THE RAVEN (1963)

• Director: Roger Corman
• Cast: Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff
• Film: 86mins | USA | Subtitles | Intermission
• Event: Doors 6pm | Intro + Film 6:30pm – 9pm [18+]
• Takes place in the Members’ Bar (membership not required)

“THE MACABRE MASTERPIECE OF TERROR!”

A magician, who has been turned into a raven, turns to a former sorcerer for help (and revenge!).

BAR TRASH celebrates our 3rd year and 10th sensational season with WE ARE TRASH!, a fan-made mixtape of cult and chaotic cinema (14 May to 20 Aug 2025).

Continuing our Vincent Price Sidequest — showing exclusively at Finsbury Park Picturehouse — BAR TRASH is stupidly proud to present ‘The Master of Menace’ in Roger Corman’s THE RAVEN (1963).

How do you adapt one of American literature’s most famous gothic poems for the screen? The task was almost too much for legendary screenwriter Richard Matheson (I AM LEGEND, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN) until he realised that the idea of adapting Edgar Allen Poe’s THE RAVEN was so ridiculous he might as well make it as a comedy.

And what a comedy! Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff play rival magicians whose paths cross when Dr Craven (Price) hears Dr Bedlo (Lorre) tap-tap-tapping on his windowpane. Bedlo was turned into a (talking!) raven by Dr Scarabus (Karloff) and when turned back into human form vows revenge. Whilst the story centres on this supernatural battle of the wizards, it’s the relentless rivalry of the three great horror masters upstaging each other that will captivate your attention. You might also marvel at a juvenile Jack Nicholson as the son of Lorre’s character…

THE RAVEN is the fifth in the much-loved ‘Corman-Poe cycle’ of eight films that saw legendary B-movie maker Roger Corman adapt the works of Edgar Allen Poe from HOUSE OF USHER (1960) to THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964). We are also showing THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964) on Sunday 29 June at Finsbury Park Picturehouse, which was considered by Corman to be one of the best of the series (along with HOUSE OF USHER).

Polite notice: We are showing THE RAVEN with subtitles from the best available digital source. 

// BAR TRASH is a celebration of cult and curious cinema, hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo and friends. Films are served with introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles / captions where possible. Tickets £8 / £5 for PH members. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for updates. //