Review of The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) by Stuart K — 01 Feb 2011
Produced by American International Pictures, (who could have been the American equivelant to Hammer), and made in England. This is a great cheesy horror film with a memorable lead performance and a brilliant supporting cast as well.
You don't get horror films with a surreal nature like this anymore. It has deformed music scholar and organist Dr. Anton Phibes (Vincent Price) getting revenge on the doctors who could have saved the life of his wife who died a few years previously, and takes revenge by way of The Ten Plagues of Egypt.
We see Dr. Dunwoody (Edward Burnham) being mauled to death by a plague of bats, Dr. Longstreet (Terry-Thomas) has all of the blood drained out of his body, Dr. Kitaj (Peter Gilmore) is eaten by rats while flying a plane and Nurse Allen (Susan Travers) is covered in sprout juice and her flesh is eaten by locusts.
Scotland Yard police Inspectors Harry Trout (Peter Jeffrey) and Waverley (John Cater) go off to try and find Phibes, yet Phibes has a final nasty revenge for chief Dr. Vesalius (Joseph Cotten). Done on the cheap and it shows, but it's still good fun, especially when we see Phibes a clockwork band he does serenades with in his spare time.
We need more horror films like this again, ones that have a dark streak of humour and fun.
This review of The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) was written by Stuart K on 01 Feb 2011.
The Abominable Dr. Phibes has generally received positive reviews.
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