Starring:
Vincent Price as Dr. Anton Phibes Joseph
Cotten as Dr. Vesalius Virginia North
as Vulnavia Terry-Thomas as Dr. Longstreet Peter Jeffrey as Inspector Trout
Vincent Price is, without a doubt, one of the classic horror
figures of all times. Price is particularly well suited to characters
with over-the-top behaviors and highly stylized settings - and could in
fact give William Shatner a lesson of two in "over
acting".
The Abominable Dr Phibes is a PERFECT example of
Vincent Price at his stylized best.
The
abominable Dr. Phibes begins with a dark figure
playing gothic music on a huge pipe organ. The audience for this
recital of sorts seems to be having a wonderful time...until you look a
bit closer. They are all mannequins seated in positions that give the
illusion that they are enjoying themselves in a lavish nightclub. Then
we see the first appearance of Vulnavia (Virginia North). Though she
never speaks a word through the entire movie, Vulvania has
quite an impact.
Vulnavia
and the organ player proceed through a highly ritualized chain of
events, gliding through loading an automobile with a large box, driving
to a swank part of London and arriving at a large British mansion.
Our next scene shows an older gentleman preparing for bed, clearly
living in the lap of luxury. Just as the poor old fellow falls asleep
the skylight in his room opens and the box is lowered in by a rope.
When the box is opened we hear squeaks and screeches that betray the
fact that some sort of creatures have been released.
Well friends, the creatures turn out to be bats, and proceed to eat
our elderly gentleman alive! And this is just the beginning...
As you have likely figured
out, the mysterious organ player is The Abominable Dr Phibes
himself. Vulnavia is his silent-but-deadly
sidekick, and the two of them are on a murder spree. Each of the
victims of this murderous mambo has one thing in common: They were
somehow involved in the untimely death of Mrs. Phibes on a hospital
operating table as doctors, nurses or attendants.
Hot on the trail of the dastardly Dr. Phibes and his lovely assistant
is Inspector Trout, played by Peter Jeffrey. Trout is a bit of a
bungler, but smart enough to figure out the pattern of the murders and
narrow down the suspects to just one man: Dr. Phibes.
The Abominable Dr Phibes is an intriguing tale
of revenge. The sets are "70s spectacular" and the
performances by Price and North are extraordinary. There are a few
elements that really make this horror movie work:
•The murders are done in very
creative and ingenious ways, using intricate devices and techniques.
(Somebody watched The Abominable Dr Phibes before
writing the horror movie Saw I'm sure)
•Vincent Price pulls no punches in his over-the-top portrayal
of the good doctor, and makes him believable, as only Vincent Price
could.
•Humor and levity intermix with horror and intrigue, and this
rescues The Abominable Dr Phibes from being a total
cheese-fest.
•The style and, well, "bigness" of the visuals, characters and
music result in The Abominable Dr Phibes not just
being a great Vincent Price movie, but a work of art where every
element fits together just right.
The Abominable Dr Phibes
showcases the brilliance of 70s style and of the mastery of Vincent
Price. Many of the younger folks may have missed him altogether, which
is a shame. I do think, though, that one of the best contributions that
the freak-show Michael Jackson has made to the
world is introducing Vincent Price to a whole new generation of
horror-buffs by using his voice in the pop music hit "Thriller" from
the 80s.
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Vulnavia
and the organ player proceed through a highly ritualized chain of
events, gliding through loading an automobile with a large box, driving
to a swank part of London and arriving at a large British mansion.
As you have likely figured
out, the mysterious organ player is The Abominable Dr Phibes
himself. Vulnavia is his silent-but-deadly
sidekick, and the two of them are on a murder spree. Each of the
victims of this murderous mambo has one thing in common: They were
somehow involved in the untimely death of Mrs. Phibes on a hospital
operating table as doctors, nurses or attendants.
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