"The Abominable Dr. Phibes" is like "Richard III" and "Silence of the Lambs" in that you find yourself rooting for the villain. This might be camp but it is done with such style and flair, not to mention a macabre (if not sick) humor. I love the fact that Vincent Price does all of his lines as a sort of disembodied voice. His lips never move, a result of having his character's mouth currently being in the side of his neck (what did you expect in a film that is so tongue in cheek?). This 1971 film, directed by Robert Fuest, was scripted by James Whiton and William Goldstein, a pair of decidedly sick human beings. Followed the next year by "Dr. Phibes Rises Again," Price did another camp revenge film, "Theater of Blood" in 1973. But be warned: most women do not consider these films appropriate for dates.

gloriously OTT
Review date: 2003-11-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

Dr Anton Phibes is determined to wreck revenge on the surgeons who failed to save the life of his beloved wife when she is injured in the car crash which also left him monstrously disfigured. His means of revenge is ingenious to say the least: he decides to base them on the Biblical plagues of Egypt, so we get each victim stung to death by locusts, drained of all blood, devoured by flies, frozen to death, etc. (The frogs one is particularly clever). Just about everything about this film is done in sheer panto style, and it works splendidly. Vincent Price camps it up so much we even have him playing the organ whilst wearing a black leather hoooded cloak, and an art-deco orchestra supports him in the background! Sort of Busby Berkeley does horror! He is assisted throughout by a mute young woman who moodily saws away on a violin whilst he is despatching his victims. As in "Theatre of Blood", which ably matches it for sheer outrageousness, Price is helped by a terrific supporting cast. Grisly, but great fun.

Classic Vincent
Review date: 2003-10-23 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is Vincent Price's best film without a shadow of a doubt and I know my Vincent Price films. Stunning Set Design, Chock full of orginal ideas and the guy acts everyone off the screen without even the ability to open his mouth(he's disfigured and talks through his neck via a microphone). I wont go into the plot but if you like your 1970's horror films with a heavy dose of black humour this is the film for you. I used to watch this film all the time on a mouldy old Betamax as a kid and I've never bored of it. In short Vincent kicks some serious flesh in this film. Great Cameo by Terry Thomas also and the Stunningly Beautiful Caroline Munro who plays his dead wife who is literally dead all the way through the film(Phibes has somehow kept her body perfectly preserved and who could blame him!!!) I think I'm right in saying also that he made this back to back along with 'Dr Phibes Rises Again' (not as good but still quite classic) and 'Theatre of Blood' another stonkingly good Vincent Price performance. Warning dont watch if you work for the NHS!!!

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