THE RAVEN (1915)
Article #395 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing date: 4-14-2002
Posting date: 9-7-2002

The life and times of Edgar Allan Poe, plus a rendition of his most famous poem.

This movie was based on a stage play, and it appears to be more or less a biography of Poe. As such, it seems arbitrary and often pointless, with fantasy elements that seem curious but unenlightening. The centerpiece is a visual retelling of “The Raven”, but I don’t find it particularly interesting. In fact, the whole movie just seems a bit of a mess, frustrating and unfocused, though I suspect the movie may not be complete, as there are some plot elements that make no sense to me at all, particularly a part near the end involving an old man. As it is, I award the movie the Confused Shrug award.