorre and Karloff are…well…priceless as three sorcerers. Lorre is a riot as a drunk who can’t keep his mouth shut and keeps being turned into a raven (hence the title). Price is the sorcerer who helps him regain human form, even if it is just temporarily. Karloff is aiming to be head sorcerer with the sexual aid of Price’s, “late,” wife Lenore, Court. Nicholson brings up the romantic rear as the son that Lorre wishes he never had. It may be a small part but Nicholson makes the most of it. Great costumes, sets, a witty script and a talented cast make this breezy film enjoyable. This is more of a comedy than anything else.
Four points of note: 1.) Price recites the first couple of stanzas of Poe’s classic poem and acts out a very loose rendering of the next few in the opening scenes. 2.) Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff did an LP album recording of each of them reading the Poe poem, from which the film gets its title. The three separate recordings were all edited together and released, in the aforementioned format, as a promotional gimmick for this film. 3.) This film is the 2nd film that Boris Karloff did that bore the title of the classic Poe poem but was only, “inspired by” it. Previously he was in another unrelated plotted version with Bela Lugosi, Lester Matthews, Irene Ware, Samuel S. Hinds and Ian Wolfe. 4.) There are stills available online, in books and on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of this film that have Price, Lorre and Karloff seated around a fire toasting marshmallows and smiling. These apparently come from a deleted scene that was never completely shot because the aforementioned trio kept cracking up and ruining the takes. Johnny Carson made reference to this in an interview he did with Price on The Tonight Show. Carson claimed to have seen the blooper reel of that scene at some party he attended. Sadly, if it does exist, it has not been made available to the public in any form – purchasable or otherwise (YouTube). A shame. The film is still watchable, forevermore.
Out Of Print on VHS and Laserdisc, but available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.
The Raven (2006)
C. – 81m
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 – Fullscreen
Title Poem by Edgar Allen Poe. No Name Cast
This is an alleged “thriller.” To say that this was, “inspired by,” Poe’s classic title poem is to be generous. To say that someone starred in this would be a dubious honor. To say that this resembles the far superior 2012 film would be blasphemous. What is left is a muddled visual telling of someone who clearly became obsessed with the Poe poem and dreamt of meeting him one too many times. There is violence at play here if you would care to fast-forward to it, otherwise nothing comes of this film. Nevermore!
Rated: [R] – Bloody Violence Throughout, Nudity & Sexual Content, Brief Language & Drug Use.
On DVD only; thankfully… And even that thankful point is questionable.
The Raven (2012)
C. – 110m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen
Title Poem by Edgar Allen Poe…
Starring: John Cusack, Luke Evans, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McNally.
Edgar Allen Poe was reportedly alone and delusional when he died. The premise of this film is that Poe is recruited by the police to solve a series of murders inspired by his dark stories. Originally Ewan McGregor was cast as Poe and Jeremy Renner as Inspector Emmet Fields but they dropped out. They were replaced by Cusack as Poe and Evans as Fields. A good thing they were because Cusack and the rest of the cast are exceptional in their roles. For any fan of historical fiction mysteries, this is a must!
Additional Trivia: The film is set in Baltimore, MD, USA but was filmed in Hungary and Serbia with mostly a British cast. Cusack is the lone American in the lead cast. Sylvester Stallone tried to get another Poe bio–pic made with Robert Downey, Jr as Poe but it fell apart. The first trailer for the film was released on October 7, 2011 – exactly 162 years to the day after Edgar Allen Poe’s mysterious death. It is also interesting to note that since the film’s theatrical release, the annual mysterious cloaked visitor to Poe’s grave who would leave a shot of Cognac and a flower has ceased. Dare I say?: “Nevermore.” The film is watchable forevermore.
Rated: [R] – Bloody Violence & Grisly Images.
On Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.