Review of The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) by James H — 05 Jul 2004

[font=Book Antiqua]Anyone who considers themselves any sort of horror buff must see this movie. Even if you don't like horror, and just like quirky, cerebral movies, go see this movie. In general, unless you have a delibating disease that prevents you from watching movies, GO WATCH THIS MOVIE!

The premise is brilliant. In the mother of all malpractice films, Dr. Phibes (Vincent Price) and his wife get into an accident. Phibes is left for dead, and his wife is taken to a hospital, where she dies during surgery. Phibes, horribly disfigured, reconstructs his face using his incredible skill with latex, although he suffers from the ill effects of his disfigurement, which include the shattering of his voicebox and mouth, forcing him to talk through a gramophone connected to his windpipe and eat by placing food directly into his esophagus via a hole in the side of his neck. Great stuff.

Anyway, Phibes swears revenge against the doctors and nurses who let his wife die. Operating from his bizarre home (very art deco, featuring an animatronic jazz band), Phibes kills those responsible by re-enacting the 10 bibilical plagues of Egypt. So his victims die very creatively (hail, locusts, etc). The murders set off an investigation featuring 2 bumbling detectives, culminating in a very tense ending.

But what really sets this movie apart is the mood and acting. Price, although depicting a clear madman, makes Dr. Phibes a tragic and enduring figure. His is filled with unearthly grace and poise, making him all more chilling of a killer. The film is rife with bizarre imagery and music, drawing the viewer into near hypnosis.

Just go watch this movie.

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