There are many reasons to see The Raven, namely Edgar Allan Poe, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. And it delivers on all the potential it promised, with only its, to me, too short length being any kind of a problem. The production values are striking with a nice Gothic atmosphere, while the score has a haunting sense of dread to it without making things too obvious. The way The Raven is written is remarkable, there are many Poe references that anybody will enjoy and Poe's poetic prose is captured perfectly in an affecting way. The atmosphere will send the hairs on your neck raising, and the film's horror elements are unusually sadistic. The acting doesn't undermine anything either, the supporting cast are solid, with Samuel H Hinds coming off best, but none really are in the same league as the two stars, both of whom are among the giants of the horror genre. Boris Karloff is both creepy and compassionate in his role as the scarred criminal, but it is Bela Lugosi's chillingly twisted performance that carries The Raven.
All in all, apart from the length, The Raven is a great film and well worth checking out. 9/10 Bethany Cox
All in all, apart from the length, The Raven is a great film and well worth checking out. 9/10 Bethany Cox