The Raven (1935)

In the shadow of Edgar Allan Poe's eerie verses, the macabre masterpiece, The Raven, comes to life, featuring two horror titans - Boris Karloff, the immortal Frankenstein, and Bela Lugosi, the unforgettable Dracula. Lugosi plays the role of Dr. Richard Vollin, an eccentric neurological surgeon drawn out of retirement by the desperate plea of a wealthy judge. Vollin is as renowned for his brilliance as he is notorious for his unsettling fascination with torture devices, a morbid obsession that taints his genius. When Judge Thatcher (Samuel S. Hinds) implores Vollin to save his daughter, Jean (Irene Ware), a graceful dancer left crippled and brain-damaged following a horrific automobile accident, Vollin can't resist. He meticulously reconstructs her shattered life, restoring her to her former glory. But, in the process, he becomes dangerously infatuated with her, envisioning her as his "Lenore," a romantic obsession inspired by Poe's tragic muse. As Jean recoils in fear from his disturbing advances, Vollin's sanity begins to unravel, leading him to conceive a malevolent plan of revenge against Thatcher and Jean's fiancé. Vollin becomes a puppeteer of terror, manipulating the grotesque Edmund Bateman (Karloff), an escaped killer desperate for a new face, into becoming his pawn. In a devil's deal, Vollin promises Bateman a chance at redemption, in return for his services in his nefarious scheme. The Raven spirals into a chilling tale of deceit and betrayal, where Vollin's Poe-inspired dungeon becomes the stage for his sadistic play. Unbeknownst to him, however, Bateman is not so easily controlled, and the doctor finds himself ensnared in the very web of horror he spun, in this intricately crafted shocker that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

The Raven is a horror movie featuring Boris Karloff.

The Raven is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.