The Abominable Doctor Phibes

Release Year : 1971

AKA : The Curse of Dr Phibes

Directed By : Robert Fuest

Written By : William Goldstein, James Whiton

Starring : Vincent Price, Virginia North, Josseph Cotten, Edward Burnham

Related Links : IMDB, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

"Nine killed her, nine shall die, nine eternities in doom!"

Delciously hammy and deadpan Vincent Price as a disfigured former concert musician inflicts biblical plagues upon the doctors he blames for letting his wife die on the operating table in this beautifully shot black comedy horror. Every set is a visual feast, and the whole story of revenge is underpinned by a rich vein of dark humour. I challenge you not to be cheering on the vengeful doctor by the end, or at least to be egging him on to ever more amusingly creative ways to kill his victims.

Price is undoubtedly the star of the show, playing that wonderfully over the top revenge obsessed crazy who glitters with mad good humour. For those of you who have seen the also excellent Theatre of Blood (1973) you'll notice huge similarities between the story there, and his role as Edward Lionheart who kills in Shakesperian style, and the more biblical showman of Dr Phibes. It's the type of character Price always played to the best, the theatrical showman with crazed, revenge obsessed taint.

This film just works on so many different levels, there's so much creative going on. The killing are inventive, the way the biblicial theme is into modern life just sparkles with wit and imagination. Constricting frog masks, plagues of bees, a car attachment that freezes its driver, are just a taste of some of the treats that are in store. If Jigsaw (of Saw) ever had a childhood hero who inspired him then it could well have been Price/Phibes. "Mummy, I want to be just like that when I grow up!"

Visually the sets and costumes thrill, the musical accompaniment, often from "The Dr Phibes Clockwork Wizards" works wonderfully to create a feast for eyes and ears. It looks and sounds good, it's cleverly done, and strikes all the right notes. From beginning to end it is a sumptuous banquet. Grab it now, savour it, enjoy it.