The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
DVD5 | VIDEO_TS | NTSC | 4:3 | 720x480 | 5700 kbps | 4.10Gb
Audio: #1 English AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #2 French AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #3 Spanish AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps | Subtitles: French, Spanish
01:34:39 | UK, USA | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
DVD5 | VIDEO_TS | NTSC | 4:3 | 720x480 | 5700 kbps | 4.10Gb
Audio: #1 English AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #2 French AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #3 Spanish AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps | Subtitles: French, Spanish
01:34:39 | UK, USA | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar, Dr. Anton Phibes, seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for his wife's death.
Director: Robert Fuest
Cast: Vincent Price, Joseph Cotten, Hugh Griffith, Terry-Thomas, Virginia North, Peter Jeffrey, Derek Godfrey, Norman Jones, John Cater, Aubrey Woods, John Laurie, Maurice Kaufmann, Barbara Keogh, Sean Bury, Susan Travers, David Hutcheson, Edward Burnham, Alex Scott, Peter Gilmore, Alan Zipson, Dallas Adams, James Grout, Alister Williamson, Thomas Heathcote, Ian Marter, Charles Farrell, Julian Grant, John Franklyn, Walter Horsbrugh, Joanna Lumley
IMDb
Doctors are being murdered in a bizarre manner: bats, bees, killer frog masks, etc., which represent the nine Biblical plagues. The crimes are orchestrated by a demented organ player with the help of his mute assistant. The detective is stumped until he finds that all of the doctors being killed assisted a Dr. Vesalius on an unsuccessful operation involving the wife of Dr. Phibes, but he couldn't be the culprit, could he? He was killed in a car crash upon learning of his wife's death…
~ Ed Sutton
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
DVDVerdict
Vincent Price is the master of creepy, over the top horror character portrayals, and he is in rare form as Dr. Phibes. Obviously from the beginning he is not what he seems, which is creepy enough as he wails away as a latter day Phantom of the Opera on his organ, accompanied by his robotic Clockwork Wizards. The fact that his mouth never moves, he must speak through a device attached to his neck, and he drinks from the other side of his throat adds a macabre feel to an already bizarre character. Price manages to evoke sympathy while being a fiendish killer without remorse, all in an almost silent role. Only his monologues told to the picture of his dead wife hold up as dialogue until the end of the picture and its climactic showdown. His portrayal shows great subtlety even when he is at his most bizarre.
As he did again in his Theater of Blood two years later, Price plays a mad artist who has been wronged, this time by the medical profession. This time an Egyptian feel is given to the character and his lair, along with the modus operandi of his quest for revenge. Set design is both unsettling and campy, making this one of the creepiest comedies I've yet come across. The film is funny, but almost as an afterthought, since Price plays his role almost straight, and only a flamboyant flair gives away the tongue in cheek. This balancing of horror and dark comedy is masterfully done thanks both to Vincent Price and director Robert Fuest.
Other performances range from the ridiculous to the serious, though even the ones playing things straight have a comic element. Peter Jeffrey has an almost Monty Python-esque role, surrounded by a headstrong idiot for a boss and inept Keystone Cops as his fellow policemen. Most of the victims play things straight, but only get enough screen time for Price to kill them in ever more inventive ways.
Looking at the film on its surface, it may seem too camp or over the top, but it is here that casual viewers miss the point. This is a dark comedy as much as it is a horror film, and the camp is part of the point. The Clockwork Wizards are laughably poor substitutes for the real musicians playing for them, and it is obvious that such flat and robotic hands could not have produced such music. This could have easily been hidden from view. While I'm talking about the music, it varies from broad orchestral themes to happy calliope type music wholly out of place with the subject at hand. This is also by intent, which adds a lighthearted feel to what might otherwise be a gruesome serial killer film.
My expectations haven't been high when MGM comes out with a catalog title, but I have to admit that at least they got the picture quality right. I've never seen the Dr. Phibes films in widescreen since they first aired in the early '70s, but now they are back in the original aspect ratio with anamorphic enhancement. The film is surprisingly clean and free of dirt or scratches, and colors are vibrant and rich. The picture quality absolutely belies the age of the film, though the color schemes and style of filmmaking will give it away as a product of the 1970s. I'm not saying there were no flaws at all, but nothing that I found distracting in the least, and I was enthusiastic about the quality of the image as I watched this old favorite again. Sound is an adequate two-channel mono, which is clear and free of hiss or crackle. Dialogue is clearly understood, and even the music sounded fairly full for such an aged and limited track. Certainly I'd have liked a remix, but I really can't complain.
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Monstres at Play
Dr. Anton Phibes (Vincent Price) is horribly disfigured in a car accident while on his way to be with his ill wife. The remains of the chauffeur from the accident are mistaken for Phibes. The good doctor is now given plenty of time to exact revenge on the surgical team he held responsible for his wife's death. With the help of his mute and mysterious assistant, Vulnavia (the striking Virgina North), Phibes is able to execute his plan for revenge.
With a touch of class in each carefully choreographed scene, Phibes takes revenge upon the 9 doctors with 9 of the biblical plagues visited upon the Pharaoh. The grand finale leads Phibes to his nemesis, the head surgeon (Joseph Cotton). Phibes, unable to speak, has created an ingenious little device to allow his voice to be heard. Despite the fact that he's horribly disfigured, he has also created a new face for himself to be applied whenever necessary. Hot on the trail of Phibes and Vulnavi are "The Law", Detectives Trout (Peter Jeffrey) and Crow (Derek Godfrey). They always seem to be one step behind the Dr. and provide some chuckles as they remain hot on his trail. Their bumbling antics can get a bit tedious, however, their presence does seem appropriate and still works within the story.
Each scene of revenge is a true treat, and Phibes is devilishly exact and graceful in his execution We can't help but root for the good doctor and as we accompany him on his journey, feel his pain and despair. Dr. Phibes has nothing but class and his lavish home decorated with extreme flair and flamboyance, is a real treat for the eyes. The visuals are a mind blower, and the acting is over the top, but that's what we'd expect. Each of the visited plagues, is an incredible set piece, and the film doesn't slow down for a minute, up until the chilling finale.
The Abominable Dr. Phibes is presented in an anamorphic widescreen transfer. The transfer is quite brilliant and blows away the Orion laser disc, which for its time was also quite stunning. Colors are bright and sharp, and there are little to no distractions to be found, a nice clean compression job, and it's a true joy to behold.
The Sound is Dolby Digital English Mono (with mono French and Spanish tracks also) and is quite clear and distortion free. This is quite simply the best this film has ever looked or sounded.
Extras are thin, just a theatrical trailer (and a very cool trailer to boot!). The trailer is also widescreen, and in decent shape. No complaints though, because this film can be purchased online for under $10.00 shipped to your door.
An essential disc for any fan of horror, which belongs in your collection. At a cost of less than $10.00 there is no excuse not to own this DVD. The extras are thin, but the price point takes care of that. Pop in this disc, for a journey you will not soon forget.
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
