Rating: 
Summary: Black humor abounds!
Review: Based on Poe's classic, this is a most amusing film about two warring Sorcerers, Dr. Scarabus {Karloff} and Dr. Erasmuc Craven (Vincent Price) who eventually meet up and duel it out one stormy night using their various imaginative Magical talents to out-notch eachother.
The film begins with a quote from Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven' read by Dr. Erasmuc Craven {Price} which leads into a-knocking at the chamber window, in this case, an actual raven scratching at the pane, but there is more to this lovely bird than meets the eye, who happens to speak in Peter Lorre's voice; it seems he is in a jam being transformed into the black bird by one Dr. Scarabus {Karloff}, and rightfully so, for being intoxicatingly petulent during a visit to his castle {after all, "If a guest in your Lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy!" - SROTE #4}. So he nags the mild-mannered Craven to return him to his proper form, quite rudely at that, but when not enough potion is mixed up to fully recouperate him, they must go to the cemetary to acquire one last missing ingredient - that of "hair of a dead man", so Erasmuc figures that his deceased father would not mind a lock cut, but while clipping, is warned by the corpse to "beware". Finally, the familiar form of Dr. Bedlo {Lorre} is restored, a rather bumbling nincompoop on the fringes of "The Brotherhood of Magicians", and off he goes to gain revenge, but not before informing Craven that he actually spotted his dead beloved Lenore at the castle, so the grieving Craven is thus determined to free her 'spirit' from his clutches; but to his eventual surprise, discovers that she never died, but actually left him for Scarabus, placing a decomposing body to mislead Craven into thinking it was she, to which his dedication bade him to turn into a shrine. I found Lenore to be of a particuarly despicable sort, more of an opportunistic "groupie" who fanes "love" in order to leech from the Sorcerers' potencies, merely living in their shadow. An empty creature at best, in and of herself.
Erasmuc and Bedlo are eventually accompanied by their children, Craven's nubile daughter {Olive Sturgess} and Bedlo's strapping son "Rexford"{Jack Nicholson} on the journey to the Scarabus Castle; wherein Rexford is momentarily possessed by some "diabolical mind control" while he manns the cortege', as was Craven's retainer earlier on, a bald trollish brute who wielded an axe against his superiors, until the mysterious influence wore off. Once within the castle, Scarabus is quite the gracious host, treating his guests to dinner until Bedlo becomes intoxicated and against better judgement, decides to act up again, challenging Scarabus to an enchanted bout, yet Scarabus merely toys with the incompetent "wizard", until finally, growing tired of the mediocre display, dispatches him with a bolt of lightning. But it turns out that there were more sinister purposes concocted by Scarabus, beneath this whole spectacle, as Bedlo re-appears to the subsequently imprisoned trio freeing them of their binds. It is at this point when Scarabus' true intentions are revelaed, and the Magical battle begins between he and Craven, resulting in quite an entertaining match where both imagination and skill are pitted against eachother in kind.
Rating:
Summary: Corman's horror-comedy classic with Price, Karloff & Lorre
Review: Director Roger Corman figured that the Poe adaptations he had been making at American International starting with "House of Usher" had pretty much run its course, so in a final masterstroke he decided to start playing up the humor. The result might be more like "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" than "The Pit and the Pendulum," but you have to admit "The Raven" is one of the best comedy-thrillers ever made. The film begins "straight" with Dr. Erasmuc Craven (Vincent Price) intoning Poe's poem, to an actual raven. But then the raven responsds on cue...with Peter Lorre's voice! It turns out the raven is really another magician, Dr. Bedlo, who has been victimized by Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff). Craven turns Bedlo back into a human, and Bedlo agrees to help Craven find his beloved Lenore (Hazel Court). Going along on the journey are Craven's daughter (Olive Sturgess) and Bedlo's son (Jack Nicholson--this explains a lot, huh?). The film's climax is an epic magical duel between Price and Karloff (why even bother with the characters' names anymore?), where the two sorcerers keep trying to top each other. Ultimately the credit for this one goes mainly to the script from Richard Matheson, who invariably was the screenwriter on Corman's best films. This is another one of those early films with Nicholson that must have been a great source of embarrassment to him once upon a time, but Price, Karloff and Lorre are having so much fun hamming it up in this one that you have little choice but to enjoy the indignities heaped upon the future Oscar winner. This 1963 film should not be confused with the film with the same name Karloff made in 1935, although they would certainly make a rather obvious double-bill for a Saturday night.
Rating: 
Summary: Corman directs Price, Karloff & Lorre in a Comedy-Thriller
Review: Director Roger Corman figured that the Poe adaptations he had been making at American International starting with "House of Usher" had pretty much run its course, so in a final masterstroke he decided to start playing up the humor. The result might be more like "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" than "The Pit and the Pendulum," but you have to admit "The Raven" is one of the best comedy-thrillers ever made. The film begins "straight" with Dr. Erasmuc Craven (Vincent Price) intoning Poe's poem, to an actual raven. But then the raven responsds on cue...with Peter Lorre's voice! It turns out the raven is really another magician, Dr. Bedlo, who has been victimized by Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff). Craven turns Bedlo back into a human, and Bedlo agrees to help Craven find his beloved Lenore (Hazel Court). Going along on the journey are Craven's daughter (Olive Sturgess) and Bedlo's son (Jack Nicholson--this explains a lot, huh?). The film's climax is an epic magical duel between Price and Karloff (why even bother with the characters' names anymore?), where the two sorcerers keep trying to top each other. Ultimately the credit for this one goes mainly to the script from Richard Matheson, who invariably was the screenwriter on Corman's best films. This is another one of those early films with Nicholson that must have been a great source of embarrassment to him once upon a time, but Price, Karloff and Lorre are having so much fun hamming it up in this one that you have little choice but to enjoy the indignities heaped upon the future Oscar winner. This 1963 film should not be confused with the film with the same name Karloff made in 1935, although they would certainly make a rather obvious double-bill for a Saturday night.
Rating:
Summary: Has Everything You Could Ask For
Review: I had to memorize this poem years ago. For years I believed that everyone did. Maybe it's a shame that they didn't. This is classic Poe. It's not long. It is tight, straight to the point, and foreboding. And that is not the reason to buy the book. The book really worth buying because of the classic illustration's by Dore. They are fantastic. They perfectly catch the tone of the poem. In a time before movies, animated cartoons, or TV, these illustrations showed the poem that was being read (probably out loud by an adult). They worked then. They still work. Your children, your grandchildren, and your siblings will enjoy it as much as you will.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Comedy from Masters of Terror
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: DON'T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB
Review: Not a great read. Could be better with loud guitars.
Rating:
Summary: ridden with malaise
Review: Not only is this book about intense emotions, but it takes you on a trip through madness. All the pieces are so well interwoven that you come out of it trembling with the central character.
Rating:
Summary: Dismissable but fairly entertaining
Review: Not to be confused with the 1930s Universal Studios film starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff and concerned with themes of madness and torture, this light weight comedy concerns a battle between warlocks Price and Karloff, with Peter Lorre thrown in for good measure. Silly and dismissable, but rather entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: For Any Fan of Classic Horror Dark Comedy!!
Review: One of my All Time Favorites!! Vincent Price does an excellent job and you can almost see a smirk on his face through most of the movie showing you how much fun he's having!! The "Wizards Duel" between Price and Karloff is enough to purchase this Roger Corman Classic alone! I have a copy on VHS but I just can't wait until it is finaly released on DVD!!
Rating:
Summary: DON'T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB
Review: One of my favorite actors is Vincent Price. This film not only shows off his acting talents but his sense of humor as well. Peter Lorre is a great pain-in-the-side and the dialogue between the two fellows is funny! "Do you prefer dried bats blood or evaporated?"
Throw in Boris Karloff having a good time and you have a lot of laughs.
The sets are classic 1960's "B" movie. The special effects are nostalgic in these days of Lucusfilm.
If you want a great Saturday night popcorn muncher then you have to get "The Raven."
I got this and "The Comedy of Terrors" at the same time.
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