Sep 221935
 
three reels

Beautiful, young, and beguiling Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware) crashes her car, leading to brain damage. The only one with a chance to save her is Dr. Richard Vollin (Bela Lugosi), a Poe-obsessed retired surgeon. Her father, stuffy Judge Thatcher (Samuel S. Hinds) pushes Vollin until he agrees. The operation is a success, and Vollin falls for her, and she has some feeling for him, though she is engaged to Dr. Jerry Holden (Lester Matthews). Her father puts an end to what little chance he had—and it was very little— driving Vollin further into insanity. When escaped murderer Edmond Bateman (Boris Karloff) tries to get Vollin to change his appearance, Vollin deforms him, and uses him as muscle in his plan to torture and kill those between him and the girl.

The Black Cat (1934), combing Karloff, Lugosi, sadism, great sets, and a title—though not story—derived from Edgar Allan Poe was a big hit, so they tried it again, and damn if they didn’t make one twisted and riotous picture. The Raven is outlandish, flamboyant, creepy fun. It’s also pretty shocking for 1935 (the production code was in effect), and scenes like a man tied under the slowly lowering bladed pendulum were used to support the partial ban on horror that was in effect from ’36 to ’38. It can’t live up to The Black Cat’s remarkable art design as few films could, but it beats it in story and sheer wildness. My only complaint is the one I had with The Black Cat; it doesn’t go far enough, but that’s far less of an issue here than there.

While I stated the art direction wasn’t as good, that doesn’t mean it isn’t fabulous. Vollin’s house is a wonder of improbability. It’s properly filled with assorted knick-knacks that can cast shadows, including a stuffed Raven. It also has multiple secret passageways, entire rooms that act as elevators, and a well decked out dungeon with some really nice torture and execution devices. Naturally everyone comes over when there’s a powerful storm.

Karloff is excellent as a killer who’d like to be better, and  mostly plays for pathos. Lugosi, however, truly knows what kind of film he’s in and goes full lunatic bombast. This is his film and he looks like he’s having a great old time. His enthusiasm is contagious, and I joined with him wanting to see a few folks get tortured to death. As he quite insanely points out, all this torturing will get torture out of him, making him the sanest man ever. Ummm. Sure. Why not?

This is a bonkers movie and definitely worth your time, particularly at your next horror-themed party.