The Raven (1963 film)

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The Raven

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Roger Corman
Produced by Roger Corman
Written by Edgar Allan Poe
Richard Matheson
Starring Vincent Price
Peter Lorre
Boris Karloff
Jack Nicholson
Music by Les Baxter
Cinematography Floyd Crosby
Editing by Ronald Sinclair
Distributed by AIP
Release date(s) January 25, 1963
Running time 86 min.
Country Flag of the United States
Language English
Budget $200,000
Gross revenue $1,499,275
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

The Raven is a 1963 horror film produced and directed by Roger Corman. It was written by Richard Matheson very loosely based on the poem, "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe. It stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff as a trio of rival sorcerers. A young Jack Nicholson plays a small role. The movie was part of series of Poe adaptions produced by Corman through American International Pictures. Nominally in the horror genre, it is more appropriately classified as a B movie horror-comedy. The movie is frequently confused with the 1935 film The Raven, which also featured Karloff.

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[edit] Plot

"The Raven" is about Dr. Erasmus Craven, a sorcerer who has been mourning the death of his wife Lenore for over two years, much to the chagrin of his daughter Estelle. One night he is visited by a raven, who happens to be a transformed wizard, Dr. Bedlo. Together they brew a potion that restores Bedlo to his old self. Bedlo explains he had been transformed by the evil Dr. Scarabus in an unfair duel, and both set out to pay a visit to him: Bedlo wants to exact revenge, and Craven wants to look for his wife's soul, who has been reportedly seen at Scarabus' castle.

Before they can set out they are attacked by Grimes, Craven's coachman, who is under the influence of Scarabus. After defeating him and restoring him, Craven, Bedlo and Estelle team up with Bedlo's son, Rexford, who is in turn possessed by Scarabus as they drive to his castle, and tries to crash the coach before coming to his senses.

At the castle, Scarabus greets his guests with false friendship, and Bedlo is apparently killed as he conjures a storm in a last act of defiance against his nemesis. At night, Rexford finds him alive and well, hiding in the castle. Craven, meanwhile, is visited and tormented by Lenore, who is revealed to be alive and well too, having faked her death two years before to move away with Scarabus.

As Craven, Estelle, Rexford and Bedlo try to escape the castle, Scarabus stops them, and they are tied and locked up. Bedlo panics and flees away in raven form, having convinced Scarabus to turn him back into bird form rather than facing torture. As Craven is confronted with the choice of Estelle's torture of him giving away the secrets of his "hand magic", Bedlo flies back in, frees Rexford, and together aid Craven.

Craven and Scarabus then seat facing each other and engage in a magic duel. After a lengthy performance of narrow escapes and derision, Craven defeats Scarabus, and escapes with his friends after rejecting Lenore, who tries to get back with him after alleging she had been "under a spell". The castle then tumbles down on Scarabus and his mistress, but they are shown to survive, though Scarabus has been stripped of his magic.

Rexford and Estelle retreat alone, and the final scene has Bedlo trying to convince Craven to turn him back to human form. Craven and Bedlo end the movie reciting the last lines of Edgar Allan Poe's poem - "Quoth the raven - nevermore".

[edit] Cast

[edit] Trivia

The Raven is the first film in which the legendary "Triumvirate of Terror" -- actors Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff -- all appear on screen together.

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