Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a plague on them all, 6 Dec 2008
Dr Anton Phibes (the late great Vincent Price) is out for revenge on those who's incompetance killed his wife Victoria (Caroline Monroe) with the help of his beautiful but mute assistant Vulnavia (VIrginia North).
In the firing line are the likes of Terry Thomas who plays Dr Longstreet a porn mad surgeon who suffers the curse of blood. Joseph Cotton plays Dr Vesalius, a part that was originally meant for Peter Cushing, but Mr Cushing's wife was very ill at the time and he had to withdraw from the filming.
All the deaths follow the plagues of Egypt: curse of boils, bats, frogs, the curse of blood, the curse of rats, hail, of beasts, the locust, of course, the death of the first-born, and then, finally, of darkness.
It is one of those films where you want the bad guy to win, and played to the campest level possible. Inspector Trout (Peter Jeffrey) and Sgt Schenley (Norman Jones) add extra comic relief to the film.
A great piece of escapism, that I remember from my childhood along with the Friday night Hammer Horror movies. Absolutely wonderful regardless of the fact that there are no extras.
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18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nobody seeks revenge like the abominable Dr. Phibes!, 22 Dec 2003
Not since Dante came up with appropriate eternal punishments for those sent to the Inferno has there been such a macabre genius for taking vengeance as "The Abominable Dr. Phibes." The title character, played to the hilt and beyond by Vincent Price, seeks revenge upon the nine doctors he feels are responsible for the death of his beloved wife, Victoria. As inspiration, Anton Phibes uses the Plagues of Egypt, knocking off victims (including Terry-Thomas) with frogs, locusts and the like with the help of his silent assistant Vulnavia (Virginia North), while playing his grand pipe organ. Poor Inspector Trout (Peter Jeffrey) tries to get one step ahead of the Good Doctor, but he cannot even keep up as the murders progress. Phibes saves the best for last: Dr. Vesalius (Joseph Cotten), the man who botched the operation, at least in Phibes twisted view. By this point Phibes is up to the Death of the First Born and Dr. Vesalius has to operate on his son to the boy from suffering the same fate as Phibes. "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" is like "Richard III" and "Silence of the Lambs" in that you find yourself rooting for the villain. This might be camp but it is done with such style and flair, not to mention a macabre (if not sick) humor. I love the fact that Vincent Price does all of his lines as a sort of disembodied voice. His lips never move, a result of having his character's mouth currently being in the side of his neck (what did you expect in a film that is so tongue in cheek?). This 1971 film, directed by Robert Fuest, was scripted by James Whiton and William Goldstein, a pair of decidedly sick human beings. Followed the next year by "Dr. Phibes Rises Again," Price did another camp revenge film, "Theater of Blood" in 1973. But be warned: most women do not consider these films appropriate for dates.
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13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Vincent, 23 Oct 2003
This is Vincent Price's best film without a shadow of a doubt and I know my Vincent Price films. Stunning Set Design, Chock full of orginal ideas and the guy acts everyone off the screen without even the ability to open his mouth(he's disfigured and talks through his neck via a microphone). I wont go into the plot but if you like your 1970's horror films with a heavy dose of black humour this is the film for you. I used to watch this film all the time on a mouldy old Betamax as a kid and I've never bored of it. In short Vincent kicks some serious flesh in this film. Great Cameo by Terry Thomas also and the Stunningly Beautiful Caroline Munro who plays his dead wife who is literally dead all the way through the film(Phibes has somehow kept her body perfectly preserved and who could blame him!!!) I think I'm right in saying also that he made this back to back along with 'Dr Phibes Rises Again' (not as good but still quite classic) and 'Theatre of Blood' another stonkingly good Vincent Price performance. Warning dont watch if you work for the NHS!!!
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