Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price) is visited by a raven at his window that turns out to be Adolphus Bedlo (Peter Lorre), a magician transformed in a failed duel with sorcerer Scarabus (Boris Karloff). Informed that his dead wife, Lenore (Hazel Court), has been seen in Scarabus’s castle, Craven, his daughter Estelle (Olive Sturgess), the now-human Bedlo, and his son Rexford (Jack Nicholson) set off to visit the imposing Scarabus.
The fifth Poe-based film directed by B-movie mogul Roger Corman for AIP, The Raven has even less connection to the macabre poet than the others. While House of Usher and Pit and the Pendulum were dark tales, The Raven is a spoof, with only a brief appearance by the bird and a partial quote of the poem to keep up the pretense. But Poe’s work has rarely made good cinematic material, so the deviation benefits the movie, which is one of Corman’s best.
The story is trivial, and the sets and special effects are barely functional, but the cast couldn’t be better. Price, Lorre, and Karloff were all masters of comedy, though seldom given a chance to display their prowess. Their timing is perfect. This is a chance to hear three of the great voices in cinematic history together, and it doesn’t disappoint. Price is so marvelously calm and polite throughout the picture. Lorre is in hysterical mode, while Karloff is Karloff. If you’ve heard him narrate The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, you know what you’ll hear. He speaks with menace, but always with a twinkle. Nicholson is overshadowed by the older masters, but it is nice to see him playing something different than the ravaging mad man he’s repeated in movie after movie for the last twenty-five years.
Boris Karloff was in ill health, and to make him more comfortable, he was often filmed sitting, which gives rise to one of the oddest magic duels you’re likely to see. It is reminiscent of Merlin facing off against Mim in The Sword in the Stone, except no one moves. It is silly, and goes on too long, but is a fitting climax to a fun little film.
Since Corman finished The Raven ahead of schedule, he quickly shot The Terror, with Karloff and Nickolson, in the few remaining days.
Other Foster on Film reviews of Vincent Price films: The Invisible Man Returns (1940), Laura (1944), The Fly (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), House On Haunted Hill (1958), The Terror (1963), Diary of a Madman (1967), The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971).