This was an odd one. The mix of camp, word play and blood was a fun mix.
This film is just so much fun right? We have Vincent Price avenging his wife by killing the doctors who couldn't save her. And he does with with loads of creativity, basing his kills on Egypt Curses.
I loved that he couldn't speak because of the accident he had while trying to get in time to his wife and Vincent Price sells that very well! I also really love those colorful 70's horror films. I only missed the Hammer red blood.
The opening though, with the concert, you're like wtf? And they suck you right in! We also have a fun detective played by Peter Jeffrey. Who is always one step behind the great Vincent Price!
Anyway, this is a must watch for anyone. It great fun and has a great ending. You won't regret these 90 minutes!
Dr. Phibes had supposedly died many years prior, but in the mid-1920's why he the only suspect is a serious of very strange deaths. Dr. Phibes, if he's still alive is gaining revenge on the doctors who let his darling wife die. But Dr. Phibes is killing in a meaningful way, by using the 10 curses visited upon the Pharaoh in the Bible: from frogs to locusts to rats to death of the first born son. Inspector Trout and Sergeant Schenley are on the case but seem to be too late in every case to stop the deaths from happening.
Extravagant sets and ingenious deaths, Dr. Phibes is the precursor to films like Seven, where serial killers use religion as their trademark kill. The film is serious but also filled with a wry wit which makes it much more intriguing to watch than had it tried to go be a straight horror film.
A revenge with biblical plagues, with a very smart killer and not so smart policemen. Hammer Atmosphere
Dr Phibes and his band of Frank Sidebottom lookalikes.
“A brass unicorn has been catapulted across a London street and impaled an eminent surgeon. Words fail me, gentlemen.”
Wanted to like it but it did nothing for me. I didn't like the structure of the story at the start. For a while it felt empty of meaning instead of full of mystery. When it comes clear of what's happening just before mid way all I could think of is 'is that it?' You've got bland detective and plot against Phibes ranting on about his love and predictably killing. Not my cup of tea
Overall it looked good. Some of the visuals were freaky and intriguing. The dialogue in the scene with the jewellery expert (whatever he was) was brilliantly funny.
Shout by whitsbrainVIP 5BlockedParent2022-01-15T16:16:01Z
This an odd, artsy Horror/Comedy but it is really interesting. The "kills" by Dr. Phibes are ingenious even if I'm not exactly sure how he manages to execute them undetected. The police force, led by Inspector Trout, offer some great comedic relief and it's needed. Vincent Price's Dr. Phibes is an emotionless zombie for the majority of the film.
This is really a unique Horror movie and will be very popular with any classic Hammer or William Castle fans.