Best movie of this year hands down!

The Worst Film Ever

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The writers for this film had a heyday playing on words in connection with Edgar Allen Poe's classic poem, "The Raven." This was the earlier of two comedy-terror films released in 1963 with much of the same leading cast. The second film, "The Comedy of Terrors," had many more laughs. Still, this is a fun film to watch Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre in their haunts. Price plays Dr. Erasmus Craven – the first obvious wordplay. Lorre is Dr. Adolphus Bedlo. Since he spends half of his time turned into a raven, the writers might have switched their names. Karloff is Dr. Scarabus. A young Jack Nicholson plays Lorre's son, Rexford Bedlo. The rest of the cast are good. The Price and Karloff characters are antagonists with magical powers in "The Raven." With a rather lame script and not much humor in the dialog, many may find the movie dragging. Fans of the great fright masters of the past should enjoy it.

Magician Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price), enough of a talent that he can make magic with mere hand gestures, is visited one night by Adolphus Bedlo (Peter Lorre), who's been transformed into the title animal by Craven's rival, the nefarious Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff). After Bedlo has been turned back to human form, they travel to the castle of Scarabus, as Bedlo has told Craven that he has seen a woman there who resembles Craven's late wife Lenore (Hazel Court). Accompanying them on this adventure are Bedlo's bumbling son Rexford (Jack Nicholson) and Craven's lovely daughter Estelle (Olive Sturgess).As envisioned by author / screenwriter Richard Matheson, and realized by producer / director Roger Corman, this entry in Corman's series of Edgar Allan Poe related films is a delight. It's a spirited blend of horror and comedy, taking a playful jab at the entire Gothic horror genre. The pacing is rather deliberate, but the script & performances generate some hearty laughs. Clearly the actors are having a good time. Price and Lorre didn't make much sense of the script, and opted to play the material as broadly as possible. They also did a fair amount of improvising, which contrasted with the more meticulous approach that Karloff took. All of the ladies (including Connie Wallace as a maid) are ravishing, and Nicholson is fun to watch. The animation effects add to the goofy charm of the film. The major highlight, naturally, is the climactic sorcerer's duel between Price and Karloff. Price was very afraid of the boa that had to be draped around his neck at one point.The music by Les Baxter perfectly matches the mood of each scene, and Corman's collaborators, production designer / art director Daniel Haller and cinematographer Floyd Crosby, bring their A game as usual. Almost all of the credits are saved for the final few minutes.Followed by the subsequent (and far more serious) Corman/Price combo, "The Haunted Palace".Eight out of 10.

This movie is a hoot. It is so funny when Vincent Price and Boris Karloff have their magic duel to the death, but when Price wins he leaves Karloff alive but exhausted of magic. By facial expressions alone during the duel you can see that Price is in control and even contemptuous of Karloff's magical attempts. Now Price's wife, Lenore, having left a substitute body in her tomb went over to Karloff two years ago. She is basically a whore for power. Peter Lorre is one of the three sorcerers but he is the least of the three. Actually pretty pathetic compared to the other two. Jack Nicholson appears in this film as Lorre's son. He evidently has no magical talent but does have chutzpah and helps out Price's daughter. In the end Lorre has been turned back into a raven, goes to Price to become human again. It doesn't happen as Price decides it is a fitting punishment for hem to remain a bird. The last line of the movie is the last line of Poe's poem, quoth the raven nevermore.

It's hard to believe this was written by Richard Matheson, who passed on just a few days ago, R.I.P. He wrote some fine short stories and a couple of neat scripts for "The Twilight Zone." But here, I suppose, trapped in the strictures of time and budget, the story is meandering and ultimately unimportant, taking second place to a variety of inexpensive special effects and whimsical conversation that aims at wit but never quite makes it. You want comedy? Here are Vincent Price and goggle-eyed Peter Lorre as two Medieval sorcerers trying on funny hats.There are a few amusing lines. Peter Lorre is changed back and forth from a raven to a human and in the latter configuration is given to complaining about how itchy the pin feathers are and how he's always being attacked by hawks. They're not VERY funny but at least someone was trying.I don't think the film deserves much more attention. Boris Karloff is the third sorcerer and I understand they had fun making this silly movie. Clowning around, Lorre opened one of the caskets and said, "Why, Jack WARNER!" I'm glad they enjoyed themselves. I doubt many viewers will, except maybe children.Poe's poem, "The Raven," is a genuine nightmare. I remember visiting the house in Philadelphia where he wrote it. A small piece of crumbling brick had fallen out of one of the walls and I pocketed it. I don't know why I'm mentioning that. It's probably a crime. But I've always admired Poe's work and often been moved by it, one way or another. And all we see or hear of the original raven is, I think, the first stanza (or part of it) of the poem, in a voice over by Price. For a fine reading, if anyone is interested, see if you can find Basil Rathbone's tape. But, as for this movie, why did they both to drag Poe in at all?