Cheap The Comedy of Terrors / The Raven (DVD) (Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff) (Jacques Tourneur) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Comedy of Terrors / The Raven

Actually, these are TWO superb "Comedies of Terror!"
_I don't usually review many films, but this double feature by MGM's Midnight Movies is just too marvelous an experience and value to not comment on. These are two of my favorite films from a time when a Vincent Price horror movie was a trusted and reliable product of quality. I still remember watching these films as a boy at the Saturday matinee. <
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>_First of all, you have the great Vincent Price at the top of his form. If that is not enough for you, then there are such movie greats as Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone as costars. They all excel at playing genuine, unforced comedy- who knew? You even have Jack Nicholson early in his career. The scripts for both are by the master of the unconventional tale, Richard Matheson. <
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>_"The Raven" is a story of rival sorcerers in the late Middle Ages. There is something about the comedic interplay of the characters that makes it rather more believable than less so. And the special effects are truly well done for a film of this period and budget. Corman is on the record as saying that this is his favorite of the films that he did of the series. <
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>_"The Comedy of Terrors" is an excellent tongue in cheek farce of the traditional gothic and horror genre. It deals with a 19th century family of undertakers that go out of their way to "create" business when things get a little slow.... <
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>_The special features are truly a cut above on this offering. First of all, you get the theatrical trailers for both films (and American International trailers were an art form in themselves.) Then you get Roger Corman talking about these, and the related films, of this period. But, by far the best feature is the writer of both films, Richard Matheson, reflecting upon them. This interview goes far beyond the usual with reflections on the metaphysical ramifications of his writing- and even the purpose of life. It hit me as a shock some years ago to realize just how many of the films, television shows, and books that I have loved throughout my life were all written by this one great, great storyteller. <
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>_Even the case of this DVD is excellent with its depiction of the original movie posters. <
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A pair of Richard Matheson written comedy thrillers
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. Even though Corman did not do "The Comedy of Terrors," it is a fitting counterpart to "The Raven" because not only do you have the same veteran horror actors in both films, but because writer Richard Matheson wrote both scripts. Matheson wrote the best of the AI films and deserves to be considered one of the best scripters of horror films of all time. <
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>"The Comedy of Terrors" has a very simple premise. Vincent Price plays Waldo Trumbull, an undertaker who has not been getting any business so he decides to make some for himself by bumping off rich people. Also along for the fun are Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone, who tend to throw in a lot of Shakespeare quotes in the proceedings (Matheson wrote the whole script in blank verse). Lorre is Price's assistant and Karloff plays the senile father of Price's wife (Joyce Jameson). Joe E. Brown shows up to play the cemetery keeper as well (anybody remember when he played Shakespeare in 1935's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?). <
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>The film, also known as "The Graveyard Story," is directed by Jacques Tourneur, who first made a name for himself with "Cat People" when he headed the horror unit at RKO. Still, many viewers will be surprised that this was not a Corman film and, indeed, he seems to be the only one of the usual cast of suspects not involved in the film. The end result is pretty funny, especially when the boys are trying to keep Rathbone's "MacBeth" quoting John F. Black in his coffin. Some people will be grossly offended by these comic hijinxs, but those people should already know that going in and can just avoid this DVD. <
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>"The Raven" begins "straight" with Dr. Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price) intoning Poe's poem, to an actual raven. But then the raven responds 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. <
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>Ultimately the credit for this one goes mainly to the script from Matheson. 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, which came out a year before "The Comedy of Terrors," 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. <
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Horror veterans show their campy style!
I once knew an undertaker, and he was the funniest guy (he said his way of handling the pressures of the job was through humour). Maybe the same can be said of actors playing undertakers. In this case some of the horror legends, getting a chance to step out of their usual persona and campy their way through riotous fun. This movie had such a powerhouse of talent, Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone, and Boris Karloff, each a true film legend, but also with horror great director Jacques Tourneur and screenplay from Richard Matheson. They gang together to make one of the funniest tales.

Price is Waldo Trumbull, husband to buxom Amaryllis (Joyce Jameson) and son-in-law to Amos Hinchley (Karloff). Waldo married Amaryllis to get his hands on the family undertaking business - but business has been pretty thin. The owner of the building John F. Black (Rathbone) is planning on evicting him. So Waldo decides to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak - do in Rathbone and collect for his funeral. Only, the Shakespeare quoting, cataleptic Rathbone is not so easily killed. Father in-law is losing it, and Waldo goes around trying to get him to take his "medicine" which is poison. Lorre is Felix Gillie, Waldo's sidekick - and Waldo the grouch really takes the term too literal. Poor Felix is really in love with Amaryllis, who wanted to be an opera singer (maybe in another life?) but married Waldo. Waldo cannot stand her singing, but then no one except Felix likes her singing.

It is great to see the Horror Legends having such great fun. Toss in Joe E. Brown as the graveyard attendant and one nutty cat, it is a black comedy at it's best.

Karloff eulogy is a howl!

A must for any fan of these great actors!

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The second romp has Karloff and Price playing rival wizards that are headed for a showdown. Directed by horror quickie Roger Corman and once again scripted by Richard Matheson, it is a riot as the two wizards play a game of one upmanship. This film was so funny, because Price and Corman had been working their way through Poe's tales, so it was great to see one done with tongue firmly through cheek. What for a very young Jack Nicholson in the cast.

A great double feature!