Founded in 1966, the Gothique Film Society specialises in double bills ‘for the connoisseur of the macabre’.

In The Raven (1935), brilliant but torture-obsessed surgeon Richard Vollin (Bela Lugosi) becomes obsessed with beautiful socialite Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware) after rescuing her from a car crash.

But Jean rejects his advances, and Vollin plots his revenge. Enlisting the help of escaped killer Edmund Bateman (Boris Karloff), Vollin promises him a new face, to hide his identity. But when Vollin goes too far, Bateman seeks his own revenge.

Of the seven genre films co-starring Karloff and Lugosi, this was Bela’s finest hour, as the Poe-obsessed surgeon maniacally puts to ‘good’ use the torture devices he has recreated in his basement.

Made prior to the full enforcement of the Production Code, the 1931 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is best remembered for its strong sexual content, embodied in the character of the bar singer, Ivy Pierson.

It was also the version in which the make-up for Hyde – simian and hairy, with canine teeth – influenced the popular image.

Frederic March deservedly won the Best Actor Oscar for his efforts, while the secret of the astonishing transformation sequences was not revealed until decades later.

Doors open at 18.00 for a 19.00 start.

Refreshments will be available in the licensed cafe/bar.

TICKETS & PRICING

Everyone welcome: Individual tickets at £8.00 can be purchased on the door (cash only, please) or via TicketLab.

Alternatively, Gothique Film Society membership subscriptions are available. Each season comprises six shows, from October to March. The subscription for all six shows is £30.00, but discounted membership is available for in-season joiners. For further enquiries about membership, contact Simon Davies j_s_davies@hotmail.com or come along and join up on the door. (Cash only, please!)