The Raven [Region 2] dvd movie.|
The Raven [Region 2] buy bestselling dvd movies, videos find reviews, ratings, prices |
![The Raven [Region 2]](/pictures/Raven-m.jpg) |
Features • PAL In Theaters : 25 January, 1963 |
| [ + Zoom ] [ Buy Now ] | DVD : This item is currently not available. |
|
|
| ♥♥♥♥♥ | Can A Comedy Be Dark And Wholesome At The Same Time? |
| A lot of times people refer to a movie as "dark". As I comment, I will say that this has some "black humor" in it, i.e. humor that is a little on the sickening side, but I would not use the term dark. Allow me to explain why.
Did anyone notice that this picture is rated "G"? Of course, as with any other film I would watch it with my children (as if I had any), but the only question I have about children seeing this movie really is Hazel Court's low cut dress, and possibly the desertion angle, though children do have to deal with that situation some. There are movies that give me the impression that the actors are having the time of their lives when they make them. "Dick Tracy" and "Sneakers" are examples of this. So is "The Raven". Vincent Price and Boris Carloff (both inaugural members of the Horror Hall of Fame, the only actors with that honor) are great as rival magicians Craven and Scarabus (respectively), and Peter Lorre steals the show as Dr. Bedlo, whether it he is visible before the camera, or whether it's just his voice when his character is turned into a raven. Jack Nicholson did not show much promise of the career to come, nor was he given much opportunity in this to show it, but he managed his role well. (By the way, there are only nine actors in this whole movie!) Not remembering my Disney movie chronology, I wonder if either this movie or "The Sword In The Stone" (whichever was made first) influenced the other. The battle between Craven and Scarabus reminds me of Merlin facing off with Mad Madam Mim in Disney's cartoon. Another movie comparison is with Casino Royale, where at points Price's performance reminds me of David Niven's in the other movie, but I found this comedy, while not having much more of a plot, a lot funnier and more coherent, and definitely more wholesome. Let me give two morality points that are found in this comedy. At one point, Craven realizes he made a mistake of not earlier confronting Scarabus but being apathetic. Evil succeeds when good men do nothing. This is a message we need to remember, to stand up to evil. The other thing I noticed (SPOILER ALERT -- DO NOT READ THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT THE STORY SPOILED) is that in the "battle to the death", Craven didn't try very hard to kill off Scarabus. There was one possibly fatal attack given to Scarabus, but most of the attacks from Craven were defensive or if more offensive, definitely not deadly. The beginning and the ending were my favorite parts, both playing on the famous line of Egdar Allen Poe's classic poem. One last note: there was a movie about thirty years earlier called "The Raven". Like this one, they both allude to the writings of Poe, and both team up Carloff with other famous horror actors (Price and Lorre here, and Bela Lugosi in the other), but there the similarities end. |
|
|