Product Details

• Actors: Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Hazel Court, Olive Sturgess
• Directors: Roger Corman
• Writers: Edgar Allan Poe, Richard Matheson
• Producers: Roger Corman, James H. Nicholson, Samuel Z. Arkoff
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Good Times Video
• VHS Release Date: September 16, 2003
• Run Time: 86 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000K39G
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,161 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A delicate mixture to watch over and over again!, July 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Raven [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Take a Richard Matheson comedy screenplay on a Poe story, direct it by Roger Corman, throw in some overpretentious spooky castle sets, a good deal of Boris Karloff, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre, all in their best mood, and a dash of Jack Nicholson.
Mix and...
Voila!
The result could only turn out as a dream for a true horror-flick fan. This is a treat for any fan of Boris, Vincent, Peter, Roger, Jack or the genre (some kind of bizarre horror-comedy) in general.
The story owes very little to Poes original poem, it has only borrowed vague elements from it in the opening scenes, but is still one of the real treasures in the Poe/Corman series.

Storyline sum-up: (SPOILER WARNING)
The film opens on a "midnight dark and dreary" with Vincnet Prices creepy voice reading the Poe poem "The Raven". We soon find ourselves in some kind of strange D&D land, early 16th century. Dr Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price)is a sorcerer mourning his late wife Leonore in his old castle. He is surprised by a raven "entreating entrance at his window lattice." He learns that the raven is amateur sorcerer Dr Adolphus Bedloe (Peter Lorre)who has been enchanted by the evil grandmaster of all sorcerers, Dr Scarabous, and from here on the film takes on an abruptly comical turn.
The set of to the dungeon laboratory to find an antidote for Bedloe. After some complications Bedloe returns to normal and recognizes a photograph of Leonore, claiming that he saw her in Scarabous castle that very evening. Cravens doubt him at first, but after Bedloe convincing him, Craven, Bedloe, Bedloes son, Rexford (Jack Nicholson !), and Cravens daughter Estelle (Olivia Sturgess)sets of to Scarabous remote mountain castle.
After an adventuric journey the arrive at the creepy castle (sets reused in "The Terror"). Inside they are confronted by Scarabous (Karloff in his very best, he REALLY seems to enjoy the part) who asures them that he has nothing to do with Cravens wife, and has not taken control over her spirit, as Craven believs. Scarabous manages to convince Craven and invites them to dinner, at wich Bedloe gets drunk and challanges Scarabous on a magic duell in wich he is "accidentally" turned into a pile of rasperry jam.
Scarabous who has created a thunder storm gets the company to spend the night at his castle. Know it is revealed that Leonore (Hazel Court) is alive, she has left Craven for Scarabous welth and power. Scarabous has a plan, in wich Bedloe helps him, to conquer the powers of Craven.
...

The potion mixturing scene, the duell between Scarabous and Bedloe and the final battle is masterpieces of comedy, and some moments they can get completely hilarious.
Vincent Price does an average good performance. He doesn't really reach up to the class of "House of Wax" or "Dr Phibes" but is stil highly enjoyable, with his usual charm and elegance. If you want to see a Poe film with Price at his absolutely best, watch "House of Usher" or "Pit and the Pendulum" instead.
Karloff, aging as a fine wine, never seem to had more fun. He is totally unrestrained as he smiles, glees, laughs and completely chew the scenery up with his hammy, lisping british accent, with wich he innocently asures; "Afraid, my dear? Theres nothing to be afraid of..." Look out for other highlight lines such as "Oh, dear! He really shouldn't have tried for that particular experiment, it requires such an enormous concetration" and his absolutely hilarious final line; "I'm afraid i just dont have it anymore".
Peter Lorre is superb as the total coward, uncureable drinker and rotten villain, Dr Bedloe. He gets the greatest share of good lines and brings up many laughters during the films 90 minutes playtime. The scene with the mad servant in Cravens castle, the dinner at Scarabous home and the final scenes is his absolute highlights.
And as for Jack Nicolson, well, he seems to have been in desperate need of a paycheck in 1963. Hes performance isn't really much to look for, despite his charisma, but a fan can make a nostalgical fiest only by his presence.
A fantastic horror-comedy, perhaps the greatest ever made. It isn't very frightening, but a masterpice none the less. Highly recommended for any classic horror fan and a real "clash of the titans".
A delicate mix to watch over and over again!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great B-movie!, October 18, 1999

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Raven [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The Raven stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff as three wizards. It has everything a B-movie needs: terrible dialog, special effects that border on non-existence, and much more. It is highly entertaining, and a great laugh (even though it is billed as "the macabre masterpiece of terror!")

As a special extra, a very young Jack Nicholson plays Peter Lorre's bumbling son! THIS IS A MUST-SEE!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Comedy from Masters of Terror, January 28, 2000

By 

Bruce Butler "ga_gandalf" (Mona, Utah United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Raven [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Karlof, Price and Lorre, the unbeatable trio of mild and humorous horror flics, deliver a performance with a cheesy but comedic atmosphere. Somewhere between "This Island Earth" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" lies this tale of transformation and wizardry, designed for gruesome laughs and light entertainment.