Movie Review: The Raven (1963)

I think it’s probably safe to say this isn’t how Edgar Allan Poe would want his writing represented. I consider myself a fan, overall, of the Corman-Price-Poe films. I think they’ve got wonderful gothic atmosphere, some great roles for Vincent Price, and usually an oustanding supporting cast. This movie has some of the atmosphere, and it definitely has the supporting cast, with Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Hazel Court, and a young Jack Nicholson, with Lorre stealing the show.

But that’s kind of all it has. You see, it’s a comedy. And to be fair, Comedy of Terrors, a movie made around the same time with many of the same actors (and probably sets) was pretty good. And even Tales of Terror, which has a comedic segment and is based on Poe writings, is a lot better than this. Or at least that’s what I remember. I haven’t seen those movies since I was a first-year undergrad (2010 or ‘11).

But this movie’s just cartoonish, with a lame plot, and even Vincent Price, usually effortlessly cool, seems bored here. I don’t really blame him.

Rating: 5/10