The Raven (1935)

The Raven (1935)

An early horror movie with legendary stars Béla Lugosi and Boris Karloff

Laura’s Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Plot: Retired Doctor Richard Vollin is persuaded to perform a surgery to save the life of a young dancer at the request of her father and fiancé. Soon after the surgery, he becomes obsessed with her and it seems that she may be interested in him as well. Her father discourages the romance, causing Vollin to hatch a devious plan.

Opinion: The title implies a potential adaptation of the famous poem, but it is a bit misleading. The film is simply inspired by various Poe stories and motifs, with Dr. Vollin being a fan of the horror writer. 

The movie has a great spooky atmosphere with wind and rain and banging shutters. Béla Lugosi’s presence is commanding but unsettling, which is perfect for the role of Dr. Vollin. Despite his leading role, Lugosi actually got second billing under Karloff. There are not only Poe influences, but also elements of another horror classic, Frankenstein, that I noticed. For example, Vollin has a creepy basement and secret chambers, and even employs a deformed assistant.

Some of the side characters are rather annoying, but they are ultimately unimportant. The movie is obviously quite old, so not really up to today’s filmmaking standards. However, despite its age, this movie rivals thrillers from the 50s in my opinion. With just over an hour runtime, you can definitely fit this movie in for a throwback horror.